I’ve been meaning to publish a dissertation on professional sports for some time now. Perhaps this day before the super bowl is the perfect opportunity.
As a former athlete, I enjoy participating in athletic activities and even observing athletic events. But our society’s obsession with sports continues to spiral downward to ever-new depths of asininity!
Keeping things in perspective is a lost trait. The way otherwise seemingly-sane people carry on and get worked up and display ridiculous paraphernalia and shout and scream over something so insignificant is a disgrace to the human race. Give me a break. The amount of time and effort and memorization and money and everything else they pour into something with so little returning redeeming value is sickening.
Not just the population in general, but my friends, nay, even many of my own family! have succumbed to this juvenile condition. Very sad.
Now don’t get me wrong, I myself enjoy the occasional athletic conflict. I like to watch NFL games, though it’s probably been 3 years since I’ve seen one. Speaking of which, I suppose I should talk about tomorrow’s game a little. Being from the Pacific Northwest, I of course would like to see the Seattle Mariners win, even though the Cincinnati Steelers are Rush Limbaugh’s team. But either way, it really doesn’t affect my day-to-day life.
And I think that is the key! You people who get so worked up if your team wins or loses, what does it matter?! How does it affect your life?!! Really!
Let me give you a personal example. When I was a small child (maybe 10-14), I was obsessed with the Portland Trail Blazers. I listened to every game I could on the radio, hanging on to every word. Wins made me ecstatic, losses plunged me into depression. Then one day (as I had begun growing up, is that another key?), I had the illuminating thought, “You know, why does it matter so much? What does it really matter? How in the world does this affect my life in any meaningful way?”
Wisdom beyond the years, evidently.
My athletic philosophy can be summed up in two words. Write it down, learn it, love it, live it. Here it is:
Who Cares.
That’s right, who cares. Your team winning the world championship doesn’t affect your life at all. Big deal. And if they go on a 300-game losing streak, so what. Doesn’t affect you in any way. Your life remains unscathed.
The next time you’re tempted to give way to those infantile tantrums or immature revelry, remember the Official ITF Athletic Philosophy. You’ll find a refreshing freedom and gentle abandonment in its subtle wisdom.
Who Cares.
25 Responses
February 4th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
Thomas, this has to be the greatest post you have ever written.
Ag
February 4th, 2006 at 9:28 pm
No offense, Tom, but they are the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ohio would love to have a winning team. Heehee!
However, apathy stirs no heart.
By your comments, I observe that, instead, you do care. That is, you care enough to decry their behavior as “obsession,” “ridiculous,” “disgrace,” “juvenile.”
I find your philosophy strangely Eastern, my friend. The denial of desire, the abandonment of self, all to achieve enlightenment…the hidden reservoirs of wisdom, all summed in one phrase: Who Cares. Steelers, Mariners…they are all One.
I support your lack of passion about sports, but c’mon, give us some compelling reasons to toss the sports obsession for some higher pursuit!
February 4th, 2006 at 9:50 pm
Well said, ITF.
EG
February 4th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
I prefer “moderation”. Even I enjoy sporting events, but I feel one should not put oneself at risk for a cardiovascular event. But Tom, do you remember: Charlie Sit-on-a-cow? A.C. Red? Darryl P.U.? I remember those days of listening to the Beavers on the radio. There is something about a home crowd, makes me miss my athletic days as well. :) I can give you many sad stories of days ruined (my spouses) by unfortunate sporting events, but I doubt you’ll get him to change his ways!
February 5th, 2006 at 12:36 am
But Tom, what about the drama that comes in a close, “nail-biter”, type of game? There is nothing like it!
February 5th, 2006 at 3:52 am
AMEN, ITF!
February 5th, 2006 at 9:06 am
Bravo, Tom! About a month ago, a lady called the bakery and said she wanted to order a cake with a football theme for Superbowl Sunday, meaning she would, of course, pick it up on Saturday. I said, “Ma’am, I realize this demonstrates my ignorance, but when exactly is the Superbowl?”
