Namaste
Speaking as an American, I am sort of sick of this stupid emphasis on sports over other more important activities, and I am tired of many of the "ball" players who are turned into idols and the next thing you know they want to tell us who should be President or some real bender like the telling us the nut running North Korea is a great guy.
I think back to my childhood, baseball was a big deal thing. Yet, it wasn't as much just the game, the "idols" of the sport were on "baseball cards" and really the collection of these cards had more passion in it than listening to the game on a transistor radio Made In Japan.
You get a Mickey Mantle, or Willie Mays and so on, we would go nuts. All the boys would spent hours gazing at these scraps of cardboard with the image of a baseball "hero" and reading the stats on the back of the card.
... so there was something else going on here. It wasn't just "watching the game". There was more to it, but I can't just put "my finger on it".
I guess, there was an element of madness, a "collectable" craze to it. Like, "collecting the (heroes)" in your home shrine.
Today the equivalent might be the "hat on backwards" crowd. They wear (but also collect) the sports caps of their favorite team, then wear it tipped, sideways, backwards, like it's an expensive topper (though these caps can actually BE expensive), typically of the team of some player who is the current idol. I actually can't stand these people, but... it is on the same "universe" as the baseball card collectors of my youth.
I have a big box of these old baseball cards, some of them worth money so I still have them today - who knows it might buy me a nice vacation one day to Timbuktu. Back in the day, the common purchase would be a pack of cards wrapped in waxy paper with a stick of gum, sold at the dime store. But in those days there were also these machines, like slot machines, in pharmacies or such, where you slide a nickle in, pull a lever, and about 5 cards would pop out.
The thing about these machines were, they were the real "treasure chest". Because, let's say the year was 1965. But these machines were socked up with OLD cards. You slide the nickle, and out pops a 1959 Brooks Robinson or something. Don't know how this was possible that someone was loading them up with stacks of such old cards, but it was true. I guess they had stockpiles of cards, and would just refill the machine with them.
By the 1960s, American Football and the NFL was overtaking baseball in popularity. The "Superbowl" began, and each successive one was a television phenomenon.
The days of The Oakland Raiders, and coach John Madden lumbering on the sidelines, seeing something on the field and he goes into a tantrum, ripping the headphones off and throwing them onto the ground.
You see, again here is something that I can't just put my finger on. Meaning, it was NOT just about "watching the game". It was like, personalities. These "creatures" start to become part of the family.
Like... ABC Monday Night Football.
And Howard Cosell, sportscaster.
He had sort of a big nose. To match the big game. Everyone would tune in to Howard.
Watching Howard was not exactly watching the game. The game, and then there was THE VOICE. The voice of Howard.
John Lennon became his friend. And of course the Howard Cosell - Cassius Clay/Mohammed Ali antics were a phenomenon in itself. The famous boxer with Howard. The cigar. The game was on. The crowd roared. As Ali would drop some cigar ash on Howard's toupee. No balls were involved.
So this "American sickness", well it isn't just about watching the game. There is some other addition mixed into the drink.
But I don't know what it is, Mr. Jones. But just talking about these things... suddenly I have this urge to go turn on FOX Soccer Channel and watch Manchester United.
And the odd thing is, ... that isn't even an American game.
I need help.
Does Beckham still play?
"DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER!"
"Montana in motion, high pass, TO THE END ZONE, Clark the receiver, CLARK LEAPING FROM THE BACK OF THE END ZONE (ah) IT'S IN HIS FINGER TIPS - TOUCH DOWN FORTY NINERS! TOUCH DOWN FORTY NINERS! TOUCH DOWN FORTY NINERS!"
"Time out has been called, 3 seconds remaining, John Smith is on the line, and... I don't care what's on the line, ... what we just - said - what we know in the booth... YES we have to say it, just remember this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses, an unspeakable tragedy converb'd to us by ABC News in New York City, John Lennon, outside his apartment building on the west side of New York City, John Lennon, the most famous perhaps of all of the Beatles, shot twice in the back, rushed to Roosevelt Hospital, DEAD ON ARRIVAL"
"Sports... is the toy department of human life."
"And that wraps it up for the Los Angeles Lakers and this 2016 season, what a disaster of an ending! If only the ... wait. One moment... I ... we are having an earthquake. Whoah ... it's shaking, baby! I am getting a read in from ABC and ----------------- .......... --------------"
Om Namah Sivaya
I didn't even finish high school, so this is giving me reason to feel good about myself. Lol.
