I Will Take the Sweet Please

 Sour Patch Kids are by far my favorite movie candy in the whole world. I could eat several during any movie. One box is no match for this movie guru. It is one of those guilty pleasures I have to have while watching a flick. Of course, I always have my popcorn but there is always enough room for some Sour Patch Kids. The claim of this candy is that it is sweet and then sour. So, when you put one of these sugar coated morsels in your mouth, you taste sweet and then your pucker face emerges and here comes the sour. It is such a welcome taste for me. This past week I had a taste of sweet and sour in my mouth but it was not the candy kind. The figurative tastes of sweet and sour in my mouth were a result of my reaction to the reaction of one man's blunder. I think there are people in our world who lack a filter. Just because you think it doesn't mean you need to say it (or post it on Twitter). A little seven-year boy would give all of us a lesson on what it means to love others even when they mess up. It's heartwarming considering the obscene that preceded it. Deplorable posts have become an epidemic. People need to grow up.

  Last weekend we (as in fans of the NFL) were treated to two magnificent conference championship games. I actually picked the two eventual winners. In both games there were players who didn't come through when their teams needed them. They failed to execute when the game was on the line. As a result, their respective teams lost and will be watching next week's Super Bowl from their favorite establishment or living room. Heartbreaking it was. You have to feel for these guys. However, their teammates picked them up and didn't throw them to the wolves. Baltimore had two guys fail at clutch time. Wide receiver Lee Evans dropped what would have been the game winning touchdown and their kicker Billy Cundiff missed an easy 31-yard field goal which would have tied the game and sent it into overtime. There was outrage in Baltimore-land. However, the reaction would pale in comparison to what happened after the NFC championship game later that day.

  Kyle Williams, son of the current general manager of major league baseball's Chicago White Sox, Ken Williams, was playing in his second year with the San Francisco 49ers. He was born in San Jose, CA and graduated from Arizona State. The wide receiver had the assignment of returning punts against the visiting New York Giants last Sunday evening. Normally, Ted Ginn, Jr. would be returning kicks but he was out for the game and Williams was thrust into this role. It would not go very well for the young man. He would mess up on two punt returns including the costly fumble in overtime that setup Lawrence Tynes' winning field goal for New York. You could imagine how the kid must have felt. He didn't mean to fumble the ball. He didn't mean to cost his team the game. It just happens. All of us mess up. Hopefully people would be more understanding and offer some grace. Get ready for the sour.

  I have my favorite teams in sports. I love competition. Winning and losing go hand in hand when it comes to sports. There is always a winner and a loser. It is just the nature of the beast. However, as a fan I realize something very important as I am sure you do too. It's just a game. So, Williams had two costly fumbles and the 49ers lost to the Giants. After the dust settled a storm arrived on Twitter. Here is what a gutless person under the account of Javier Pasquel wrote to Williams (grammar mistakes included): "I hope you, youre wife, kids and family die, you deserve it." I was speechless. I could not believe that anyone in their right mind could actually wish death to a person and his family over a football game. Apparently, this person was not. At least, I hope not. Seriously, no one 'deserves' to die because they fumbled a football. People need to have some perspective on life. He left everything he had on the football field trying to make plays. I tip my cap to the man. He gets my bulldog award.

  Enter the sweet. Sometimes it is the innocent of all innocent that leads the way. These innocent children have not been overtaken by the cynicism that exists in our world. They don't think everything or everyone sucks. They don't wish ill on others even when they mess up. There is still hope I say. The sweet in all of this came in the form of Owen Shure of Los Angeles, CA. He wrote a letter to Williams after having a conversation with his dad following the 49ers' loss. Here is the letter (with innocent spelling and grammar errors included):

 Dear Mr. Williams,

 We just watched the Playoff game. I feel really bad for you but I wanted to tell you that you had a great season. you sould be so very proud, so I wanted to thank you.
I am your #1 FAN!

Owen Shure
Los Angeles, CA

p.s. your awsome


A seven-year old boy taught us all a lesson. It is heartfelt and pure. It makes what was so ugly and vile have a happy ending. Life won't always turn out happy. However, it should never stop us from loving people no matter how bad they screw up especially with something so trivial as a football game. Owen is the man! For him, it's about the dash! Let it be for us as well.