Today's lesson in sportsmanship

I've always considered the term "Canadian celebrity" to be a bit of an oxymoron. Sure, they may show up on tv every once in awhile, someone somewhere may actually be a fan, but they're not exactly household names are they? How does one guage whether they have actually crossed the status line into diva territory?

For example... today being the day before game day, the Stamps were flying to Regina. I checked most of them in and then went on to work their flight. Most of the players are friendly, polite, and in good spirits. Henry Burris even laughed when I told him he was going to be sitting in the pit for this flight because he made the mistake of letting a Rider fan check him in. But hey, that's class - he knows he's representing his team and knows there is nothing to get worked up about. But there are always the few... the ones who want star treatment from start to finish - the ones who skipped gym class the day everyone else was learning about sportsmanship.

So here's the scenario... Stamps don't fly on charters, they take the regular flight to Regina. Regardless of the fact that we're an economy airline and we don't do VIP stuff, the Stamps somehow get priority over our other guests who paid for their flights out of their own pocket - Stamps get the majority of aisles and windows - never middle seats. And that's understandable, we have a good business relationship with the Stamps, and obviously they're bigger fellows so a middle seat isn't exactly comfortable for the majority of them. It puts our guests out, but most of them are so excited that the Stamps are on board that rarely does anyone complain. However, what the guests do complain about is that we're late departing and therefore late arriving. Why? Because the players have this silly little game - a contest to see who can get one the plane last. It doesn't matter that the plane is due to depart in 5 minutes, nor does it matter that we're paging them to board the plane, and it certainly doesn't matter that they're standing 5 feet from the bridge to the plane. They just won't get on. At first it's amusing, ha ha, silly Stampeders, blah, blah, blah. But it gets old. Fast.

So the two of us working that particular flight start to get anxious. And a little pissed off. We page, we ask politely, we call them up by name.... no one wants to get on the plane. "But there's a line up on the bridge" they say. (A line up a whopping 5 people deep.) It never occurs to them that maybe we have duties other than getting them on board the airplane - duties that all need to be done before that plane can even shut its doors. Finally, exasperated, my co-worker flat out says "You guys need to get on that plane now, you have waited long enough, you need to board NOW." And here is where the fun begins...

Imagine that you are 5'9" or 5'10" tall, probably pretty scrawny - no where near big enough to be a football player. And Daddy's a coach in the big leagues - so of course you want to play - but you're no Rudy. So you manage to get a little bigger (after today I can just guess how) but you never make it past college ball. But Daddy can pull some strings - you can be a coach! Maybe you're just having a bad day, maybe you're experiencing a little roids backlash, or maybe you're just pissed because no one watching the big game knows your name - whatever the reason, when someone other than Daddy asks you to get off your ass and do something, you feel like you have to put on a shit show. So you rant and rave a bit, and point fingers, and get in people's faces - but funny thing - no one's buying the diva bullshit! It just doesn't seem to be working! Not only that, but your buddies - who thought this was all so freaking hilarious from the get go - all kind of look embarassed by you and your theatrics. It matters very little to you that there are people other than you on that plane who are waiting to leave. It matters even less that every minute we are late departing - my partner and I are held accountable for. Sure, Daddy will keep you on the payroll, but what happens to me 3 months down the line when I am being evaluated for a payraise? It matters still less that I am standing with my face 2 inches from yours, looking you point blank in the eye and telling you that if you don't calm down you won't be going on this flight. And it's a long walk to Regina. And apparently it matters least of all that you - a coach for the Calgary Stampeders is making your team look very, very bad.

Maybe things are different now, I don't know. But when I was growing up, the rules of sportsmanship were drilled into my head from the get go. It didn't matter what sport they played, I always looked up to players who had class and dignity. In high school, we would be kicked out of the gym if we booed the other team or if we made noise during one of their foul shots. I was no angel - we all get riled up some of the time - but it was more important to me that people respect me - not be intimidated by me.

Now, this incident wasn't the Stamp's fault - but as a member of this football club he should have known better. Just because you're in a suit doesn't mean the impression you are leaving is a good one. Each player and coach is responsible for representing the image the Stamps want to maintain for their fans, their financers, and the people working behind the scenes to accomodate them. And as in today's example, all it took was one person to drop the ball for that image to be tarnished.

In hindsight, I shouldn't have let him on the plane. But goddamn it, karma's a bitch - so the Riders better damn well kick it into high gear this weekend!