I hate war, I hate violence and politics make me so depressed I’d rather read a novel for leisure than watch this stuff on TV. OK, so maybe I don’t read for leisure, but I do have an escape from all of the horrible injustice that’s going on in the world; I call her sports, and besides the prettiest, she is the love of my life.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very passionate about society and politics, but I’m an extremely overworked college student and I just don’t have the energy to argue or think about things over which I have no control. Instead I turn on ESPN or hit the Internet and occupy my time worrying about something a little more innocent and a lot less depressing (although being from Philadelphia makes sports a little more frustrating).

But sports aren’t always just an escape from harsh reality. Sometimes they bring out the worst in people – see the Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers brawl. And sometimes they bring out the best – like Greece Athena High School’s final home game two weeks ago.

Don’t lie. If you saw it, you cried. Or at least came close. I’m not afraid to admit it.

Last week, when ESPN showed the footage of a high school senior setting his school record for three-pointers in a game, I got emotional. Say what you want, but some of the “alpha males” I was with were tearing up, too.

The fans recording the game were going insane with every shot the kid took – let alone made – and when the game was finally over, and the team manager finished with 20 points, mayhem broke loose and the entire crowd flooded the court.

They lifted the 5-foot, 6-inch Jason McElwain on their shoulders and gave him a true hero’s treatment. But McElwain didn’t win the game for his team, as already up when he entered the game with four minutes remaining. McElwain was a hero for just getting the nod to enter the game at all. McElwain is autistic and was the team’s manager. Before he entered the game, the entire gym was chanting his name, urging head coach Jim Johnson to put him in. When he finally gave in and the young man checked in at the scorer’s table, victory was already his and the gym exploded in jubilation.

Then, the unthinkable occurred. Something that never happens happened. A cheesy, unrealistic Disney channel movie came true and proved the most commonly clich