WINNING/LOSING and RELATED ITEMS

Today’s newspaper (Monday, 11-30-09) reports the squeaky loss of the Bucs (1-10) and Colts’ squeaky win (11-0).

Winning is “everything” and losing is “nothing.” Could even mean the “saving” or the “firing” of a coach, a player, coaches, players! “Squeaky” doesn’t count. After all, we’re talking millions of bucks.

Something is lost in the shuffle here.

Maybe this in part accounts for many fans’ shift to college football for their jollies. And this is despite the fact that college football has also evolved more and more in the direction of “BS” – just a little later.

Now we are even in the process of souring high school football, too. It’s even started in Little League circles! (This goes right along with parents’ chewing out the Little League officials from the stands – and worse.)

And these guys are supposed to be the “role models” for our youth? Gimme a break!

Perhaps the only “break” people like me are going to get is the realization that professional boxing, professional football, NASCAR, and some others, are not really sports (for all the fun they are for us – me included –to watch)! They are “blood fests,” the modern equivalent of throwing people to the lions (literally) in the days of the Roman Empire. And, if the athletes don’t supply the blood, the fans do! No blood, no sport (e.g., fencing).

Maybe we should redefine the word “sport.” While many so-called sports require that one “play hard” and give the opponent(s) injuries or even concussions (!), and always plenty of blood. My “sport” would minimize – not entirely eliminate – them.

Somehow, I would like the word “sport” to emphasize the ideas of skill, courage, cooperation, competition, persistence, training, work), not blood.

DBT