Hockey, Lies and $50,000

The story of the $50,000 hockey shot interests me. If you haven’t heard about it, here it is in a nutshell.

Eleven-year-old twin brothers attend a charity hockey event with their dad. At halftime, one of the brother’s names is called to attempt a near impossible hockey shot (three inch puck, 3 ½ inch goal from 89 feet) for $50,000. The brother whose name is chosen is at the concession stand so the father directs his twin to go down to the ice, say he is his brother and take the shot.

Now, I am an honesty hound, but I think on the spur of the moment I would have considered this an innocuous lie, wanting one of my kids to have the cheering crowd experience, knowing the odds were next to impossible that he would hit his target. Ready, aim, uh-oh! The boy MAKES the shot. Now father and sons have a big lie on their hands.

Not wanting his kids to be party to a lie, dad came forward and told the organizer that it was in fact Nate, not Nick who made the shot. Now the insurance company who thought they would never have to pay the prize money has an easy out. There are multiple opinion polls on the possible payout.

I think this family went to a hockey game and came home richer. Those riches have nothing to do with $50,000. They learned that honesty counts, and even a small deception can turn into a huge debacle. They learned that their dad will do what’s right even when a lot of money is on the line. They got enough media coverage to make this a family legacy. That impossible hockey shot really was lucky.

What are your thoughts?