I like the way they do it in football. Instead of lining up both teams walk onto the field and you shake hands with who you want to shake hands with. The line is very contrived and forced and phony
Handshake line
- Thread starter knight82
- Start date
There are so many players and coaches on a football field that a line isn't practical
The handshake line is the schools saying to the players, "You represent this university and you will exhibit good sportsmanship when you're wearing our uniforms." It may be contrived and it may be forced, but it's also important.
If you think it's phony, that's exactly why it needs to exist.
If you think it's phony, that's exactly why it needs to exist.
College sports is arguably the closest thing we have to war games between states. Sportsmanship at the end is incredibly important for more than teaching the players morals
From Seth Davis at The Athletic. I couldn't agree more
"I knew as soon as this happened that some people would take to Twitter and call for an end to handshake lines. I couldn’t disagree more. Call me a sportsmanship nerd (a label I wear proudly), but I think it is important, especially in an educational setting, that we teach athletes and the people who watch them the importance of sportsmanship and class. That means shaking hands when you don’t feel like it and showing grace towards people you don’t particularly like. Handshake lines happen all the time in sports, and they almost never result in an ugly incident like this. Even when there is some jawing, it is rare for any kind of fight to break out. And I can’t remember a time when a head coach was the one who threw the first punch. For me it’s pretty simple: If you can’t handle a handshake line, you shouldn’t be in college coaching. Most coaches do the right thing in the handshake line, and most of the time Howard has as well. I hope he has learned his lesson, because he’s out of chances on this front."
"I knew as soon as this happened that some people would take to Twitter and call for an end to handshake lines. I couldn’t disagree more. Call me a sportsmanship nerd (a label I wear proudly), but I think it is important, especially in an educational setting, that we teach athletes and the people who watch them the importance of sportsmanship and class. That means shaking hands when you don’t feel like it and showing grace towards people you don’t particularly like. Handshake lines happen all the time in sports, and they almost never result in an ugly incident like this. Even when there is some jawing, it is rare for any kind of fight to break out. And I can’t remember a time when a head coach was the one who threw the first punch. For me it’s pretty simple: If you can’t handle a handshake line, you shouldn’t be in college coaching. Most coaches do the right thing in the handshake line, and most of the time Howard has as well. I hope he has learned his lesson, because he’s out of chances on this front."