School Pride: Nicky Mapa

It's been a while since I've written an entry specifically for a community, but I decided to do so again because of my good friend Nicky Mapa's impassioned appeal for school pride, which has been circulating through the University of Asia and the Pacific community.

Nicky writes:

A couple of days ago, I was having dinner at the Podium.
As I was enjoying the thin crust pizza I could not help but overhear
someone from the next table saying "CRC? Yuck!". Quite peeved, I
looked over to see a group of yuppies, all saying the same thing for a
good two minutes "CRC? Yuck". Blood boiling, I couldn't help but start
thinking ill of these people. Just who the heck did they think they
were? Blasting my alma matter like there was no tomorrow? There was
no respect afforded to our University, none whatsoever. They could
not even have the courtesy to refer to us by our new name: UA&P.
"CRC, Yuck!".

Normally, such an unfortunate incident (which serves as a grave disservice to all concerned, regardless of where one finished), it would have been very easy for anyone to simple rant and rave to little or no effect. It would have been very easy for anyone to surrender to anger and bitterness. It would have been child's play to let loose with a barrage of ill-chosen sentiments, or vitriol. To his credit, Nicky did not do so. He continues:

We have an identity and we are proud of who we are as an institution...
In a world where education has degenerated to the creation of money making
machines, UA&P has remained steadfast in its zeal to provide
individuals with an education that not only prepares you for the
working world, but champions the fact that education is a way of life
and not simply a means to earning money...We are proud to say that we still, in
this day and age, uphold the values of a true Christian education,
ever championing the cause in a world that seems to believe that faith
and morals is simply not in style...We are proud of the fact that
although many of our students are blessed with material wealth, we
never forget the fact that to those that much is given, much is
expected in return.

In response, allow me to recall, in this limited space, something that I wrote sometime ago about the University, by way of celebrating its varsity teams:

For better or for worse, UA&P has never been consumed by an undying passion for competitive sports, at least not in the way that other schools have. Rather, UA&P has chosen to participate in sports, not particularly to win, but to excel. In my many years as both a casual observer, and a impassioned participant in UA&P sports, I have come to the conclusion that I would rather have a UA&P team in the finals of any athletic competition rather than anyone else.

Some teams are poor losers---when subjected to the ignominy of defeat, they insist on courting the scandal of truly losing. They rant and rave against the fickle finger of fate. They blame the miserable playing conditions, and cast aspersions on either the visual acuity or the mental clarity of the referees. They blame everyone but themselves, and in doing so merely bring spectators and atheists alike to the brink of a religious conversion: if this team did not win, then there truly is a God.

Some teams are poor winners---when blessed with the eminence of victory, they insist on hewing to the ballyhoo or barbarity. They preen and jest. They mock the downtrodden. They congratulate none but themselves for their sweet satisfaction, and in doing so, bring spectators and believers alike to the brink of a crisis of faith: if there truly were a God, these buffoons shouldn't have won.

The reason why I would rather have a UA&P team in the finals of any sport, (yes, even a marathon, double round elimination tournament for Magic: the Gathering) is simple. No other team loses, or wins, with as much grace and dignity as a UA&P team. When you watch our brave young athletes give their very best, either in victory or in defeat, you couldn't help but think that excellence in sports really is ennobling, that by watching them give their all, we are somehow blessed, even a little bit, by witnessing their passion, sacrifice, and joy in competing.

Nicky, some of us still remember what makes us special. Unitas!