Reminder: It's Much More than the Game

It's all about perspective.

Many times we say all that matters is who won.  It doesn't matter how ugly the game was or how many points were scored.  The bottom line is who gets the "W" and who gets the "L".

However, there's so much more going on than just the ticks on the scoreboard.

Yes, there's each separate play.  There's individual players and statistics.  Injuries, mistakes and nuances.  Many little games inside the bigger game.  Many smaller stories inside the bigger story.

But even the big story is part of an even bigger story.  The biggest, in fact.  It's a platform to do good.  Not well...good.

Some, like former head coach Tony Dungy and the late great Reggie White used their platforms to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ--sharing his teachings and inspiring others to be good people. 

Others, like former NFL running back Warrick Dunn and MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer have capitalized on their All-Star status to improve the community--Dunn by establishing a foundation to help low-income, single mothers to provide a home for their children, and Moyer through his foundation to assist children in dealing with the death of a parent or other loved one.

One of the greatest examples of athletes doing good is one you probably didn't even know had a connection to sports: The Ronald McDonald House.

I didn't even have a clue that the organization was actually started by a member of my hometown Eagles.

But that it was--established through the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by former Eagles tight end Fred Hill after his daughter, Kim, was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 3.

Kim Hill was the inspiration for the
Ronald McDonald House.
(Photo from Fred Hill via NYT)

I discovered this through an article in the NY Times, which notes the path the charity took, from its initial establishment by Hill, Stan Lane (neighbor) and the Eagles owners, through the Shamrock Shake to being officially named the Ronald McDonald House.

Kim Hill passed away on Saturday, due to brain cancer.  She wasn't expected to reach adulthood, but lived to be 44.  Kim worked as a manager at McDonald's, and served as a spokeswoman for the charity. 

Let this be a reminder that while there are athletes and owners who are guilty of greed and selfishness, there are also many, many in the sports business that find their blessings to simply be the vehicle to a greater destination.  And without that vehicle, many of those destinations may not be reached, their purposes not realized.

Kim was an inspiration to many.  Her story--as well as the stories of so many others--should be told over and over, a reminder of what is right with the world, even in the face of tragedy and death. 

RIP Kim.  Your legacy will live on forever and you will always be an inspiration.