EDITORIAL: The power of sport to bring us together
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It’s been something to watch not just Toronto but the whole country pull together to celebrate the success of the Raptors.
As the NBA Finals continue, so many inspiring and positive stories have been getting Canadians talking.
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Ranging from the hard work of the team to the powerful personal story of superfan Nav Bhatia, there’s a story for everyone in this great Canadian sports moment.
Canadians are gathering together at homes or at bars and restaurants to share these exciting and often breathtaking moments with family, friends and even complete strangers.
Meanwhile, Cineplex theatres opened up dozens of their screens across the country for Canadians to enjoy free viewing parties of the game together.
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Young people are donning jerseys and hitting the streets, energized for physical fitness. When a sports team does well – when athletes triumph – it tells kids that you can achieve your goals if you just put your mind to it, get at it and knuckle down and do that hard work.
We’d also like to toot our own horn by pointing out that a photograph of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals that pitted the Raptors against the 76ers by award-winning Sun photographer Stan Behal didn’t just bring the country together – it was shared around the world.
“Stan getting that incredible picture – which shows the tension on the face of Leonard and other players as the ball bounces off the rim – is not surprising,” Sun columnist Joe Warmington wrote. “He’s got a keen eye and quick trigger finger.”
There’s something to be said about the unifying power of sports in the lives of Canadians. We all stand together in cheering for the Raps. It’s a great equalizer.
Regular folks stand beside political leaders and celebrities at the games or in front of the television, watching in clenched anticipation as a pass is made or a shot is sent hurtling towards the rim.
Sports is about inspiration, like the rise of the Raptors or the return of Tiger Woods. It’s about rivalries, like the Battle of Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Ottawa Senators. Sometimes it’s even tragic, like the outpouring of emotion the country offered to the Humboldt Broncos.
What it always does though, is bring us together.
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