After watching Manchester City hold a Guard of Honour for the Reds on Thursday, I, along with all other fans, loved to see the respect Manchester had for the new Champions of England.
After all, from a viewer’s perspective, all we see is hatred, rivalry, and physicality between players and teams. Moments like the one that took place at the Etihad bring all sports fans together, and regardless of what team you support, nobody will look down on a gesture of respect by teams, players, or even fans.
That being said, here are some of the best displays of respect for others among sports:
Baseball – Tip of the Cap
Sure, it happens often when somebody is at their home stadium and gives a tip of the cap after their 4th HR of the game, but only the best walk out of the dugout to away crowds, whether it be for retirement or a true display of skill.
Even so, some players tip their caps to opponents mid-game to show that their bond is not forgotten.
Basketball – Last Season Tours
This one sounds dumb but it only happens to the best of players, those being Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, but NOT Paul Pierce as he expected.
Anyway, these greats played their last seasons and got respect from home crowds, with each team having a gift for the retiring legend. These guys are both Hall of Fame-bound and have had many iconic moments, and have done things off the court to make the world a better place.
Hats off to those who can get one of these to end their careers.
American Football – Carried Off the Field
Only the best of coaches in NFL history have received this treatment, some honorable mentions being Mike Ditka, Don Shula, and Bill Parcells. Only masterminds of the game have gotten this moment of triumph before, and we definitely are witnessing some of the greatest coaches coach their teams right now. Although this has become somewhat outdated, the best of the best get this.
Tennis – Racquet Applause
Look, I’m no tennis guy, but when I see a beautiful shot at the majors on TV, I LOVE to see the opponent applaud the one who made the shot or struck a nice winner. Usually, these come from greats like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and others.
This is not an everyday occurrence, and only those with the utmost class can pull off something so worthy of recognition. I must say, it is a beautiful thing.
Photo Credit: John Bazemore / Associated Press
