General Discussion

Jon King

(1,910 posts)

49. Impossible for me to disagree more.

Tue Apr 6, 2021, 08:38 AM

Apr 2021

As a parent and long, long time youth coach I have seen sports change so many lives. Focusing on the bad parts is possible for anything. Of course there are examples of sports being given the wrong emphasis. But overall it can teach so many amazing lessons.

Focusing on the money aspect is wrong to me. Most well paid athletes are minorities. The worlds best plumber gets paid more than the worlds worst plumber, the worlds top doctor makes more than the worlds best teacher. It is what it is.

The attention is always what it is.....should we force folks to enjoy watching a chess match on TV as much as they did watching Michael Jordan move between 5 different defenders, contort his body, float through the air, and dunk? Seriously? How exactly do we require the same amount of people to enjoy watching a skilled figure skater as they so a debate competition?

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I don't want to see women's athletics get the same degree of support as men's [View all] Silent3 Apr 2021 OP

Hey. An original thinker here. I like it! Beakybird Apr 2021 #1

Sports bring in huge revenues AZProgressive Apr 2021 #2

Not for many of the colleges involved in sports Silent3 Apr 2021 #4

It isn't about values AZProgressive Apr 2021 #5

That demand you speak of... Silent3 Apr 2021 #6

I like sports more than most scripted television or film AZProgressive Apr 2021 #7

If college athletes get big pay, that comes out of the university's income.... tuition increases. 3Hotdogs Apr 2021 #11

They wanted to join the Big Ten because of The Big Ten Network AZProgressive Apr 2021 #12

The Supreme Court, believe it or not... druidity33 Apr 2021 #81

The NCAA seems to make $millions dlk Apr 2021 #38

Furthering your argument, the USA values entertainment way too much. Funtatlaguy Apr 2021 #3

Yes. The day that documentaries or "Learning Master Classes" get every much "buzz" & accolades as hlthe2b Apr 2021 #10

America's "Philosopher King" is currently RVN VET71 Apr 2021 #25

It's a supply and demand problem. Renew Deal Apr 2021 #14

Who should tell them what to "value"? whathehell Apr 2021 #16

I just see us as being overly entertained and radically ill informed. Funtatlaguy Apr 2021 #20

Of course you do.. whathehell Apr 2021 #24

Ok. Thanks and have a good evening. Funtatlaguy Apr 2021 #26

Lol whathehell Apr 2021 #29

Agreed HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #42

+1000 smirkymonkey Apr 2021 #75

Yes. Pay women less. A lot less. :sarcasm: speak easy Apr 2021 #8

You missed the point. Silent3 Apr 2021 #9

That may be because your subject line was misleading, purposely, it seems whathehell Apr 2021 #21

That's not at all what your op says. Treefrog Apr 2021 #44

The problem in this case is that you don't understand sports. Renew Deal Apr 2021 #13

I certainly understand the supply and demand aspect Silent3 Apr 2021 #15

It suits your argument to only look at the demand side. Renew Deal Apr 2021 #19

That article blurs the distinction between exercise and sports Silent3 Apr 2021 #28

K&R reACTIONary Apr 2021 #17

Sports is an important part of society. Two things I hate about sports, however, are Ferrets are Cool Apr 2021 #18

I agree with the OP. Completely. mac2766 Apr 2021 #22

High school sports Elessar Zappa Apr 2021 #23

Does it do as much or more good for the kids who are good at sports... Silent3 Apr 2021 #30

there are many kinds of intelligence. 8 was howard gardener's number. mopinko Apr 2021 #33

The skewed emphasis on sports prevents every kid from getting that chance. Silent3 Apr 2021 #34

you're just wrong there. there are more music scholarships out there than athletic. mopinko Apr 2021 #48

Band and theater are nice extras too, but they aren't the main point of high school either Silent3 Apr 2021 #57

Do you honestly think CrackityJones75 Apr 2021 #65

Along the same lines college sports enable many kids who may go the empedocles Apr 2021 #32

I have some college education AZProgressive Apr 2021 #37

"High school sports can really turn around kids who are on the wrong path." HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #46

yes, just as well. just not the same kids. mopinko Apr 2021 #71

Well, we will just have to disagree about the differences in "life" benefits HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #73

kids need them all. tbh, tho, letting them self organize would be better for them. mopinko Apr 2021 #78

We certainly agree on that.... HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #80

