Okay, here I go. Again. Professional sports unite no one except the people making money from them. Owners, players, bookies, advertisers, ticket scalpers, and I don't know who all else. And they don't like each other. They're all just trying to get as big a cut of the cash cow as they can. The players play (admittedly united) against another team hard because if they win or do something clever on the field they might get more money next year, or trade up to a better team that will pay more. Fans sit there and actually care, (admittedly united in rooting for their side and therefore against the other), vicariously scoring a shared victory or defeat of some sort, to feed the cow. 18:18
I suppose the practice of sport helps bleed off some excess energy that might become aggressive tendencies among those so constructed for it. (Oh yeah, well, we don't know what_hasn't_happened. I seem to recall violence problems with various players from all sports except maybe tennis.) And for watchers, again vicarious struggle. Those who can't do, buy a ticket.
Then there are sports among the youth leagues. Can't we teach them to put their energy into cleaning up a riverbank or building a playground in a low income area? Heave go the dead tires. How far and how many can_you_toss? Bang go the nails. "That's all you've finished? Look at this." All that young energy and those young minds harnessed to human good instead of beating another team.
It probably has to do with my being small, lacking depth perception, and just not being interested in running around with a ball when there was a book somewhere waiting for me that wouldn't be a source of humiliation.
My old boyfriend and I used, every year, to take a walk around and look at the blue glows in the windows of houses where the Superbowl was on. And wonder, and laugh at the people who thought it was worth watching. We'd listen to the hush. I no longer mock overtly, but I do still wonder. Maybe someday I'll understand. Maybe someday I'll be less cynical. Yeah, right, sure.
So no, I don't think sports unite much of anyone, not really. Except maybe teammates who aren't trying to be better than each other or everyone else.
Sports & Unity
18:18
I suppose the practice of sport helps bleed off some excess energy that might become aggressive tendencies among those so constructed for it. (Oh yeah, well, we don't know what_hasn't_happened. I seem to recall violence problems with various players from all sports except maybe tennis.) And for watchers, again vicarious struggle. Those who can't do, buy a ticket.
Then there are sports among the youth leagues. Can't we teach them to put their energy into cleaning up a riverbank or building a playground in a low income area? Heave go the dead tires. How far and how many can_you_toss? Bang go the nails. "That's all you've finished? Look at this." All that young energy and those young minds harnessed to human good instead of beating another team.
It probably has to do with my being small, lacking depth perception, and just not being interested in running around with a ball when there was a book somewhere waiting for me that wouldn't be a source of humiliation.
My old boyfriend and I used, every year, to take a walk around and look at the blue glows in the windows of houses where the Superbowl was on. And wonder, and laugh at the people who thought it was worth watching. We'd listen to the hush. I no longer mock overtly, but I do still wonder. Maybe someday I'll understand. Maybe someday I'll be less cynical. Yeah, right, sure.
So no, I don't think sports unite much of anyone, not really. Except maybe teammates who aren't trying to be better than each other or everyone else.
That was one provocative quote.