I love to play football, or I used to (too old and slow now), but I just can’t see getting worked up about sports….unless it’s professional cycling…just kidding…well, sorta.
February 5th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Watch out Rush!!! Here comes ITF! Also, Tom, I appreciate your expressive abilities. Must come from the many years of “Rush influence”. another bro, dt
February 5th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
I happen to know of another lady with the initials AG that actually enjoys watching football. This other AG is a first cousin to Mrs. ITF! I’ll leave you all guessing on that one. LOL
February 5th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Yikes, Tom, get your facts straight! Your credibilty just took a huge nosedive! We’ve had great family fun attending Seattle Mariners games over the years but we’ve only seen them play BASEBALL! I can’t wait to see brother Doug’s reply to this one! He and Venisa are rooting for different teams with the loser buying ice cream at Coldstones! I too am completely indifferent. The only teams I care about are the ones my children currently play for. “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose as long as you do your best.” I’m just about to do a post on Nick’s team!
February 5th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
Oops, I just blew it big time. What I meant to say was that the only teams I care about are the ones my children, my neices, nephews, other family members, friends, and friends’ children play on. Yikes again.
February 5th, 2006 at 9:00 pm
Tom, I regret my hasty response and wish I could take back my rude comment about your credibility. I get it now, with such great apathy there is really no need to get your facts straight……..You are truly a master and I am a ding-dong.
February 5th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
Here’s another that would have to agree with you Tom. That’s something to think about no matter what we are doing, whether or not it affects our live’s or other’s live’s in a meaningfull way.
Also how does it look to a non- Christian to see a Christian that seems to get carried away with sports when in fact they (sports) do very little to really fulfill a person’s life? Anyway enough said.
Lavern
February 5th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
Hey Rob, I’ll have you know that this “Ag” actually did watch the Super Bowl…….what can I say, I didn’t want to miss the party. Be very proud.
Ag
February 6th, 2006 at 3:39 pm
Way to go Mrs. ITF’s cousin AG! It was a good game. We got to see most of it out at mom’s after church. We got there just as B. Roth… barely scored the touchdown to make the score 7-3 Steelers.
February 6th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
HEY, credit, I need some credit. I am not Mrs ITF’s cousin. And that is the first football game I’ve watched since……..well, let’s not even try to calculate. Oh, my life is rough, I’ve been quite ill for the past month and a half and my Dr. told me today no contact sports whatsoever. I sighed and told him I would try REALLY hard to avoid them but it would be difficult.
Needless to say, sports and I do not walk hand in hand. We try really hard to avoid each other as we are both happier that way.
Humph. Mrs. ITF’s cousin indeed. A girl gets no respect.
Ag
February 7th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
allrght allright i have been inspired to leave comment. I to have been known to indulge in a athletic event or two in my short life. Thomas, its time to draw some paralells. Sports are a lot like life. Some will show indifference to one or the other while pretending all is well. Some will say music is so much better than sports. Some people prefer their “heroes” with long hair to be members of a particular vocal band! If one needs to have long hair, I prefer him to be able to either run very fast and make tackles or score many baskets for a team of my choosing. It does me no good whatsoever if he stands on a stage with a lot of senior ciizens thinking He can sing. What a guy! Sports certainly need to be in their place as should everything else. I for one wouldn’t travel further south than Brownsville OR for a cortet convention unless of course you were the main entertainer. GO STEELERS(fOOTBALL) OSU BEAVERS(COLLEGE) REDS(BASEBALL). Love you like a brother, Douglas
February 7th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
Oh, but Douglas, music can change lives. Many songs at the “cortet” convention are ones that point people to Jesus and to the cross, leaving a person spiritually blessed–kind of a spiritual high such as you get after an awesome church service. Or, perhaps convicted. And there is spiritual fellowship. There are more personal and spiritual blessings that I won’t list here. I never have and never will experience those life-impacting blessings from a sporting event! And those senior citizens have a lot of spiritual lessons to share and learn from. In addition to the message and fellowship to be had, the sheer bliss of chord progressions well done, or a well-executed drum beat or guitar lick or piano syncopation can send chills tingling down my aesthetic spine–a God-given capacity.
