Have we missed the point of sport?

[Andy @ Allerton]

In the past, quite a few sports were basically semi-pro - tennis players, darts players, snooker players, football, rugby and loads of other sports had people engaging in the them - that used to get there by bus or train.

 

They were the same as the people watching them and were normal people - you'd see them out and about, down the pub and just doing different things than those with jobs in factories or offices or whatever.

 

But now sports 'stars' are (minor) celebraties - and is that what the sports themselves (never mind the fans or indeed the new 'stars' actually want?)

 

Have we missed the point (If there ever was one?)

 

What does sport mean now - what is it supposed to mean? Has it now reached its rightful place - or was sharing buses to the match with the players the way things should have stayed?

 

In years gone by - you'd see snooker matches and darts matches with pissed up players - and now even that has gone. I mean - f***ing snooker and darts!!

[gns]

Most of the sports you mentioned havnt been "semi pro" for a bloody long time!

 

The fact drugs and sport dont go hand in hand I would say is a good thing (acceptably) . I dont think anyone would take much pleasure in seeing a struggling alcoholic battling a disease live on TV while he tries to earn a living.

Edited January 1, 2009 by gns

[Cam]

I saw something on telly the other day, possibly about falling attendances at Premier League matches, and they highlighted the Olympics feelgood factor (recognising true, tough, lone achievements and feeling pride in sport again) negatively affecting the primadona world of football.

 

Seemed to be a reasonable point to me.

[gns]

I saw something on telly the other day, possibly about falling attendances at Premier League matches, and they highlighted the Olympics feelgood factor (recognising true, tough, lone achievements and feeling pride in sport again) negatively affecting the primadona world of football.

 

Seemed to be a reasonable point to me.

 

Id say its got more to do with it being in excess of 35 quid for a match ticket and being in the middle of a credit crunch.

[Snookie]

Everything about sport has changed in the last few years. Its changed from being a passion, past-time or part of the general flow of life for large numbers of people to being a 'consumer experience'. Partly that's to do with its commercialisation but the influx of money has led to an obvious separation of those who play/participate from those who watch. But that's also due to how fans view players. I've read comments from some Liverpool fans who seem to believe that Gerrard's mates should take the fall for him if he is guilty of a crime. The idea that someone should potentially risk prison so that another person can play football speaks of a world view that treats players as better than 'ordinary people'.

[Nebraska Red]

Everything about sport has changed in the last few years. Its changed from being a passion, past-time or part of the general flow of life for large numbers of people to being a 'consumer experience'. Partly that's to do with its commercialisation but the influx of money has led to an obvious separation of those who play/participate from those who watch. But that's also due to how fans view players. I've read comments from some Liverpool fans who seem to believe that Gerrard's mates should take the fall for him if he is guilty of a crime. The idea that someone should potentially risk prison so that another person can play football speaks of a world view that treats players as better than 'ordinary people'.

 

this happens in the sport of politics all the time, some minion takes the fall for the big name for the promise of something down the road.

 

Tv and the internet has glorified almost all sports, and the particiapants, in some way.

 

There is so much exposure in the media that the "players" have become bigger then the sports they take part in.

 

Over here we have the NFL, MLB, NHL, Tennis all having their own TV networks and the love ins are sickening most of the time. Also, ESPN, SKY and the other sports networks feed the frenzy as well.

[Bootle Buck]

The excessive coverage through the different media's has made sports and footy in particular 24/7 viewing. We can't seem to get enough of it. Over here in the States we seem to have gone from no coverage of English footy too over-saturation. You can watch 5 or 6 live games every weekend and by Sunday night can have watched a good part of every game. We get SSN 2/3 times a days and all kinds of other shows on Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta. I have only missed one Liverpool game this season(live). To think back to the 70's and 80's were we got 30 mins of "on the ball" and an hour of MOTD a week. We didn't live in times were we needed to know or were vforced fed everything players were doing by the second. As much as I am addicted myself I know it isn't doing the game any good in the long run. Needless to say my wife who is a Yank wishes Fox Soccer Channel and Setanta never existed.

Edited January 2, 2009 by Bootle Buck

[Snookie]

this happens in the sport of politics all the time, some minion takes the fall for the big name for the promise of something down the road.

 

I know its not quite the point you are making but sports isnt politics and even considering them as the same suggests that something is wrong with how we view sport. One determines every aspect of the society we live in, the other is 22 people kicking a bit of leather around a piece of grass. It can have cultural, social and sometimes political signficance but they are not the same.

 

I was looking at the thread about Gerrard this morning and the extract from this post illustrates by example, exactly what I think is wrong with how some people regard sport.

 

I'd acquit him unfortunatly. I think most people on here would, some would think about it long and hard, but in the end we would acquit. I think this thread has been mostly about justifying why a Manc U fan got a kicking from Stevie and his mates.

