Friday column: Giving a darn about more than a score

Last week we learned that Mark McGwire took steroids.

This week we learned that John Edwards really is Quinn’s father.

My head be spinning.

I know what you’re thinking: Hey, people are people. And right you are. So I shouldn’t have been surprised Sunday when the aforementioned Mr. McGwire got a standing-O from Cardinals fans in his first public appearance since his tearful TV admission.

Any more than I should have been surprised when the Giants faithful cheered Barry Bonds or the Red Sox — and later the Dodger — faithful cheered Manny Ramirez. After all, fans just want to have fun, and winning — even by proxy, even with the help of a steroid cheat — is fun.

More than fun, actually.

In 2008, Drake Bennett wrote an article for the Boston Globe quoting studies that said, in his words, that “fans are not only happier when their team wins, they feel smarter, more athletic, luckier, and even more attractive.”

So what we’re really doing when we stand up and cheer for our favorite player on our favorite team in our favorite sport, is saying, “Please make me feel better about myself.”

Which might sound a bit pathetic, but the emotion involved is unquestionably powerful. Who doesn’t want to feel better about themselves?

Of course, there are other ways to accomplish that.
It’s long been understood that one of the best ways to feel better about oneself is doing something for somebody else. Jesus said it. Confucius said it. Mohammed said it.

One of the simplest expressions of the idea came from Booker T. Washington: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

The ways to lift someone else are myriad — they can be as simple as a phone call or a ride to the doctor’s office — but in some emergencies, like that of the Haitian earthquake, they often involve money.

Which brings us back to the world of sport.

The NBA and its union are contributing $1 million to help Haiti. Major League Baseball is pledging the same. The NFL and its union are giving $500,000. The NHL has donated $100,000.

Individual athletes have gotten involved. For example, Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade of NBA fame started a Haitian relief fund and by the first few days had gathered $800,000 in pledges from 27 athletes.

At the Australian Open, Roger Federer organized an exhibition of top tennis stars that raised $185,000. Players also made individual contributions.

Rooting for a team that scores more points than its opponent may be an time-honored American way to self-satisfaction, but it has competition. Vince Lombardi famously said, “Winning isn’t the everything — it’s the only thing.” When it comes to feeling better about oneself, I think substituting “giving” for winning is closer to the truth.

Contact Jim Gordon at gjames43@msn.com.