NationStates Jolt Archive

Do professional sports matter?

If so, why?

If not, why not?

For me now (approaching 40 years of age...)professional sports matter less and less each day. But as a young boy, man did I live and die with my teams.

Perhaps after my beloved Toronto Blue Jays won two World Series in a row, the need to be a fan of a champion was sated, and I could move on with the rest of my life (still being debated as to whether I am or not, but I digress).

What do all of you think?

not in the least bit.
they provide entertainment for some, but, out of all things, they're overhyped, meaningless and the athletes are overpaid (a lot)

short answer: no.


edit: they've never mattered to me at all, but i do enjoy watching the 6 nations every now n then

Theyve never mattered to me at all, except for the Superbowl which I occasionaly watch for the commercials. I simply dont see why people find them so fascinating, sure, I can see them being important, but the lengths some people go to are just wierd, IMO.
My parents, on the other hand, are the sort that scream at the TV if they like/dont like whats going on, which makes less sense than painting yourself green and yellow and standing in the -30 degree temperatures to watch your team lose.

They're fine for entertainment, but that a whole lotta stuff piled around a simple game.

As a die hard Red Sox fan, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that that team is extremely important to nearly 6 million greater Bostonians, and you could see that when they won the World Series last year.

As a die hard Red Sox fan, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that that team is extremely important to nearly 6 million greater Bostonians, and you could see that when they won the World Series last year.

First the Red Sox, then the White Sox...could the Cubs be next?

First the Red Sox, then the White Sox...could the Cubs be next?

No. That's just crazy talk. :D

No. That's just crazy talk. :D

Sorry, got a little ahead of myself there. Won't happen again.

By the way how about the Royals next year?

Sure...I love watching overpaid, steroid-enchanced, brain-damaged shmucks throw balls to one-and-other...Even if I did, watching ANY of those games is about as fun as watching a pot of water boil.

To be honest, I find people who have fanatical loyalty to their teams to be sadly misguided.

I'll watch the superbowl...but only for the commercials and the fried chicken.

as I learned in my P.E classes extrinsic motivation can come from professionals

I still find watching sports boring (not so boring I never miss an England vs. Germany world cup finale but still)

No, they don't matter. Professional sports are one of modern civilizations worst mistakes, almost as bad as reality TV if you ask me.

Sports are horrible to watch but fun to play (sometimes). Diversions for a lonely mind.


edit if you get excited over professional sports, remember that is exactly what they are meant to do. its a whore-off for your attention to get good ratings and sell merchandise. but if you like being manipulated, its pretty good.

So much condescension in this thread. I wonder how many of you watch TV.

Sorry, got a little ahead of myself there. Won't happen again.

By the way how about the Royals next year?
Don't I wish. Probably not. Glass has said he'll raise payroll, but Baird doesn't know how to use money and no one good wants to play for a loser like KC.

As to the OP, I'm a much bigger fan of college sports than pro, even though they're becoming just as big a business. I still do watch the NFL, though, and baseball in October (sometimes). I'd probably be a bigger pro fan if my teams would would win something every once in a while, but alas. Except the Avs, they keep my hope alive.

SPorts? Yes.

Professional sports? No.

Except to congress. :)

A big thumbs up for professional sports. A team gives an entire city, provice, state or nation something to come together around, and the minor leagues for the kids give them lots in the way of teamwork and encouragemnt.

A resounding Yes.

I don't really know why. For me, it's a big form of entertainment--it's very exciting and oftentimes you'll see something you haven't seen before.

Having grown up in a town where college football is like a religion and in a family where we sat in front of the TV every weekend to watch our chosen sporting events, it's hard to fathom me NOT being a fan these days.

They matter less and less to me the older I get--I'm 37 now. I used to be a hardcore fan about ten yers ago, and I've been drifting ever since then, but I have a reason.

I don't have a problem with the professional nature of sports, or even the business side of it--it's the using of public money to make extraordinarily rich people even richer. I'm talking about public stadiums being given to the people who own teams, and of using state or local money to guarantee things like sellouts. That's why my favorite baseball team right now is the San Francisco Giants, because Peter Magowan went into debt to pay for that gorgeous stadium in the City, and the fans have rewarded him. It's also why I couldn't give a shit if the Florida Marlins leave town--they want the locals to pony up for a stadium. Screw that--pay for it your damn selves. Same for the New Orleans Saints, who have been my team since childhood--Louisiana has more important things to spend money on than lining Tom Benson's pockets. Like anything else.

Going back to Roman times and likely earlier - sports have been used to keep the masses eyes off of the big picture - the gov't. The less people watch the gov't, the less they complain and the more they can get away with. They are a distraction.

That said, I still love sports but I enjoy playing and live events more than watching on TV. With a toddler and an infant in the house I have little time for either. When my friends talk about the NFL games - I update them on what the Wiggles are up to (I am a Raiders fan anyway so I am not missing much). The older I get and the more responsibility I have, the less it matters.

They are my escape from reality. No matter how psuedo-intellectuals call America a fascist state, no matter how many Democrats brazenly wish for an American defeat, no matter how insane Iran or North Korea get on a given day, every Sunday the Packers still play.

They are my escape from reality. No matter how psuedo-intellectuals call America a fascist state, no matter how many Democrats brazenly wish for an American defeat, no matter how insane Iran or North Korea get on a given day, every Sunday the Packers still play.

And every Sunday Brett Favre throws four picks and blows it for the Packers.

And every Sunday Brett Favre throws four picks and blows it for the Packers.

Exept when they're playing the Lions.

Exept when they're playing the Lions.

Well he still tries to blow it. The Lions just happen to try to blow it for themselves even harder, so they win. Or lose. Whichever is worse.

So much condescension in this thread. I wonder how many of you watch TV.
No shit. Gotta wonder what crawled up peoples asses.

Look, I'm not a sports fan myself, but c'mon.

First, the athletes are paid what they generate. People act as if there is this one pool and so much of it can go to atheletes and the rest to teachers or something.

Sports is an outlet, and people and society needs an outlet. Even professional sports. 'your team' provides a function that goes back almost as far as civilization itself.

Yeah, zealots kinda freak me out, but I'd rather they work that energy out in the parking lot of the Oakland Colosium then in my front yard.

Not everything has to have a greater deeper meaning.