 

Apparently because he is a Liverpool player its ok for some to deliberately and knowingly participate in a miscarraige of justice. Simply because someone is a Manchester United fan its perfectly reasonable to try and justify why they get a kicking. The former stands in marked contrast to fans support for Michael Shields and doesnt do a whole lot for any moral argument. The latter is based on the same underlying logic that far right use to justify racial atttacks, anti-semitism or anti-islam rhetoric. They are guilty or deserve it because they are black, jewish or muslim. They are not human, They are a category.

 

Being a football or sports fan doesnt mean you can abandon basic human morality.

[_00_deathscar]

That's what Mancs do when they choose their team though.

[CarraLegend]

Raymond Van Barneveld is one of the finest ATHLETES in the world.

[The Hitman]

Sportsmen have been celebrities for as long as sports have been held,going back to Gladiatorial days,the Olympics etc.

It's just that the mass media we have in place allows that effect to be multiplied.

Nothing's changed but the media.

[Andy @ Allerton]

Sportsmen have been celebrities for as long as sports have been held,going back to Gladiatorial days,the Olympics etc.

It's just that the mass media we have in place allows that effect to be multiplied.

Nothing's changed but the media.

 

Totally disagree.

 

In the 'old days' I've heard many reliable stories from lads that just to stand on the Kop and see their heroes on the same buses and trains as them going to and leaving the match

 

Can't imagine that nowdays media or no media.

[_00_deathscar]

Greater exposure (hence media) as a result of increased public interest (or vice versa) = greater wages.

[Mike]

Totally disagree.

 

In the 'old days' I've heard many reliable stories from lads that just to stand on the Kop and see their heroes on the same buses and trains as them going to and leaving the match

 

Can't imagine that nowdays media or no media.

they were still their heroes though.

 

this thread should be: have i missed the point of sport, not, 'we'

[Minder78]

Has anyone read Gary Imlachs tremendous book "My father and other working class heroes"? Broadly about this subject, the players used to walk to the home matches with the fans. Sport and top level football is so far removed from normal society now.

[Mike]

Has anyone read Gary Imlachs tremendous book "My father and other working class heroes"? Broadly about this subject, the players used to walk to the home matches with the fans. Sport and top level football is so far removed from normal society now.

 

 

i have. his dad was no billy liddel.

[Herbie von Smalls]

sky and fans have done more to change the face of sport than sportsmen or the authorities which run them.

 

it's fans' desire to have sporting heroes which keeps them forking out their monthly satellite/cable tv subscriptions.

 

sky transformed sport into an industry and the exorbitant money they've brought into sport has led to participants seeking their 'fair share'. the more money individuals have, the more they tend to feel detached from the man on the street.

[Andy @ Allerton]

they were still their heroes though.

 

this thread should be: have i missed the point of sport, not, 'we'

 

I think since I used the word 'heroes' in the thread you responded to, I am aware of this fact.

[Spike]

it's money. Simple as that.

 

Watching the 65 cup final today and Hunter and Byrne were both down, half crippled within the first 5 minutes. Not a yellow card in sight, both players hobbling on and trying to get into position.

 

Both challenges were by today's standards absolute cripplers. definite red cards.

 

There's too much on image rights, television money, sponsorship etc. It's like how insurance premiums largely pay for fraudulent claims.

 

Money drives everything. Media is driven by the money and creates false idols, builds the hype.

 

I've slowly been falling out of love with football for a long time.

[Hassony]

I've slowly been falling out of love with football for a long time.

 

Its very rare that I sit down and watch a football game that doesn't have Liverpool in from start to finish nowaday (apart from the world cup and the euros), while a few years ago I used to get excited about watching Blackburn vs Sheffield wednesday!

 

Its probably more down to there being too much football on tv than money

[Hassony]

sky and fans have done more to change the face of sport than sportsmen or the authorities which run them.

 

I don't think you can blam sky for that

[Andy @ Allerton]

I don't think you can blam sky for that

 

Wish someone would!

 

 

 

BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAMBLAMBLAM!!

[cymrococh]

In the past, quite a few sports were basically semi-pro - tennis players, darts players, snooker players, football, rugby and loads of other sports had people engaging in the them - that used to get there by bus or train.

 

They were the same as the people watching them and were normal people - you'd see them out and about, down the pub and just doing different things than those with jobs in factories or offices or whatever.

 

But now sports 'stars' are (minor) celebraties - and is that what the sports themselves (never mind the fans or indeed the new 'stars' actually want?)

 

Have we missed the point (If there ever was one?)

 

What does sport mean now - what is it supposed to mean? Has it now reached its rightful place - or was sharing buses to the match with the players the way things should have stayed?

 

In years gone by - you'd see snooker matches and darts matches with pissed up players - and now even that has gone. I mean - f***ing snooker and darts!!

No.

 

HTH.

[Andy @ Allerton]

No.

 

HTH.

 

 

What does sport mean?

 

No.

 

O..K..

[Herbie von Smalls]

I don't think you can blam sky for that

oh yes you can