A tie?

I know, I know. I watch soccer (yes, soccer) once ever four years. Still, I coached the game back in my kids’ formative years, and I played one game at Xavier University…an intramural game against a team of Puerto Rican students who simply toyed with me. At one point, I decided I had had enough. Red card. See ya.

Back to the topic at hand. A tie? The biggest soccer tournament in the world and games end in ties? Uhhhh…why? Sure, point systems are point systems. Whatever. Ties are for recreational soccer, so tender egos aren’t shattered by the prospect of a loss. And that’s when they decide to keep score.

Look, fans worldwide are watching, living and dying by the successes or failures of their beloved countrymen and countrywomen. Riots start after losses…and sometimes wins. It’s an incredibly fun sport to watch, when you actually give it a chance. But a tie?

Friends and followers know that I’m a fan of water polo. My kids played, played well and, in fact, still play. It’s a sport for the strong. With all due respect for soccer players who run virtually non-stop for 90 minutes (plus the mysterious extra time), there’s no stopping in water polo, lest you drown. Most importantly, there are no ties. There are shootouts. Tie at the end of regulation? Send out your five best shooters and see if the opposing goalie is big enough to meet the challenge of five-meter shots. Best of five wins.

There are no ties in business, in health, in relationships (admit it, already)…even evolution. Like it or not, there are winners and losers in this world, and we assume the role of both as we go through life. C’mon, World Cup. Ties?

Tim Condron is president and creative director of Sparked Imaginations. The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent the positions, strategies or opinions of any other entity, business, client or employer.