As an administrator in college athletics, my responsibilities are more than just the budget, fund-raising and athletics personnel. I also must pay attention to the skill level of our student-athletes and teams and to the image we project for the university. In that regard, sportsmanship plays an important role.

For those of you who wake up with the daily sports pages, you might recall a Chicago reporter who recently and sarcastically summarized the character of the MVPs of the NFL's Super Bowl and the NBA's All-Star Game. His tongue-in-cheek statement was a sad commentary on the lack of sportsmanship that is prevalent in professional sports today.

I believe that sportsmanship and character go hand in hand. Many people have great physical ability, but does that make them great athletes? Not in my book.

In the past, athletes have been bold about speaking out when the times required action. In the 1960s, several high-profile black athletes spoke out against racism. In the 1970s, professional baseball granted free agency after a few strong players stood their ground. In the 1980s, after coach Jim Valvano's untimely death, college basketball coaches initiated the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic to fight against one of the world's most costly diseases. Now, the new millennium has arrived, with sportsmanship having seemingly been forgotten, and not enough of us involved in sports are speaking up.

Isn't it more satisfying to watch players shake hands with their opponents and compliment one another on a well-played game rather than watch some boastful individual pounding his chest and displaying a self-gratifying gesture that demeans the opponent? Isn't it more satisfying to see Olympic runners cross the finish line and immediately embrace their opponents instead of parading around like a superhero?

Do you remember the movie about the Olympic decathlon competition between the USA's Rafer Johnson and K.C. Yang of China? After a fiercely fought battle was waged for days, it came down to the last race. Johnson won, but when it was all over, the two warriors hugged in mutual respect. Their demonstration of sportsmanship and friendship should

be an example to us all, even today. It is important to succeed, to win -- after all, that is why we play the games. But also important is how we play the games, and how we react after the games -- win or lose.

Today, working with my sixth intercollegiate program, I am encouraged that we still have an opportunity to teach and promote sportsmanship to our young student-athletes. All is not lost. As a director of athletics, I try to lead by example and hope that what I do carries over to our student-athletes and staff. I have no problem with congratulating opposing coaches when they coach a good game, and I do not hesitate telling opposing players that they did a good job. The goals for our program include being good sports. We try to build classy, competitive teams with student-athletes who understand good character and who have no problem giving credit where credit is due.

Norfolk State University was pleased when the NCAA took a stand on taunting. Sportsmanship does not include baiting or ridiculing an opponent. We also welcomed the policy prohibiting negative cheers. Many conferences have clearly stated that only cheers for the home team will be tolerated, not cheers against the visitors. In other words, positive support, not negative derision. It's a statement in the right direction for keeping sportsmanship alive.

Sports and athletics -- be they Little League, AAU, high school, YMCA, college or pro -- have been very good to us and we can't afford to forget it. All of us -- student-athletes, parents, coaches, managers and administrators -- have to make our voices heard when we witness poor sportsmanship, particularly at the college level.

And what about the pros? I stand with those who believe that professional athletes have a responsibility to be good role models. And, yes, I believe parents also have that responsibility. But there always will be young athletes who haven't had the leadership and guidance from parents and who choose instead to emulate a professional athlete, one who may or may not portray the ideals of sportsmanship.

One of the biggest travesties in our society is the huge salaries professional athletes receive compared to how little we pay our school teachers. Yet, teachers accept responsibility for teaching positive traits, while many pros believe they have no responsibility for what they "teach" kids.

Professional athletes serve as idols for millions of young athletes, and it is a shame that not enough sportsmanship is being taught through professional sports today. Being arrested for carrying a weapon sends a message to kids. Being thrown out of a nightclub after a pre-dawn brawl sends a message. Taunting or calling people names because they are different or espouse different beliefs sends a message. Sadly, none of those messages promote good sportsmanship.

It is time to speak up for good sportsmanship; otherwise, we should just go back to earlier times and wage war again. After all, a winner could be recognized there, too.

Orby Moss, a former member of the Division I Management Council, is the assistant vice-president for student affairs and the director of athletics at Norfolk State University.