Taking One For The Team

The various sports competitions, leading up to the new year, gave me one last realization of what it is to be an American. It's the football quarterback who takes a big hit in order to complete a first-down pass play. It's the hockey defenseman who takes a slapshot to the mouth in order to prevent a goal being scored. It's the soccer striker who gets cut down by a fierce slide tackle. And, a little late in the making, it's the basketball player who takes an elbow to the face on the way to the basket. Regardless of the excessive amount of money they're making, there's something American about taking one for the team.

Now comes the new year and the need to deal with the broken ribs, missing teeth, dislocated hip and concussion. Another team comes forward with a schedule of remedies to take - traction, surgery, blood thinners and pain killers. Not satisfied with taking one, this team keeps dishing out the drugs and monitoring the therapy. As the team expands from sports trainers to sports medicine specialists, therapists, and surgeons, taking one for the team becomes a full-time contribution. And, like the new year itself, it dawns on me: This situation is not limited to our athletes, but affects every American who competes for a living.

I'm thinking of the head of the household who takes a hit for working two or more jobs that disrupt the holidays for the family. I'm feeling for the divorcee who has to fight for child support. I'm sympathizing with the small business owner who gets undercut by the mega-store. And, I'm angry for the average taxpayer who endures the headache of a new tax season.

Thank God for health care, right?!

Let's mandate it for every American who can take one, or more, for the team.

New Year's Eve was quiet before the clock struck twelve. Then, I heard a few young people scream over the usual sound of celebration. The screaming continued as if a talk show hostess were giving gifts to all the audience members. After my initial irritation at what was ear-piercing wore off, I was reminded that out of the mouths of babes comes wisdom.

If we're in for another year of taking one for the team so that a team of health professionals can take the rest, than maybe the most appropriate response to the beginning of this new year, which should be a gift for all, is screaming insanity.