AMERICAN SPORTS CULTURE pyschology, education, crowds, agenda

In the wake of the Olympics, an event that drew much speculation as a possible target of attack, I thought it might be fun to discuss the effect that sports culture has, specifically in America.

It can't be denied that athletics is a huge part of American culture.

This article from business insider highlights the NFL as the biggest league by revenue (9 bil in 2010) which combined with NBA, MLB and NHL generate over 20 billion/yr.

Here is an article from Forbes of the highest paid athletes of the last year. Floyd Maywhether tops the list with 85 mil.

The Pro leagues have impacts beyond economics too, with cultural icons like Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin, who were both included on Time's 100 most influential list.

But the meaty stuff is how sports culture applies to the education system. When most think of the "cool crowd" in grade school, the association is the sports dudes.

What effect does this have on the psychology of the young intellectuals? Would anyone go as far as saying the sports culture and it's cousins bullying and sex are deliberate attempts to stunt the growth of young minds?

Or do the benefits of physical health/strength involved in sports provide a balance?

How about college athletes and the special treatment that they recieve? A story this morning about University of North Carolina, which is a top athletic program...

UNC has hired a private consulting firm, headed by former congressman and governer James Martin, to investigate classes in the African American studies program that had "irregularities" in the way they were taught. These classes were comprised of 50% athletes. One class in particular had a roster of 19 that included 18 football players. ESPN UNC article 8/17

Academic scandals involving athletic programs seem to be the norm more than special case....

Penn State goes without saying....

Gambling, game fixing, Pete Rose, Black Sox...

How about the unique crowd generating ability of sporting events? Any thoughts on attack potential? Or metaphysical energy harnessing?

Any thoughts on American sports culture? Effects on education/child psychology/attitudes? Pro athletes as role models? Game fixing? Athletes and sex? Positive/negative?

I'll end with a personal note. I love sports, I'm watching Dan Patrick right now...played high school baseball and competitve travel ball in summer...but nothing like these d1 athletes.

A few years back I went to hang out with my buddy from high school, who plays on UAlbany's football team. We're sitting on his back porch, just talking, and a group of six good looking girls walk up and introduce themselves and asks if we want to party with them tonight. Can tell you this much, it had nothing to do with me. Noone gets that type of treatment like athletes...

Spelled psychology wrong in the title, crap, can I fix that?

My biggest problem today is with youth sports. They work them too hard for too long and at the wrong hours. Both my elementary kids have practices until 8:30 pm during the school year. Normal bedtime is 9pm, so it doesn't work out very well, especially since they can't eat a big dinner before practice.

I think the problem is the coaches. These youth sports mean more to them than they do the youths participating in them.

10-11 year old kids should be practicing football 6 consecutive days like my son's coaches insisted. Luckily they did listen to reason and cancelled one of the practices this week. Of course, if I and the other parents hadn't made an issue of it they would have gone as planned.

I know kids who play baseball on travel teams all year round. They never get a break. Does anyone actually think that this amount of participation is actually good for them? I think not. The kids eventually get bored and the habits engrained in them don't work as well, once their bodies mature.

Did you all know that the majority of players in the NFL did not play youth football?

I can tell you this:

If people were as concerned with this nations economy and corrupt gov't as they are with sports stars stats and current team progress, or fame...I believe we would be in alot better shape as a whole.

I'm not sure if it's too much information and they can't fathom it...
Or people just don't want to admit there is something wrong, and ignore the problems.
Only to be surfaced later because they spent their time focused on worthless entertainment.

It seems as though people are more concerned with trivial, meaningless information rather than actual knowledge. I find that more people today, including women, are fascinated with sports and the fame associated with it.
Instead, they should be fascinated with why our country is being flushed down the toilet...not money, fame or success. They should be focused on why there are only two "choices" (according to the MSM...which brings you sports) for president. Or maybe why Eisenhower told us to stop funding the MIC. Focus not distraction.

I will also add this tidbit...people are beginning to see the illusion...

But they are too worried about who is going to win what game and why.
Or how much money one can make in a year because of it.
Because we all know being famous and having tons of money is the key to a happy life.



Call it entertainment, call it distraction.
I call it the "televised syndrome".
There is a huge conspiracy behind it all.
It boils down to a simple idea.
Control.

But that's just my two cents. (and it can be stretched alot further)

If there's anyone around in a few millennia and they look to that portion of our history I wonder what they will think -- will they wonder if athletes were super-human because of the sky-high salaries?

85 mil - thats ludicrous-- IMO... and makes it near to impossible for the "average" family to enjoy a game in person (tix, parking etc. etc.).

Hockey is still big in Canada and the amount of fighting allowed - escalated for decades - cuz a fight makes the crowd cheer - Rome anyone---
Dare I get in to the pedophile coaches - ruined many a good hockey player, can provide a link to the one I'm thinking of, but don't wish to derail this thread.

Sportsmen - cuz it is mostly men, yes? and movie stars.

Who ever decided they were worth millions?

reply to post by sligtlyskeptical


Was watching the Yankees the other night and they talked about pitcher Hiroki Kuroda and his childhood in Japan. Here's a NY Times linkKuroda childhood pain

A summary: Kuroda grew up in a Japanese baseball culture supposedly based on the Samurai ethic. In the summer they practice from 6 AM until 9PM, and get this- they believed drinking water was a sign of weakness. If he had a bad game pitching that entire 15 hour practice would be spent running...no breaks, no water.

Just some perspective on American youth sports...although Japan apparently doesn't allow this type of thing anymore I'm sure there are comparable examples especially with Olympic athletes around the world.

But you're right, youth sports is definitely taken a bit seriously at times.

reply to post by havok


I think trivial entertainment is OK for childhood, and maybe even to an extent into adulthood...

But you're right, too many never grow out of the base emotion aspect of it all and into higher thought...

Sports can provide oppurtunities for intellectualism, though. A good number of athletes are smart guys and display some wisdom during interview...they almost unanimously thank God after big wins, introducing young to philosophical stuff on some level. There's always the statistical aspect. Baseball stats played a big role in sparking my interest in math and benefits me now when I look at budget figures...debate is constant about rules with things like instant replay providing base introductions to law on a small level...

it just comes down to taking the next step and applying the stuff to real issues...