I personally find sports a powerful outlet to connect with people I might not otherwise socialize with. It's not so much the patriotism of the game, but the fact that the game takes people from diverse walks of life and channels their passion into a common identity that I find so amazing. I just found the patriotic aspect of the Nationals unique, but it certainly was not the main factor I took away from the game. Seamus is about to rant, so I suggest you keep reading.
While it's true, I have never met a life-long friend in the stands, I have met people that I’ve continued to talk to well after the final whistle blows. In other instances, you meet your friends at a local establishment before a game, solidifying your bond between your community and your team. It is about the community of people who feel the same euphoria and dejection as you, all united behind a set of players and jersey colors that I find inspiring. It's about knowing the team songs and the ability of a moment in time to bring out emotions.
As an athlete, I hold many things near and dear that I feel deepen my zeal for the teams I loyally follow. For starters, I subscribe to the Victorian ideal that sports build character. While you can debate that athletes are prima donnas, I know athletics have had a positive effect on my life: physically, socially, and I’d even argue academically. The teamwork of a basketball team, the motivation of a runner, the risk-taking of a football player, all sports provide lessons that can be applied to so many aspects of a person’s life. There is a reason why so many athletes have gone on to be astronauts, presidents, and actors; they possess the drive to push themselves further than they ever thought possible. It is this acquired appreciation of hard work and patience that I believe contributes to success in nearly every aspect of life
Second, being a part of an athletic team is an experience unique to any other. You are automatically given a community of like-minded individuals that you must struggle alongside towards a common goal. You must be willing to sacrifice your body and mind so that your teammates, who sometimes you barely know yourself, can be victorious. This unspoken law of self-sacrifice for the benefit of the team as a whole creates a strong bond of loyalty and respect that I find unlike anywhere else. While it might be lost on some professional athletes, victory is not an individual thing in team sports. The game-winning goal from the forward does not come without the cross from the midfielder, and an entire team shares in its triumphs and tragedies throughout the season. Due to my experiences, I empathize with athletes on the field while in the stands, enabling me to appreciate their hard work and determination.
Sports unify diverse groups of people (in the US at least) and provides a common identity between two people who otherwise might have nothing in common. I must disagree with you that this is an illusion of friendship, a few hours to unite people before going back to the real world. For me, my support of one of my teams, the Chicago Fire for example, is not something I can switch off after the game is over. I see the same people at the games, I see the same players in their red and white, and of course, I remember that Chicago is my home and thus a wonderful place.
For me, sports represent a way of life. They are both a commitment personally to fitness and an abstract commitment to something greater than myself. It’s something you can put your faith in with knowledge that it exists and that it is trying to make you happy (I personally find sports much more satisfying than religion for such reasons). My fellow bloggers can try to say that these are simply games with no lasting impact, just a means to satisfy a competitive desire, but I could not disagree more with such a belief. The teams I cheer for are a key component of my identity as a human being.
Identity of Seamus McGregor: male, 18 years old, 6’2’’, 165 lb., green eyes, brown hair, politically liberal, Midwestern, non-religious, student, and a passionate fan of the Chicago Bears, Chicago Fire, and Glasgow Rangers.
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2 comments:
Seamus - I, also, have had experiences as a team player. I have played on soccer teams and lacrosse teams all my life and can absolutely relate to what you blogged about. I don't disagree at all. However, just to clarify: My previous post, to which you replied, was not about sports as much as it was about nationality. I agree with everything you said about being on a sports team. I understand that your love for sports does not disappear the moment you leave the stadium. What I was trying to get at in my post is that although the love for baseball, or any sport for that matter, will remain a part of you well after the game is over, the sense of nationality you get from attending such a sporting event is not nearly as strong once you leave the stadium. In the "real world" people will not interact in the same way, with same national pride, as they do at such an event as a baseball game. That is what I was trying to say.
And - hey, i didn't know you played sports?! Which ones?
Hi Ziggy. I played soccer, basketball, cross country, and track. Soccer is my favorite sport, and I've played it since I was four years old. I had no idea you also played soccer, that's pretty cool!
Yes, nationalism does not follow us wherever we go, but I think that is a good thing. Excessive nationalism seems to lead to militarism, and I have yet to see a situation where that works out for a nation-state. I agree with your point on patriotism in small doses, and I think it is a good thing.
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