sorryless

Giving reality a sporting chance

Sorryless52 Comments

The following is not a sports post, but rather a rant on why sports should never be confused with reality. So if you like sports, read on. And if you really don’t give a shit about sports in the least, by all means leave a comment after you read on.

This isn’t to say that sports doesn’t have its place, because it does. Its just that, we should partake much like we would a really well done cocktail. Enjoy it sensibly, do not overindulge, and never take it too seriously.

A few examples? Why not . . .

Shocking the World- If your co-worker starts blathering on about his need to shock the world, you call security. But athletes do it all the time. With the ever expanding tentacles of social media, it has become the white noise equivalent of a crying baby in a department store. Athletes tend to mistake a few fan bases and media members for the world, when really . . they comprise maybe one tenth of one percent of the world’s population. And I’m being generous. The truth is, the world has much more important shit to attend to. Like death, taxes and who’s gonna win The Voice. 

Child’s Play- These are men playing a children’s game, and that’s a beautiful thing. Except for those times when the men behave like children. Like Russell Westbrook does, lots. Westbrook is the point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder and he is one of the most dynamic players in the game. when he’s not acting like a first grader. In real life, you get fired for shit like this. In sports, you’re a competitor. I single out this player not because I despise him, but rather, because he is one of the few players in any sport I would pay to see. So when he behaves like a child, it pisses me off. Just play the game, man!

A safe haven for crybabies- In the real world, when you lose . . you just lose. But in sports, fans don’t go for such realities. In sports, a fan base will rail on about being cheated out of a win. Every loss is a conspiratorial scenario in which the referees are on the take, the commissioner is orchestrating the outcomes and the league is in bed with the Russians. Your team never loses, it simply gets cheated out of the win . . always.

Have a stupid argument? Be a sports fan!- When the Yankees lost Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, a Mets fan I know actually said the Yankees were not a great organization. Why? Because they weren’t great in Game 7’s. This was never minding all those world titles. This was ignoring the fact that the more times you try at something, the more times you will in fact, fail. You ain’t gonna win every time. The Yankees have failed scores of times, because they’ve been there more than anyone else. Simple math.

Teams Buy Titles- Only in sports can such an argument gain traction. Can you imagine saying “Shit, Apple spends WAY too much on R&D . . it’s no fair, they’re buying their success!”. I mean, you can say it . . and you can be laughed out of the room. Believe it or not, spending money on the product in order to be competitive is not a crime. The Yankees have always played the villain when it comes to this argument, and for good reason. Their owners have always aspired to give their fan base a winner. The nerve of those owners! But really, what’s worse? Putting money into the product, or pocketing the fans hard earned money and doing bupkis? This is why sports arguments are ass backwards. And one more thing. All those fan bases that derided the Yankees for spending ridiculous amounts of money on their club? Are plenty fine when it’s their team spending big. Funny how that works.

Hot Takes- Pretentious, isn’t it?

Get Out of Jail Free Cards- That’s what a ticket to a sporting event is, most of the time. If you stand inside a department store screaming all manner of bad shit about the manager and throwing merchandise at the patrons, you just might score a free ride in the back of a police cruiser. But sporting events are different. Not sure why they’re different, but they are.

I could go on but you get the point. Sports has its place, and that place should be a small one. Problem is, sports has become much too prevalent a place for most of us. We should be sipping, not gulping. We shouldn’t be more familiar with the stats line for our favorite players than who our elected representatives are. That’s bread and circuses shit, and it’s indicative of a nation that prioritizes gladiator games over real life business.

Rome burned for such a thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skipping White House Visits- I’m sorry, but if you’re going to speak about social progress, you best put your mouth where all the money is. Skipping a White House visit because you don’t agree with the occupant is weak shit. Especially when you’re a high profile athlete with a platform, whose voice can be heard more resoundingly than the average dude. Which is why I was happy to hear that the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are negotiating the terms of a visit. Stand face to face and go toe to toe! Do not forsake the opportunity most of us only wish we could have to voice our issues with the current President.

 

 

52 thoughts on “Giving reality a sporting chance”

  1. Man, did you say it all here? I’m wondering why anyone on a so-called national stage thinks acting like a dick is a wise thing. You make a very good point with the bread and circus comparison. Nice job, Marc.

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Sports. Blergh. I love watching grown men who are millionaires in many cases for playing a game complain and whine. “Practice? I’m NOT GOING TO PRACTICE.” ~Alan Iverson (I may be paraphrasing)

    And as for who will win The Voice, I want Kyla to win, but I think ‘Merica will favor super adorable Britton Buchanan or Brynn Cartelli.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. B,

    You have a knack for stating things many of us think… and argue about! I will never understand the “rabid fan” who loses his shit over EVERYTHING sports. Dude. Just a game/series/elimiation/whatevs… there are more important things in life going on. You know, things like: hunger, mass shootings, war (every type), crooked politicians…

    How these athletes (much like actors) become celebrities that can get away with anything is beyond me. Their shit stinks just as much as ours does. They are human beings with talents that are out there for all to see whilst us “little people” go about our day-to-day stuff. Many of us just as brilliant at what we do as they are. Don’t see us getting away with murder… It just never made any sense to me.

    Getting tongue-tied when meeting one such “celebrity” is silly. I had the honour of going up the elevator with our late, former prime minister Trudeau. A politician equally loved/loathed my so many. Such a gentleman and we just chatted like regular peeps. I didn’t pretend to not know who he was and he didn’t make sure I did know, in case. Just a man and a woman having a light conversation in an elevator with a “have a good day” when the first got off.

    I suppose when we meet one who is a hero to us, then it becomes a little more meaningful and there could be a moment of shyness or being a tad star-struck. I like to think I would get over that initial moment and move forward as me. Then again… I don’t get nuts over stuff like that… 😉

    I kind of digressed from parts of your post, didn’t I? Sorry about that. High profile athletes: If you are going to stand in the spotlight, at least show your best side. Cry-babies are not respected. Criminals are not respected. Protestors without real reasons are not respected. Use your celebrity for good. Stop making an ass of yourself.

    K. Imma stop now.

    Lotsa love,
    Q

    Liked by 1 person

    • Q,

      I don’t understand how people can be gobsmacked with celebrity. Like you said, they are people, same as you and me. Their prominence does not make them alien beings, even if too many peeps treat their sighting that way.
      I think peeps like the PM appreciate the simple exchanges. It must be refreshing to just be. And for those celebrities that NEED to be noticed? Fuck ’em.
      It’s funny because sports wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time, players worked jobs in the off season. Ball players rode the Subway to work. They were just people, because guess what? They’re just people.
      But then it became a commodity, and these people became super heroes. And the games were given a value that priced so many fans out. And accessibility became damn near impossible.
      It does not benefit any society to place such an emphasis on games.

      Love and reality

      Liked by 1 person

  6. **boom** I’m just not sure I can add to that. I enjoy football, and am a supporter of our local NBA team. That being said, I think it does take a bit to much precedence over real life issues that matter more. And really, for the love of chocolate, you make more money than most of us will ever see. You don’t get to whine. Just shut up and play.

    Liked by 1 person

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