Opening paragraphs......................

I've always thought that a wonderful thing about sports is that they give everyone a chance.  A child doesn't have to be the best.  He or she doesn't have to make the team in high school or college.  A child can decide if he or she doesn't want to play, doesn't like the sport, or doesn't want to do the work it takes to improve.  But all people should be given the opportunity to go out and compete and see what they can do in comparison to others.  That's one of the wonderful things about America as well.  This country promises everyone a chance.  It is a promise that has not always been kept.  A promise that many of us had to fight for, even die for.  But the promise has always been here, a shining beacon down the road.
-Oscar Robertson,  The Big O:  My Life, My Times, My Game