[lbo-talk] lefty on futbol

[Alan Rudy]

Jordan wrote my thoughts probably better than I would have but I also think
that critical/left people have forgone all kinds of opportunities relative
to sport and politics.
My students are always stumped when I ask why the resent A-Rod getting all
that money but don't question Steinbrenner's ability to pay.  Why not focus
on conditions of work in sport, on the miniscule pay venders receive, on the
social costs of public funding for stadiums, on the celebration of violence,
on the destroyed lives, on the unmeritocratic elements of the games?  And
why not focus on Jim Brown rather than Jackie Robinson, on the reality
rather than the myth of Ali... on what it must take for a nation with the
population of Montreal to finish among the top 8 (and I'm really hoping for
top 4) teams at the (utterly bought and contradictory) World Cup?  Celebrate
Prefontaine for fighting for athletes' quality of life rather than for
partying his ass off and dying tragically?
As Doug noted, it is so much easier - and politically lamer - to simply
sneer and as Jordan noted, its not like loving sport means the end of
critical thought, no?

On Fri, Jul 2, 2010 at 3:42 PM, Jordan Hayes <jmhayes at j-o-r-d-a-n.com>wrote:


> Dennis Perrin writes:
>
>  Noam is right. This is exactly sports' function in the US.
>>
>
> Well, it's certainly been used that way.  But you know, TV was created to
> sell soap.
>
> That doesn't mean you can't enjoy The Sopranos or Mad Men.
>
> Heck, most art museums and dance companies wouldn't exist without tax laws
> that widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots ... but I do likes me
> some Monets on the big white walls.
>
>
>  And yet, I'm a big sports fan. Willing dupe?
>>
>
> Only to the extent that your love-of-the-game *replaces* your thinking
> about other things that are more important.  But I doubt you're in any
> danger of that, no matter how much you love sports ...
>
> /jordan
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> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>

-- 
*********************************************************
Alan P. Rudy
Dept. Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work
Central Michigan University
124 Anspach Hall
Mt Pleasant, MI 48858
517-881-6319