Hyland describes competition as striving for something that you lack and do not already have. In this case it was the puck that McSorley coveted and felt he must have to take control. Sports in this case are similar to everyday life in respected job scenarios. As a lawyer covets certain clients and universities covet students with superior qualities, McSorley coveted the control.
There are certainly the more publicized events, like the attacks on Nancy Kerrigan and Monica Seles, and that of Mcsorley. However, the telling facts are evident throughout all our sports culture. We idolize the winners and ignore the losers, despite their extraordinary effort and success. We remember the '86 Red Sox not for winning the American League pennant, but for inglorious defeat in the World Series. We remember the '90, '91, '92 and '93 Buffalo Bills not for winning four consecutive AFC titles but for having lost four consecutive Super Bowls. We idolized Nancy Kerrigan as our national champion and for her efforts in the 1992 Olympics, and we ignored Tonya Harding. Excessive competitive drive is a disease, like alcoholism or compulsive gambling. This leads to violence, when one does not have what he wants the extremes become larger and more dangerous, and in sport as long as we continue to forget who finished second violence will be at the forefront of competition.
Not to often in today's society does kindness overwhelm violence, with very little exception given to any level of sport. In J.J. Coakley's conflict theory he explains that sport needs to be a source of expression, creative experience, and physical well-being. The problem in today's world is that the expressions are more negative than positive and the well being of athletes is not very stable. No one had more fun than Magic and Larry in the 80's they single handily brought basketball back to life and had fun doing it. Now the expressions seem to take place by throwing TV's across the court or taking swings at teammates at practice.