On the Value of Sports

[lhynard]

I admit that I am almost as annoyed by all of the recent football status updates on Facebook as I was with all of the political ones. I am quite tired of seeing them.

I admit that this is probably a case of me being "highbrowish". (I stole this term from C.S. Lewis, who felt the same way about sports as I.)[1] It is a flaw in my character; it is

Comments

Re: you forgot the most obvious reason

[lhynard]

good points

[izaaksmom]

I watch sports in much the same way that I watch any other form of entertainment. There are multiple ways to enjoy it, as you mentioned, but I wouldn't say that I get any more obsessed over a game or team than I do anything else I find entertaining

[dogs_n_rodents]

I don't have a lot of time, but overall I agree with these thoughts here.

I also want to note that the "following one team" thing is a matter of being a "bandwagon fan" which I absolutely hate (see icon). The teams I follow are teams I grew up with as a kid - both locally and family ties (e.g. Eagles).

[lhynard]

a good comment

I watch sports in much the same way that I watch any other form of entertainment. There are multiple ways to enjoy it....
This is key, I think, and it reminds me of the thesis C.S. Lewis had in An Experiment in Criticism. He argued that people can "misuse" literature, poetry, and art. I'd argue that this could be extended to any form of entertainment, including sports and movies.

As an avid film-lover, I assume you would argue that film could be evaluated -- at least some elements of it -- in an objective fashion. There are some things that make -- all else being equal -- the quality of one film better than another.

It seems to me that many, many people, however, are clueless about such qualities of film. Likewise, I think many are clueless about the aesthetic qualities (or other sources of value) of sports -- myself usually included -- yet enjoy them anyway -- myself usually excluded -- just like people often enjoy "bad" movies.

The obessession issue is a separate one, which you seem to be arguing, and I totally

[mallon04008]

Sports are aesthetic.
I think I have an observation that offers some support to ubersecret's and shadewright's point. It is an aesthetic that not only applies to sports, but works well for this discussion: I find great joy in watching the best in the world at giving a task or activity do their thing. This is why I can watch the playoffs/championship of any of the major sports leagues, even if I never watch a regular season game (eg. NHL and MLS). This is the same reason I find almost all college sports unwatchable. It's usually just two mediocre teams in a meaningless matchup. Please note the watching I am referring to here the television type. Being at a sporting event is a whole different dynamic than watching it on television.

People watch sports to support a team.I heard someone (don't remember who) talk about sports as a safe thing to become emotionally invested in. Granted, your team will almost certainly lose in the end, as there is only one champion, but that's really the worst that can happen. There is a lot of

[lhynard]

...This is the same reason I find almost all college sports unwatchable. It's usually just two mediocre teams in a meaningless matchup. Please note the watching I am referring to here the television type. Being at a sporting event is a whole different dynamic than watching it on television.
Yes, I share these sentiments.

very interesting idea about "emotional safety"

[pelliondance]

According to my elder son in a school assignment he wrote about 18 to 20 years ago, "Sports are an excuse for dads to take trannies (transistor radios) to the loo (toilet)." I'm a fair-weather supporter of New Zealand rugby and cricket. I support them when they are doing well, which is nearly always in the case of rugby, except every 4 years, when we go into the Rugby World Cup as favourites, and bomb. It's only once in a while in cricket.