With cricket all but over, you would think that my topics on cricket would be over as well.

However, due to a personal experience last week, I felt I couldn't let it rest.

Last week I walked into a restaurant to get breakfast and I witnessed a conversation between two men speaking about cricket. They were discussing the topic of Cup Match and lo and behold my name popped up.

One man saw me as he was facing me while the other had no idea that I had walked in because his back was to me. For about three or four minutes the one unaware that I had walked in hammered me left, right and centre.

A big smirk came over me as I sat waiting patiently for my order. Truthfully, all I could do was smile!

Cup Match was the debate and Clay Smith had ruined Cup Match in Somerset years ago when he batted all day. I thought back to the memory and vividly remembered batting over five hours to help St. George's to retain the Cup.

Not a problem, as this was his opinion, and everyone is entitled to have one.

The question that popped into my mind was, "How many conversations speak positively about our national sportsmen?"

I would dare to say that if it weren't for family members of these Bermuda representatives then the ratio would probably be nine to one. Could this be part of the problem as to why our sportsmen lack country pride? Knowing that they will never get the respect from the country at large; knowing that the population will not support the sport even if you achieve a feat that had never been done before.

What a shame for our up and coming sportsmen if this trend of discounting the importance of sports and sportsmen (ladies included) continues. We will never reach the heights that so many of you claim to want if we don't have the full support of our country.

Why is it that for any big sporting event held here we have to beg people to come out to support? The Bermuda Hogges come to mind. Bermuda's first professional football team and so called football fans have never seen them play.

WOW! Bermuda makes it to the World Cup in cricket and a handful of people travel to support them (90 percent family members). WOW! Comments such as, I knew they would lose! I am not paying to go and watch them! Why should they pay them anyhow? Let's get rid of all of them and start with the youngsters!

In both of our national sports these comments are heard more often than not. So answer me, what is it that you want? We have to start from somewhere and build. We cannot progress when you are not willing to support. Harping on the negative will force your best players to call it quits and we will never be able to build on what we already have.

Does this statement have any validity? Well, just take a look at the new Bermuda Hogges and the national cricket team. Proof in the pudding.

It is funny how things happen because after listening to the bashing of my talent and character I watched the movie about the Jamaican bobsled team. What an inspiring movie for any athlete to watch. This movie, in case you haven't seen it, focused on four Jamaicans who were fast runners who decided to take up bobsledding. When they qualified for the Olympics the world thought what a joke! But the Jamaicans were extremely proud.

To keep it short, as the Jamaicans were on their final run down the slope the whole of Jamaica was watching. The fans were jumping for joy, exuberant to say the least. Shockingly, near the final turn they slid out and ended up about 50 metres from the finish line.

So determined to finish, the four men got up and carried their sled to the finish line. This took courage, determination, heart and most of all national pride.

This was critical for all because the Jamaican fans that were watching at this time were still cheering them on, some were crying and clapping, the whole world started to clap them on to the finish line as they had won over their respect. The importance wasn't that they didn't win, but the fact that they gave their heart and soul for their country and because of that the people of Jamaica were proud, cheering with joy. National Pride!

I wonder how much support a Bermudian team would have had if they were in the same shoes?

I doubt if a movie would have even been considered because we would not have supported it. I would love to be wrong about this but time and time again the evidence points towards the negative.

Thank you Lord for confirming how important country pride is through this movie. It is not always about winning, it is about giving your all and being positive not negative. When players or sportsmen receive positive support it can only help raise their standard but if players and sportsmen are continuously bombarded with negative comments, this can only bring them down as individuals and in their performance.

Bermuda, all I am asking and saying is that we have to be more sensitive to our athletes. We are an extremely small country trying to compete on a world stage and for the most part we hold our own.

The reality is this, in over a 100 years of competition of sports we have only had a handful of athletes excel, but it hasn't stopped others from trying.

We are quick to be critical. Take time out to think and value the athlete who has put hours and hours of sacrifice to try and improve for the sake of his country.

I will end with this and while I may rub a few people the wrong way, so be it. There are a bunch of former sportsmen out there that really do not want to see the modern day players surpass them in any way shape or form.

I challenge you to get involved. Stop wondering why Bermuda hasn't gone any further and produced more cricketers, and more talented footballers and tell those who sit and criticise to get off their backsides and give back to the sport.

Maybe then, just maybe then our national sports will be all that you ever dreamed it to be. Or maybe it already is.