We like going to games, whether they’re nail-biters or blowouts. But sports are more than just physical contests that show amazing strength and stamina; they’re games of the mind. Some of the greatest athletes — Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, among many others — had a skill sometimes more frustrating than their overall talent. They could trash talk. Trinity athletes, just like those anywhere, have to deal with trash talkers – and those who try even more than talking. Cross Country runner Joseph Venezia said, “Sometimes people try to intimidate by threatening or using their body language to intimidate. Most of the time, it works, but other times I have to stand up for myself.” Some athletes trash talk for different reasons. In football player Trevor Mason’s opinion, it’s “to try to get the other person to forget what they’re doing or because they aren’t sure they can beat the other person. It can also mean that they’re full of themselves and know they’re better.” Soccer player George Smith said it’s “to get their opponents’ mental game shaken up so they’ll perform worse.” Not only does trash talking happen on the field. It’s also in social media. Smith said, “It definitely has happened on Facebook and Twitter.” Trinity cross country head coach Chad Waggoner agrees, saying, “We experienced that this season. Our philosophy was to let our actions speak louder than words. I think they do that (on social networking cites) because they don’t have to face us yet, and there’s no fear of consequence.” How do the Trinity athletes respond to the “talkers”? Venezia said, “If someone trashes me, I ignore it because I know they’re trying to be cool. I don’t believe in trash talking because it falls under bullying, and I believe everyone needs to be treated fairly. If I don’t want to be trash talked to, then I won’t trash talk to someone else.” Smith summed up his philosophy: “I haven’t trash talked in a long time since going to Catholic schools because the Catholic schools emphasize good sportsmanship. ‘It’s not the score people remember, but how you acted’ is a saying that my grade school used that I still take to heart.”