Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
This is not okay.
Championship teams visiting the White House has been a tradition since 1865, when President Andrew Johnson invited the Brooklyn Atlantics of baseball’s National Amateur Association in honor of their league win, and an upcoming exhibition game against the Washington Nationals.
It’s customary for champions from a wide array of sports to visit the White House as part of their celebrations. Sometimes they even get McDonald’s as a reward. It’s intended to be a way for the best athletes in a season to be dignified by meeting the president of the United States. Now first lady Dr. Jill Biden has floated a plan that turns the tradition on its head — and it’s beyond dumb.
Following the incredible National Championship game between LSU and Iowa, Dr. Biden wants to invite BOTH LSU and Iowa to the White House — celebrating both teams for playing a good game.
“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do, so, we hope LSU will come. But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”
THIS IS NOT OKAY!
I’m not one to generally rail against the idea of participation trophies. Psychologists argue whether they’re beneficial for children, with proponents saying they’re beneficial for the emotional health of children, while detractors argue that using participation awards as emotional Band-Aids stunt emotional growth and set children up to be less capable of handling disappointment as adults.
What the first lady is proposing here is the White House equivalent of a participation trophy — and that is not okay. Iowa has no business being invited by the president. Why? BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP! This shouldn’t be that difficult to understand. If Iowa is able to return to the final in 2024, and if they manage to win, then they can visit the White House because they earned it.
Changing the most basic rules of this transaction because “everyone did their best” is beyond dumb, and LSU phenom Angel Reese agrees.
Inviting Iowa might seem like the nice thing to do, but it completely detracts from the point of the visit, which is to make LSU the focus of attention. They personified excellence in women’s college basketball this season, and to the victors go the spoils. It’s not like Iowa has nothing to show for their season. They got a trophy for making the Final Four, they got a trophy for winning the Big Ten — there’s been plenty of celebrating Iowa this year for the achievements they did have, rather than inventing a “you played well” award with a trip to the White House.
This nation has an endless number of traditions that need adjustment or changing. The losing team visiting the White House along with the winner is not one of them. I know the Bidens avidly read SBNation.com every day, so I’m pleading with them: Do not allow this to happen.
