I've been giving this thought for the last couple of days. Here's what I've come up with.

Fair is fair and we all know whether any given situation is or is not.

However, most of the time if there is a way to win, WIN, without being fair but following the "rules" of any given situation, fair falls to the wayside as victory is claimed, not earned mind you, but claimed.

Sure, in the rules the kid was late so the other team was entitled to two free throws and I get that. But what really counts is not how many kids were there at the beginning of the game but how they play as individuals which then dictates how they play as a team.

No one played below their skill level, no one let the other team win, they just evened up what they saw as an unfair advantage.

How hard is it for most of us to pass up the chance to make things even if it means we may not win, come out ahead, be first or best or most noticed? Sure, sure, it's a competitive world out there. Who makes it that way? Is it you and I or that great mysterious never seen but ever present NEED to be the winner?

So many are fine with winning by cheating or taking an advantage that helps them not by increasing skill or ability, not just in sports but work and home, everywhere we go, that I, well I am what I am largely because of this.

I read a book a long time ago about a guy who wanted to be an example to the young growing up. In a contest with other youths he had a chance to not use his full, natural, worked incredibly hard to hone abilities, and thereby let his friend win a competition but he had a dilemma.

If he did not play to his best he would not only know that he could have beaten all comers but didn't which would not have been a problem as hubris was foreign to him but, and here's the kicker, he knew it would instill false pride in his friend if he let that friend win.

It tore the guy up to be in that position.

So, what to do. Play with honor, don't smear your opponents but accept that you are better, not a better man, though that would seem to follow, or be dishonest and lose by not doing the best you can?

Knowing you lost on purpose could fester and cause problems down the road. Letting someone win unfairly could lead them to believe they had abilities they did not which could lead to huge disappointment down the road when a contest was lost to a person whose abilities were less than the original person who played below his ability to let his friend win a contest he could not win by skill alone.

I have digressed. Again.

Fair is fair and wrong is not. A fine line was reached in the basketball game and it was handled fairly. No advantage was deserved and so none was taken. The rules were followed and the game was played. Everyone came out ahead because somehow these guys recognized a cusp and acted rightly.

Next time you have a chance at an advance, victory, or even just sticking it to someone who deserves it but you know deep down that it is not a fairly given chance.....what will you do?