Sports: The All-American Addiction

9. “Get over It!”

“GET OVER IT!” As we enter a new millennium, many of our American institutions are being scrutinized to determine their societal relevance in the next century. From our schools to our welfare system, old ideas, institutions , and philosophies are being examined, revised, or discarded, replaced by new ones more acceptable to the age with the fundamental standard of evaluation being utility. Do these institutions continue to serve the public in relevant and timely ways? Organized sport is an important American cultural institution. As such, we as individuals and, collectively, as a society, must critically assess its impact on our culture. If it is deemed to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on our society we should invest more heavily in sport. But if many of these supposed positive benefits are disproved, as individuals and as a society, we would be wellserved to reconsider that investment. Again, I would like to be clear. I love sports. I love playing them. I love watching them. I believe they play an important role in our lives. I do not advocate the elimination of organized sport in America. This is neither wise nor realistic. It is, however, critical that we honestly – 191 – Take two of these and call me in the morning. —A doctor’s prescription evaluate its impact on our culture and, if appropriate, restructure our societal investment in organized athletics accordingly. The issue, then, is balance and perspective, not elimination. Sport’s potential to contribute to our society in a positive manner is enormous . If kept in the proper perspective, sport provides compelling entertainment, contributes to a healthful lifestyle, and builds character in participants. The problem, however, is that as a society we have lost perspective regarding the role that organized athletics should play in our culture. Organized sport in America has simply become too big, too important, with too much money, ego, and media attention attached to it. As a result, it has grown to a point where it demands too much of our time, money, and emotion. In short, sports are not nearly as important as we have come to believe. Albert Einstein said, “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” No statement could ring more true as it applies to the challenge we face in restructuring our societal investment in sport. Changing sports’ cultural impact will require a radical change in thinking regarding its purpose and structure. Specifically, we must rethink the role of organized sport on a personal level and on a public -policy level. While change of any sort, particularly societal change of this magnitude, is difficult, the consequences of continuing to ignore sports’ negative cultural impact are too great. To that end, the following suggestions are offered as a means of helping us to refocus our priorities relating to the role of organized sport in our culture. They are offered in the hope that they can be used to fulfill organized athletics’ tremendous potential to impact our society in positive, meaningful, and timely ways. If It Is to Be, It Is Up to Me It is easy to succumb to the notion that there is nothing that can be done to stem sports’ seemingly insurmountable tide of growth 192 “Get over It!” and influence. In this case, however, that assumption is not true. You can do something. Not only can you do something, but the effects of your actions can be direct, immediate, and life changing. To start, turn off the television. Stop watching. Instead, read, learn to play a musical instrument, or study a foreign language. Spend more time with your children or spouse. Exercise. Do anything but watch. Or, at least, watch much less. You can stop attending games. Attend a concert or the theater instead. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars taking your family to a major-league ballpark, take them to a museum or a cultural festival. Travel. Stop buying sports memorabilia and sportswear. Dis-invest in sport to where it assumes a morebalanced role in your life. Such decisions are highly personal. The changes themselves will be very difficult. But kicking any addiction requires difficult personal decisions and behavioral changes. I am not suggesting a total disassociation from sports. You do not have to go “cold turkey” to make a meaningful change in your life and the lives of your loved ones. I am simply suggesting...