Such a funny thing, sports are. Why do we play them? For exercise? Competition? Get out our aggressions? To excel at something and feel good? To feel important about something? I could probably make a good case for all of those points, but what I'm more intrigued about is why we watch sports. Why do we pay millions of dollars to athletes so they can play a sport for a few hours a day. Why do people invest so many dollars into watching them and sporting their paraphernalia? How can people get so emotionally invested in teams?
Is it a good thing to be a loyal, devoted fan of some sports team? Something to take your mind off the troubles of life? Or is it yet another distraction, taking you away from making a difference in the world. There's nothing wrong with playing sports, staying in shape. But when it takes over your life, when you are too focused on it, or too tied to a sports team, that is when you should take caution. It's just a game. And most of the time it's not even a game we're playing. What does it matter if team A or team B wins? All the money spent on athletes, ballparks, stadiums, advertising, and merchandise could be put to much better use around the world. And yet many would argue our lives would be dull and lacking a necessary element of fun and games. Even the ancient Romans had athletic games and competitions. But then they also made a sport of sacrificing innocent humans to flesh-tearing animals and warriors.
Every once in a while I find myself getting wrapped up in the world of sports. It can be exciting, and a good way to bond with friends. But when you take a step back from it all, and realize what it is you are watching, what you are spending your time doing...you have to ask yourself, am I missing something? I think so. We could do with less professional sports in this world and more team efforts to fight poverty, disease, and spiritual darkness.
Is it a good thing to be a loyal, devoted fan of some sports team? Something to take your mind off the troubles of life? Or is it yet another distraction, taking you away from making a difference in the world. There's nothing wrong with playing sports, staying in shape. But when it takes over your life, when you are too focused on it, or too tied to a sports team, that is when you should take caution. It's just a game. And most of the time it's not even a game we're playing. What does it matter if team A or team B wins? All the money spent on athletes, ballparks, stadiums, advertising, and merchandise could be put to much better use around the world. And yet many would argue our lives would be dull and lacking a necessary element of fun and games. Even the ancient Romans had athletic games and competitions. But then they also made a sport of sacrificing innocent humans to flesh-tearing animals and warriors.
Every once in a while I find myself getting wrapped up in the world of sports. It can be exciting, and a good way to bond with friends. But when you take a step back from it all, and realize what it is you are watching, what you are spending your time doing...you have to ask yourself, am I missing something? I think so. We could do with less professional sports in this world and more team efforts to fight poverty, disease, and spiritual darkness.