know, what goes around, comes around.  If you’re going to be a big, haughty sour-puss to someone who beats you, or someone who wishes you luck, then you won’t get that far in life.  There will always be someone faster, someone better, and someone smarter.  You have to take what’s given to you and use it.”

             Since that time, I have become sensitive to displays of unsportsmanlike behavior.  We have all been to a meet and seen such behavior.  It could be as subtle as ignoring an opponent who wishes you good luck, as I had done, or spitting in your opponent’s lane before the race, as Olympian Amy Van Dyken routinely did.  More common displays include slamming ones goggles on deck and swearing like a convict after a crushing disappointment.  There are even occasions when swimmers refuse to accept a medal because it’s not gold, as if the gold medal naturally belonged to them.  Inevitably, other athletes lose respect for someone who can’t deal with a loss in a mature and controlled way, as a lack of sportsmanship conveys haughtiness and suggests

                          Continued