In class, everyone got a chance to discuss their choice of keywords for their final post. As I listened to other keywords, I noticed that quite a few of them play a role in my keyword. Whether it is Arisa’s keyword expression, Bernie’s post on pain, or Carol’s post regarding obesity, they all intersect in one way or another with my keyword, sport.
Sports have existed since mankind has existed. After reading Truman’s post, I think his idea of linking the history and allowing you to read it that way is better than having me ramble about it so here’s the link. The word sport was originally defined as a pleasant pastime. The definition came up during the 15th century. Over time, the definition has evolved into an athletic activity that requires skill and is often of a competitive nature. There are various other ways the term is used. Fathers often call their sons by the nickname of “sport”. In this sense, it is a slang term used from a father figure to a young person to show affection and support. Another potential definition is another slang term where a person “sports” something. In this sense, “sports” is used as a synonym for wears. If a person is “sporting a jersey”, the person is wearing the jersey. However, there is no doubt that for the majority of people worldwide, when they hear the word sport, they think of some activity people engage in. Despite having a consensus on the definition, its application is contested amongst its members.
The definition of the word sport leads itself to be highly debated. There are many activities that are considered a sport worldwide. The “trinity” of baseball, basketball, and football are never debated as they are universally regarded as sports. Various other activities such as volleyball and hockey are also deemed to be sports without argument. However, ESPN, known as the “Worldwide Leader in Sports”, has aired different “sports” such as Texas Hold ‘Em, NASCAR racing and golf. In NO way is playing poker an athletic event. While I personally think golf is a sport and racing is a waste of gas and NOT a sport, that’s not the point. The argument people make here is that poker requires skill and is a “mind sport”. People are reverting back to the original definition of the word as a “pleasant pastime” despite the fact that we usually move forward, not backward.
Sport also has a secondary definition to its participants and viewers that we do not think of or associate it with until the time comes. During tragedies, sports are one way by which people can come together and grieve with others. After the 9/11 attack, there was a short break to mourn the catastrophe. When the games started again, you could see a sense of solidarity despite the fact that these teams are competing against one another. In baseball, during the Seventh Inning Stretch, instead of playing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, stadiums played “God Bless
Sport is a word that intersects with various keywords from the book as well as keywords written by everyone for the final post. Whether it is the expression of individuals watching or completing a spectacular play, the agony of injuring themselves or taking part in an event to reduce obesity, sports can connect so many keywords that exist in our vocabulary today. However, people are going backwards in trying to find a way to justify their activity as a “sport”. We need to remember that over time, evolution occurs. Since the definition has evolved, we should remember that the definition of the word sport is an ATHLETIC activity that includes the use of skill. We also should keep in mind that sports are also a means by which we grieve with others.
2 comments:
I think it's very interesting how we use sports to unite people when in reality the main objection is to beat your opponent. I also think this kind of relates to Truman's word "War" because even war is used as a way for countries to unite under one cause. Propaganda is used to win the favor of a country's citizens and therefore unite them all under the same emotions or beliefs. Very interesting post.
I like the way that you draw on other people's keywords as a way to get into yours. This was very smart. These questions of grieving through sports and the athleticism/spectatorship bind are fascinating. It is as if you are suggesting that sports must be able to contain their opposite: gleeful competition must be able to absorb morose unity; and athletic activity must be supplemented by watchful passivity. This is troubles our concept of sports, because it means that we can never quite tell if the priority is celebration or mourning, athleticism or laziness. You give your reader a lot to think about in this post.
One thing that would have been challenging and interesting for you would have been to explain why and how activities like poker *are* defined as sports, rather than simply insisting that they are not. Likewise, when you say "The “trinity” of baseball, basketball, and football are never debated as they are universally regarded as sports."—why not debate this rather than letting it go undebated? The point of the keyword is to unsettle common sense understandings. One more thing along these lines: why do you assume that cultures do not move "backward"? Certainly, time moves forward, but this does not mean that human cultures cannot follow historical patterns or make similar blunders across time. Isn't this the rationale behind critiques of empire that look at Rome, and then look at contemporary cultures?
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