SportsZone columnist Tom Farrey says the definition of good sportsmanship may depend on many factors. Farrey also pointed out that the standards are different for different sports. However, fail to shake hands with the other team after it knocked you out of the playoffs and you're far more of a jerk in hockey than you are in basketball. It seems clear that part of the analysis of sportsmanship must include a continued discussion about what is sportsmanlike and what is not. Perhaps we should care because, as some would suggest, sports mean nothing if you don't play by the rules.
Sportsmanship is a big deal because ethics is a big deal.
As with ethics, when we talk about 'sportsmanship,' we are talking about someone's character and actions, but specifically in the context of sports. Being sportsmanlike is like being ethical in sports. We can also better appreciate why there is no concept or value more important to sports than sportsmanship. It's our foundation, our starting point. With sportsmanship, we see that there's simply no escaping the ethical dimension of sports.