I do agree that there are things in life that some people are more drawn to than others. For you, it is sports. And that doesn’t have to be bad; God blesses people with athletic abilities, and I suppose a certain degree of aesthetic satisfaction can come from the gracefulness and athletic beauty displayed by an athlete–by being either the athlete or the observer. But as you said, just have to keep sports in their place. That way you will have time to enjoy the things that truly ARE life-impacting and that REALLY matter! :-)
EG
February 8th, 2006 at 12:25 am
WELL SAID TOM! WHO CARES INDEED!
I must give a tip o the hat to your definite greatness in this area of knowledge; along with the cooking too, of course.
Ag, I gather it was more the party than the game; did you actually watch the whole thing? Oh well, all great minds must rest at times I guess. Sorta like looking at something far away after working at the computer for 5 or 6 hrs straight. BTW, I miss sparing with you at Darin’s blog, don’t see you over there much.
Tom, keep up the good work!
February 8th, 2006 at 3:19 am
A hobby is a hobby is a hobby. Being “into” sports is no different than being into music, dirt bikes, or culinary arts. Obviously moderation must be shown in sports as with any other area of life. Like i said some people like sports others like knitting. Neither is better than the other.
February 8th, 2006 at 10:12 am
All I have to say is that if the Mariners were playing the Super Bowl, that would have been one of the most outrageous football games ever. Try the Seattle SEAHAWKS, there Mr. ITF. The only time sports gets out of hand is when I have to watch a game listening to the male sex say over and over how bad the refs/umpires calls are. It’s amazing how they let any Joe-Blow ref a game when the real pros are sitting on a couch.
-Kaitlyn
February 8th, 2006 at 11:59 pm
Actually,EG, music has never changed lives, Jesus is the real life changer,i’m sure we can agree on that.I actually have fellowshipped during some monday night football parties where guys come who aren’t church attenders can be influenced . Thank goodness Jesus isn’t limited to changing lives only in the boxes we tend to put Him in. Since you are well aware of where i was educated you will understand when i politely say i don’t understand a lot of the big words used in your response. Keep doin things that really matter. Douglas
February 9th, 2006 at 1:13 am
:-) Use a dictionary.
EG
February 9th, 2006 at 2:54 am
I think we all, including ITF, realize that everybody has hobbies or interests that are basically meaningless, I know I do. I’m not really into either music or sports, but I can see far more potential value in music than sports or many other things. I think that good music used the right way can have far more meaningful impact on lives than sports and other interests/hobbies. It too must be kept in it’s place though. It does seem that obsession over sports is an epidemic in our society. I know that there are a lot of physical benefits (and monetary, to an outlandish degree, for some), as well as the challenge, thrill, and fun for the actual participants in sports. Otherwise, it seems to add relatively little or no useful knowledge, skills, understanding, wisdom, blessing, enrichment, etc. to our lives. And that is fine, but in my opinion, there’s just too much rage over it for what it is. Or maybe I just don’t get it.
February 10th, 2006 at 12:50 am
Mr. ITF, seems as if you have touched a few areas of spirited debate with this disertation(sp?). I, for one, am glad that we can all find areas in our lives that bring us relaxation and/or happiness. Thankfully, God has blessed us with differing abilities and/or hobbies. Some like music, some like sports, some like both. To narrow it down a bit, some like a cappella music, some like the very upbeat contemporary christian music. I am just glad that God gives us the ability to reach out to people wherever we are, be it the den of iniquity, a music fest, or an athletic event.