I've had this post in my head for a while, maybe even since the whole playoff* thing started. That said, I want to get back to my book, That Fluffy YA Romance**, so if this
Hockey. It's kind of a big deal around these parts. I don't know if it's the same in the US or wherever else you reader people live. I always think of hockey being football's sideshow in the States. But in Canada, it is *the* show.
With Vancouver's*** hockey team (the Canuck[le Heads]s, as my dad affectionately refers to them) currently in the Stanley Cup Finals, it's kind of hard to escape. There are stickers in every window, posters on every wall and flags on a rather large percentage of vehicles--seriously people, two words: fuel efficiency! The hype has given me a lot to think about, too.
I see a lot of merit in sports but I really can't condone the violence. It's completely brutal and unacceptable and I worry that our idolization of these players somewhat desensitizes us to the violence of what they do to each other. I'm not saying that a guy is going to come home from watching a game at the pub, where players smash each other in the face, interspersed with commercials in which women are objectified to sell beer, and beat up his wife. I'm just saying that denying the linkage is obtuse.
But I can look past that, temporarily. As my mom said, "It's not the game I have a problem with, it's the way it's played." What I appreciate about it is the fact that hockey, and sports in general, bring communities together. When played with integrity, I think sports represent being united for a common goal and I am constantly amazed about how the Canucks having gone all the way to the Finals for the first time since the year I was born can bring complete strangers together.
I know people that are sports nerds (ahem, John Green, himself) and I definitely have to take second looks at things when there's so many people who feel so passionate about them. I still can't comprehend how hockey players make exponentially more money than, say, teachers when I would say that education should be more highly valued than entertainment. But that's almost another topic in itself.
I can't come to a solid conclusion either way but I think that's okay. I mean, pro: strengthening community, enjoyment/entertainment; cons: glorified violence, fractured sense of value/priorities. It's tough to call.
Personally, I feel arbitrarily invested, like I want them to win but I don't know why I care. It's a weird feeling. I will be keeping tabs on the game tomorrow, though, because I'll be at work. Yay.
Anything to add to my internal debate? For now, I shall go back to What Happened to Goodbye and bid you good night.
*fought really hard with myself about whether to put 'playoff' in quotes. Just saying.
**I just read two heavy books (re: teen prostitution and death, respectively). So I can read whatever I want now. Don't panic, I'm just regrouping with a little Sarah Dessen. It's all good. This is not to assume you were judging, mostly I'm just judging myself. And rationalizing. I'll stop now.
***I can't say 'our' hockey team, though many do. I just can't.
1 comment:
I usually go for DC teams rather than Maryland ones because as mediocre as most of the DC teams are, the Maryland ones are worse. Or non-existent. I'm not too interested in sports, though.
I've always found it ironic how even though sports/physical activity is an important way to stay in shape & be healthy, serious athletes get hurt all the freaking time from contact injuries but also just from overexertion. It's unfortunate.
I get what you're saying about the violence and such but to be honest I don't have a huge problem with it. Granted, hockey is somewhat of an exception since most sports (minus boxing) don't condone fistfights mid-game or slamming players into walls, but the violence in most sports is sort of instinctual, you know? Like our basic human reactions, fight/flight, defending yourself, proving yourself, getting all that energy out of your body. Blood thirst isn't a GOOD thing but I think sports are an effective way of satisfying that thirst without actually hurting people (at least, not seriously).
As for why athletes get bigger salaries than teachers and such, I think it has to do with capitalism and people's love for entertainment. Fun > work; thus, more money is spent on entertainment > important things. And since there's such a demand for entertainment of the athletic variety, the sports teams get a lot of money from sponsorships, ticket sales, etc. and thus have lots of money to spend on recruiting players. Maybe it's not the best use of our money, but on the other hand, it *is* OUR money. We could stop it if we really wanted to, I just don't think that people want to.
Post a Comment