Cards- swept.
Rams + Chiefs- not a win between them.
Mizzou- loss.
The Killer Beards- loss.
A buddy of mine and I debate often whether sports are a worthwhile thing to spend your time on or not (watching, not playing). Can it go too far? Should I be embarrassed that whether my fantasy football team wins or loses affects my mood the next two days?
For me, sports are a means to an end. Every Monday my buddies get together to watch the football game, and hang out. (In fact, this week we recorded a slate of podcasts at halftime, so those should be up soon.)
Its a time to kick back and not think about anything important. To me, that can be time well spent. What say you- sports: too frivolous a thing to care about?
5 comments:
No way! Sports is not a waste of time.
Not only is it a time that allows people to get together and fellowship, but as you said it allows to have a little down time. We all need a little down time.
Of course too much of anything can become a problem. If we are glued to our computers checking fantasy stats all day, looking for that special player to trade for or we spend hours pouring over numbers of the free agents so we can grab the best one, then yes there may be a problem. We can not let it get in the way of what we need to accomplish at our jobs, with our families, or for the kingdom.
I also get very bummed when my fantasy team loses or my favorite team loses during the weak. Good thing my teams (Denver Broncos, Iowa Hawkeyes) are still undefeated. However, I think that we may need to check ourselves on that.
Okay. That is it for now. I could go on forever. I love talking sports. Viva la sports!!!
When I was in college, some friends of mine who were failing classes could not only repeat lines of TV shows that they had seen a week before only once word for word, but they could also tell you who won any SuperBowl or who drafted who of any team or any year and who was worth it and who was a dudd....my point: sports are awesome, I'll be the first to say it, and watching them is definitely good for the tired soul...but when your priorities are affected, then it's time for an intervention...with that being said...Adam, I wrote you a letter on how I feel....HAHAHAHAHA just kidding...you're the man! better luck next week!
I don't know. It's fun. It definitely brings people together and provides community, so in that sense it's good, but when it affects your priorities and you start putting sports above the things that really matter, it becomes a problem.
I felt the same way this past week, though. Packers lost on Monday, Cards were swept, Mizzou lost, and Ole Miss had an enormously embarrassing loss to Alabama. Alabama didn't even play that well (definitely not like a top-ranked team), yet it doesn't matter because they got the win. Our offense, however, was embarrassing. My 5'1" female self could have played quarterback better than that.
The advantage of being in my 50's has made me reassess sports. I get emotionally wrapped up watching them (just ask my poor family). But lately, I have become cynical of how overly important professional sports has become. The amount of resources our culture dumps into viewing, reliving, updating, supporting pro teams is excessive. I am totally turned off by the new Cowboy's stadium as well as the NFL's demands to upgrade our shabby digs in St. Louis. And we also get to view the teams lining up to pay Matt Holiday $19-$20 million dollars (poor baby if he does not get it-how will he make do?)
So I exercise the only real option I have. Don't go and don't pay. I wonder if my son's generation will be as interested. If not, we will have some amazing skateboard parks inside the old stadiums.
Geez, I feel like a crumudgeon...
Yo yo. You know I have something to say 'bout this.
'Balance' is the word of the day. If you can balance a recreational activity--such as playing football, watching others play football, or creating games out of watching others play football--with other things that are as important (or more important) than viewing a game and tracking stats, then--touchdown! If your sports-spectating is really about fellowship, engendering team spirit, developing a mind-sharpening hobby, or strategic relaxation...then it really isn't just about sports-spectating. It's more.
The real problem surfaces when what has been a "means" morphs into an unconscious substitute for the "end" (Adam's words)...which, in my opinion, is exactly what is happening in American sports culture. Many have forgotten why they're tracking stats and rooting for a team. Moods begin to be wrapped up in last night's game, and even identity is epitomized by a team color/logo. Don't believe me? Next time someone introduces themselves as a Cardinal fan, try prodding them with, "That's nice, now tell me something interesting about yourself." I was startled when I first moved to St. Louis to find that an inordinate amount casual conversation centered around how the Cards were playing...I could almost hear the hissing of the iron as people's personalities flattened into 2-dimensional, conventional zombies! Ha ha! Kind of kidding...but mostly serious.
I LOVE watching UFC and boxing, but somebody slap me silly when all I can talk about is how someone ELSE is playing their game. All you sports-fanatics...you can love your sport, but please--for the sake of not boring me out of my mind while talking to you--love your own LIFE a liiiittttllleeee more.
That was fun. Thanks Adam.
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