The Academic Grinch

“The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!

Now, please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.”

That is one of the opening lines from the famous Dr Seuss book ‘How The Grinch stole Christmas’.

It’s a story about how a miserable and spiteful creature decides to try and ruin Christmas for everyone in a town by stealing all the presents only to find that Christmas isn’t about the presents and eating - it’s about family, community, connection, sharing and celebrating our humanity.

But the world of sports academia has its very own ‘Grinch’.

Someone so miserable and spiteful that they think it is suitable to publish an ‘opinion paper’ (academic speak for a tabloid ‘hit piece’) just days before Christmas.

A piece of writing with only one aim…to try and to criticise and discredit as many people as possible.

It is the worst kind of cynical attack masquerading as scholarship and the sad thing is…

Quite a few people have been taken in by it!

But …the plan has already backfired!

Just like the ‘Who’s from Who-ville’ in the Dr Suess story, those in the firing line have become more connected and have forged an even stronger sense of community…

…and the attack is so flawed, full of distortions and misrepresentations and also so logically incoherent that it has only served to expose the Grinch’s dark heart.

So the Grinch’s plan didn’t work…he didn’t steal Christmas…the targets of his attack will celebrate Christmas regardless…their sense of solidarity, togetherness and community has been strengthened.

The Grinch can wait! We’ve got celebrating to do!!

Have an awesome time everyone!