(07-30-2012 08:32 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  I'd say that in general, there is not a problem with overemphasizing participation in sports in our society. However, there is a problem with overemphasizing being a fan of sports teams. The problems that it causes are notable, but relatively minor. Mostly it is a waste of individual time and a couple billion dollars a year in taxpayer money (in the form of municipally funded stadiums).

Also, it can divide people and make people feel like they're better than others. Sometimes it's like being in a gang but being a sports fan isn't the only facet of life like that.

When a guy that plays professional baseball for 4-6 months out of the year is making $15 million or more a season to hit and catch a baseball, then yes we are putting too much emphasis on sports. Don't get me wrong......I'm all about the mighty dollar and everyone's right to earn it, but as fans, we've created the monsters that have become modern athletics.

The question can differ if you consider it individually, in aggregate, and by the party being considered.

As individuals, many of us enjoy sports, and spend a fair amount of our free time watching sports, as well as some of our disposable income on attending sporting events and/or buying gear of our favorite teams. Many of us, even those engaged enough to comment on message boards (yet another form of engagement) value sports but keep our involvement to an appropriate level.

The equation changes when you consider the aggregate, and the interested parties. TV networks are looking for large groups, so sports fans are in aggregate an attractive group. That's even more true since the VCR era, and much more so now with widespread DVR adoption. Sports events are less likely to be time-shifted than traditional TV, making them much more valuable to advertisers. This in turn drives higher rights fees, which turns both professional and college sports into big business.

The PSU situation was somewhat unique and their culture probably contributed to how those individuals behaved - but at any major conference program, a threat to the revenue streams for athletics is a threat to the bottom line. So as institutions, there's a great deal of emphasis on sports, even if the majority of sports fans keep their involvement reasonable at an individual level.

It's a hobby to me really. I do a little bit fishing, I play a little golf, but ecu sports get the number 1 priority. Not only do I enjoy football and basketball games but I guess I feel like I'm part of the reason when things go well and feel like I accomplished something lol

I've been pondering this very thing since the PSU thing broke loose. Sports & even entertainment in general has been a win at all cost thing for a while now simply because there is so much $$$ at stake. Pro players are raking in 10's of millions to hit a ball, score a td, goal, or basket. If a coach doesn't win enough games within an X amount of years he's tossed. College programs are raking in 50, 60, 70, 100+M a year and claims to be nonprofits. Everyone can quote a line or 2 from a movie or song, or toss out stats nshit but could hardly name who their representatives are on any level of government.

So yea I think we put way too much emphasis on the things that don't matter. How many of us are pissed off for a week after our team losses a game? I'm more than guilty. I've been guilty of cussing at the TV, like the players or refs could actually hear me, after an Interception or bad call.

I've spent $250+ to sit in 5 degree weather to watch the Steelers play in an AFC Title game. Just this year I've spent about $150 to sit in a Club to watch the Pirates play. On a yearly basis I can truly say that I spend at least a thousand dollars on tickets, memorabilia, and food/drinks at these events. The tickets are this high because of idiots like myself that are willing to spend that much. And we are the very reason why the $$$ is out of control in sports. I'm not saying we shouldn't go to games because I'd be a hypocrite. I think we all should reevaluate the importance of a single game or even a season and be a little less emotionally attached.

(07-30-2012 08:36 AM)Caltex2 Wrote:  

(07-30-2012 08:32 AM)Captain Bearcat Wrote:  I'd say that in general, there is not a problem with overemphasizing participation in sports in our society. However, there is a problem with overemphasizing being a fan of sports teams. The problems that it causes are notable, but relatively minor. Mostly it is a waste of individual time and a couple billion dollars a year in taxpayer money (in the form of municipally funded stadiums).

Also, it can divide people and make people feel like they're better than others. Sometimes it's like being in a gang but being a sports fan isn't the only facet of life like that.

Excellent point. We should strive for unity, and not be divided by petty differences such as whether I root for the Yankees or Red Sox, Wolverines or Buckeyes, Utes or Cougars.

In that sense, the SEC has got it right. They've got great rivalries, but in the end they respect each other and they root for each other against other conferences.

