Moms, the real MVPs

By Orville Higgins

There is a joke I once heard comedian Bill Cosby give. This was a long time ago and the details are a little sketchy, but the main point will always stay with me. In what must have been one of his stand-up routines, he was telling the story of how he taught his son American football. He was at pains to tell his audience the stresses he went through. He told how he taught him the finer points of the game, virtually from scratch, and emphasised the long, gruelling hours, the encouragement he gave, the cajoling, the firmness when he was slipping up.

The boy grew up and got good, really good, and was developing a reputation as a special talent. On one occasion, he must have done something special in some big game. In the post-game TV interview, Bill was watching from home, beaming with pride from ear to ear. His boy had "arrived," and he, Bill, would be recognised for the work he had put in. After the interview, the boy then looked dead in the camera, and quite wickedly, said, "Hi, Mom!" Poor Bill was not mentioned, and he didn't need to tell his audience how crestfallen he was!

I have no idea if the story is even true - with Bill, you never know - but I found it both amusing and poignant. The story came back to me when I heard Kevin Durant giving his acceptance speech a few days ago, after he was named MVP for the NBA regular season 2013-14. It was like a tribute to his mother, who was watching in the audience.

Durrant told of the struggles she went through to raise him, how providing the basic amenities for her kids was a real fight. He explained how she made sure he had food, even when she didn't. It was incredibly moving, and when he said she "was the real MVP", I found myself blinking a few times to stop the tears. Durant himself couldn't stop his, and he let them flow freely.

As one who is extremely close to his own mother, I can truly understand where he was coming from. The boy in Bill Cosby's story wasn't ungrateful. He may have been a tad insensitive in that TV interview, but I could also empathise with him.

MOM'S MAJOR ROLE

All of that is now making me think about the role mothers play in the development of their children who are involved in sports. We don't always give them the credit they deserve. The typical mother may not know the intricacies of the game the way fathers do. They may not be able to teach their child how to throw or jump or run or kick, or execute a cover drive, but, very often, they provide something that is just as important. They provide motivation, oftentimes inspiration, to these sportspeople.

I know so many people involved in sports now whose primary reason for wanting to excel is to give their mother a good life. In fact, I know one sportsman , a very prominent one actually, who I have told that since he has built a house for his mother to live in, his performances have fallen off, and that, subconsciously, his motivation for performing at his best was no longer there. He didn't disagree!

Mothers (the good ones) provide a haven for sports stars to go back to when things are not going well. The sports arena can be a cruel place. The pressure to perform is far more immense than the casual observer or fan might believe, and most of the people who play sports need somebody who will love and admire them, no matter what. Mothers play this role to the hilt.

I played a lot of cricket as a child, and as a younger man. I played Headley Cup, parish cricket, intercollegiate cricket, and a good deal of community cricket. It wasn't international cricket, but that didn't mean there wasn't tension or nerves. My mother was my biggest fan. Whether I made 100 or 0, she treated me the same way. When she did come to watch a game, even if I was plumb LBW, it wasn't unheard of for her to say, "Dat nuh out. Di damn umpire tief." If I edged to the keeper, she would ask, "Which part a di bat dat touch?!"

My mother spoke flawless English, better than most, but on these occasions, the Jamaican vernacular would be in full flow. With Mother's Day coming up, I'm imploring the mothers of sports stars, whether at the junior or senior level, to continue to stand by your child. In many ways, you are the real MVP.

Orville Higgins is a sportscaster and talk-show host at KLAS. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.