I never understood the fascination with watching a bunch of millionaires chasing around a ball Victor_c3 Apr 2021 #27

yup.... HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #47

I've always been completely mystified by it. lagomorph777 Apr 2021 #62

Do you have the same attitude toward movies/TV? Cuthbert Allgood Apr 2021 #66

I totally agree. Scrivener7 Apr 2021 #31

Cheap title, weak thesis, poorly supported with speculation and opinion. D+. WhiskeyGrinder Apr 2021 #35

+1 Tommymac Apr 2021 #39

You're more generous than I. Treefrog Apr 2021 #45

You are grading on a curve obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #85

Sports is integral to humanity. At it's best it is an art form. Tommymac Apr 2021 #36

It's like recognizing that vitamin A is good for you, then taking toxic overdoses of it Silent3 Apr 2021 #43

Compare what a ball player makes to someone in a Symphony Orchestra. appleannie1 Apr 2021 #40

It isn't because of the athletes salaries AZProgressive Apr 2021 #50

THANK YOU ! HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #55

Try dragging that same family to a symphony orchestra... lame54 Apr 2021 #94

When I was in fifth and sixth grade my girlfriend and I used to got to the junior symphony once appleannie1 Apr 2021 #105

When I was in fifth and sixth grade my girlfriend and I used to go to the junior symphony once appleannie1 Apr 2021 #106

There was a time in the 60s and 70s when athletes had regular jobs in the off season bucolic_frolic Apr 2021 #41

Impossible for me to disagree more. Jon King Apr 2021 #49

When people speak of inequities between men's and women's sports, however, the money... Silent3 Apr 2021 #54

Absolutely agree. Look at other country's that far out pace us in intelligence and smart governing. BradBo Apr 2021 #51

Wow, this is so wrong. Jon King Apr 2021 #52

Videos games and the internet arlyellowdog Apr 2021 #53

Well stated. HUAJIAO Apr 2021 #56

As a sports fan, I have to agree with you... Wounded Bear Apr 2021 #58

Agree. Thanks. ancianita Apr 2021 #59

Many economically disadvantaged parents see sports as the only Roisin Ni Fiachra Apr 2021 #60

Sports has sadly corrupted our education system (grade school to university). lagomorph777 Apr 2021 #61

Wow. What a joke. CrackityJones75 Apr 2021 #63

100% agree obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #68

If society put great value on people balancing plates on their noses like trained seals... Silent3 Apr 2021 #76

tldr obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #79

Agreed! CrackityJones75 Apr 2021 #101

Please quote the text where I said about "Put[ting] limitations on how much someone should... Silent3 Apr 2021 #74

Um, the title of your post? druidity33 Apr 2021 #84

Yup, 100% about not raising talented women UP obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #87

Nope, all about *wishing for* (not insisting, demanding, dictating) equality... Silent3 Apr 2021 #89

You literally just agreed with me it is about pushing women/girl athletes down obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #91

If the women's financial support stays where it is... Silent3 Apr 2021 #92

Besides the fact that the title has to be read along with the first line of the post... Silent3 Apr 2021 #88

I started by responding to your post CrackityJones75 Apr 2021 #99

YES! And thank you! druidity33 Apr 2021 #83

Thanks! CrackityJones75 Apr 2021 #100

I absolutely agree with this. And then some. thucythucy Apr 2021 #64

Soooo much homophobia and sexism in LPGA, WMMA, WNBA, WNTUSA obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #70

True. thucythucy Apr 2021 #102

"22 Men in Desperate Need of Rest, and 50,000 People Ron Green Apr 2021 #67

Sports isn't dumb or worthless entertainment. FlyingPiggy Apr 2021 #69

Ok BannonsLiver Apr 2021 #72

Cool story (n/m) BradAllison Apr 2021 #77

One item which most will agree on... Dawson Leery Apr 2021 #82

Most American high schools have a trophy case in the lobby. Dawson Leery Apr 2021 #86

And that case also holds debate, drama, etc. trophies obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #90

I'd love to see a breakdown in trophy size, prominence, frequency of sports-only displays, etc. Silent3 Apr 2021 #93

In the high school I attended, it was all sports in that case. Dawson Leery Apr 2021 #95

That's your experience, it isn;t mine obamanut2012 Apr 2021 #98

Same here. BannonsLiver Apr 2021 #97

*its BannonsLiver Apr 2021 #96

This message was self-deleted by its author ExTex Apr 2021 #103

MLB does use the NCAA AZProgressive Apr 2021 #104