(07-31-2012 03:44 AM)ClairtonPanther Wrote:  I've been pondering this very thing since the PSU thing broke loose. Sports & even entertainment in general has been a win at all cost thing for a while now simply because there is so much $$$ at stake. Pro players are raking in 10's of millions to hit a ball, score a td, goal, or basket. If a coach doesn't win enough games within an X amount of years he's tossed. College programs are raking in 50, 60, 70, 100+M a year and claims to be nonprofits. Everyone can quote a line or 2 from a movie or song, or toss out stats nshit but could hardly name who their representatives are on any level of government.

So yea I think we put way too much emphasis on the things that don't matter. How many of us are pissed off for a week after our team losses a game? I'm more than guilty. I've been guilty of cussing at the TV, like the players or refs could actually hear me, after an Interception or bad call.

I've spent $250+ to sit in 5 degree weather to watch the Steelers play in an AFC Title game. Just this year I've spent about $150 to sit in a Club to watch the Pirates play. On a yearly basis I can truly say that I spend at least a thousand dollars on tickets, memorabilia, and food/drinks at these events. The tickets are this high because of idiots like myself that are willing to spend that much. And we are the very reason why the $$$ is out of control in sports. I'm not saying we shouldn't go to games because I'd be a hypocrite. I think we all should reevaluate the importance of a single game or even a season and be a little less emotionally attached.

Sports has been a "win at all cost thing" for thousands of years. Search the web for cheating in the ancient Olympics. It was such a big problem that authorities resorted to engraving their names and their crimes on plaques on Mount Olympus in an attempt to shame them. In more recent times, there were pay-for-play scandals at Kentucky and most Pac-8 schools back in the 50's that were much larger than anything we see today.

It's a common fallacy to believe that many of the evils that confront our society are new, or a larger problem than they used to be. A few of them are new (computer addiction, for one), but most of them have always been with us. And some of them (such as corruption in government) are actually at all time lows, even if they remain problems.

(07-28-2012 02:12 PM)Chappy Wrote:  I have friends that are getting married September 1st. I will be at the ECU-AppState game instead. Odds are they'll only get married once while there will be 11-13 other ECU football games this season alone. I think that demonstrates that I put sports too high up on my priority list.

Believe or not the exact same thing happened to me the other day, one of my friends sisters invited me to a wedding on Sept. 1 lol, I said, I will be at the game!!!!!

(07-29-2012 01:34 AM)Zombiewoof Wrote:  

(07-29-2012 01:16 AM)Ron313 Wrote:  I like what you wrote and agree with a lot of what you said.
However, this is a cult and the fact that they can't see into the purpose of the sport and show humility for the horrifying acts perpetrated in trying to allow the sport to continue unblemished is unforgivable. They allowed sandusky to take kids to bowls. As a society, we should say that is not the intent of sport, the program is not above the university or raping of children. the only thing most psu fans cared about was whether the program would continue and that's part of the problem.

They needed to remove psu for a few years and let them come back later. Current sanctions only serve to solidify their us versus the world attitude. Also, with this probation, you think anyone at psu with a stake in this will report another transgression with the death penalty all but assured for Another grievances?

The Penn State situation is horrendous and I agree that the school may be getting off lightly, given the depth of the apparent efforts to protect the brand from scandal. But I do feel that this is a bit of an anomaly. In most institutions, I believe someone with a conscience would have made an effort to stop the problem. I can't even imagine that a similar situation could take place at Texas, LSU, Ohio State or Oregon, for example, and they have some pretty rabid fan bases.

This isn't a deep-pocketed booster throwing cash at recruits and school officials trying to avoid NCAA sanctions. I think your reference to a cult is apt in this case. "We Are Penn State" was more than a mantra to those in charge and to those who are excusing the behaviors to protect the brand and football program. But again, the people involved and their lack of character is the problem here, not the game of college football and not even Penn State football, per se.

I agree that the PSU thing is probably an anomaly. However the UNC thing..maybe not. I'll bet that there are a number of top college athletic departments that are living on the edge as far as academic fraud is concerned.