Mo'ne Davis and the Taney Dragons are not going to win the Little League World Series.
Their thrilling run came to a screeching halt in Williamsport this week, when they got walloped by the kids from Las Vegas, and then last night lost a heartbreaker to Chicago.
The Dragons actually sprinted to quick 2-0 lead before the kids from the Windy City erupted to take a commanding 6-2 lead. The Philly faithful watched as their kids scratched their way as close as 6-5, but that was as close as they got.
You know what? There are greater tragedies in life.
I know a little about losing. I did a lot of it as a kid. I was the losing pitcher in a Little League championship game. I was the quarterback of a high school football team that sported a perfect record. We were 0-10. The QB did not exactly help. I was promoted to the varsity baseball team from the J.V. as a sophomore, not necessarily because I was that good, but because our team was not great. Yes, we lost a lot.
I like the way Mo'ne and her teammates reacted to last night's dispiriting loss. They held their heads high. Davis, who rocketed to fame and the cover of Sports Illustrated by becoming the first girl to toss a shutout in the Little League World Series, was incredibly poised as she talked after the loss.
It will serve her - and her teammates - well in the future.
Here's a tip I always tell young people.
Life is hard.
You don't always win.
One of things I detest about youth sports today is the growing movement that everyone should get a trophy. That's not the way life works, and I don't think we're preparing our kids for what lies ahead by constantly telling them otherwise.
That's why we keep score.
Every time we select an All-Delco team for our local high school athletes, I know that I will field any number of phone calls from angry parents who want to argue about our selection, incredulous that their son or daughter was not named to the team, or selected as the Player of the Year.
I hope the Taney kids are allowed to return to their everyday lives now.
They don't need a parade.
They didn't reach their ultimate goal.
But they're still winners. The way they reacted and handled themselves after a heart-breaking loss should tell us that.
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