Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. What was your biggest accomplishment in school?

I suppose it could be graduating magna cum laude in undergrad. Or maybe marching in the Rose Parade. Or overcoming blind terror on the flight from Zurich to Moscow in 1985. Take your pick.

2. Have you ever won a ribbon for any event or competition, and if so, what was it for?

Yeah, I won some ribbons for something or other, but I only remember the ribbon, not what I got it for. I got honor cords in high school and college for graduation, if that counts.

3. Have you ever been awarded a trophy for anything, and if so, what was it for?

Nope, no trophies.

4. What award do you feel you'd be the last person to ever win?

There was never going to be a Miss America-type award in my life.

5. Do you think it's truly more important just to be nominated for an award, or more important to win one?

Depends on what kind of award. If you are nominated by people who know exactly what you've done, that you've worked hard to get things done, then yes a nomination just as good as a win. People's Choice-type stuff? Pah, it's a popularity contest.

6. A question from a decades-long grade school debate: Do you believe that everyone who participates in a competition should win something just for participating?

Not necessarily. If you are encouraging participation and/or coming together as a group, then sure. If you're encouraging winning, then no. One year, Sparky's Little League coach game away the game ball to one team-member after every game. He was very fair and honest, and yet I'm pretty sure every kid got at least one game ball...even the ones picking dandelions in left field (i.e. Sparky). He was very good at building team spirit and finding good things about each kid regardless of their overall talent, so the time that Sparky got the ball (for "improvement" of some kind), the team honestly cheered for him even though he was not on the level of most of the other kids. So inside of a structure of winning (games) being important, he created a place where people got rewarded on a different scale. THAT is what makes a good teacher/coach (he's a gym teacher in "real life").