Danse Macabre
Sinister title eh? What could your beloved author be up this time?
Well faithful readers, I shall tell you.
On Sunday last, the Steelers of Pittsburgh and the Bengals of Cincinnati engaged in a professional football contest of the playoff variety. It had all the makings of a really good game. However, just a few minutes and two offensive plays into the game for the Bengals, quarterback Carson Palmer was hit in the knee. He tore two ligaments and quite obviously missed the remainder of the game. The Bengals went on to lose to the Steelers and were thusly eliminated from the playoffs.
Why is any of this important you may ask. Our author does not hail from Pittsburgh, nor has Cincinnati ever been his home. You would be correct, but here's the point.
As soon as I heard Palmer had blown out his knee and would not be returning to the game, my first thought was "hey, good for Pittsburgh." I had no concern for the well-being of Carson Palmer, who in a matter of seconds may have seen his career go down the drain. I only cared how his injury improved the chances of Pittsburgh winning. And I'm not even a Steelers fan.
But isn't that how it is with sports fans? We become so absorbed with the scoreboard and a win-at-all-costs mentality we lose sight of any everything else.
I'm a Cardinals fan. That'd be the St. Louis baseball Cardinals, though that should go without saying. I loathe the Cubs. I hate the Cubs more than nuclear war. I almost hate them as much as Jack Abramoff. If the Cubs played a team of 9 Charles Mansons I would would join the family.
I vividly remember Nomar Garciaparra sprawled out on the Busch Stadium dirt after his groin had literally exploded inside of him. My reaction? Uncontrolled glee. I danced the dance of death countless sports fans had ahead of me. In Philadelphia, Eagles fans once cheered as Michael Irvin was carted off the field following a neck injury. This guy was in a brace, potentially paralyzed, and people were cheering!
What is it about sports that brings the bloodlust? What does it say about individuals (read: me) that we acknowledge the changes sports can bring within us and we don't care? I cheered a man's groin exploding! And should another Cub blow up another part of his anatomy tomorrow, I will cheer again.
How is that not sociopathic? Am I safe because I don't have this desire to see the pain in all other people, just athletes? I mean I might laugh if I friend of mine falls down some stairs, but I don't want them to break a leg or anything. I don't think.
Oh well, no real point to this post except I was feeling a bit strange about the whole thing. I'm sure the next time Kerry Wood blows out his elbow I'll feel much better about things.
Til next time friends
JeffRey
Well faithful readers, I shall tell you.
On Sunday last, the Steelers of Pittsburgh and the Bengals of Cincinnati engaged in a professional football contest of the playoff variety. It had all the makings of a really good game. However, just a few minutes and two offensive plays into the game for the Bengals, quarterback Carson Palmer was hit in the knee. He tore two ligaments and quite obviously missed the remainder of the game. The Bengals went on to lose to the Steelers and were thusly eliminated from the playoffs.
Why is any of this important you may ask. Our author does not hail from Pittsburgh, nor has Cincinnati ever been his home. You would be correct, but here's the point.
As soon as I heard Palmer had blown out his knee and would not be returning to the game, my first thought was "hey, good for Pittsburgh." I had no concern for the well-being of Carson Palmer, who in a matter of seconds may have seen his career go down the drain. I only cared how his injury improved the chances of Pittsburgh winning. And I'm not even a Steelers fan.
But isn't that how it is with sports fans? We become so absorbed with the scoreboard and a win-at-all-costs mentality we lose sight of any everything else.
I'm a Cardinals fan. That'd be the St. Louis baseball Cardinals, though that should go without saying. I loathe the Cubs. I hate the Cubs more than nuclear war. I almost hate them as much as Jack Abramoff. If the Cubs played a team of 9 Charles Mansons I would would join the family.
I vividly remember Nomar Garciaparra sprawled out on the Busch Stadium dirt after his groin had literally exploded inside of him. My reaction? Uncontrolled glee. I danced the dance of death countless sports fans had ahead of me. In Philadelphia, Eagles fans once cheered as Michael Irvin was carted off the field following a neck injury. This guy was in a brace, potentially paralyzed, and people were cheering!
What is it about sports that brings the bloodlust? What does it say about individuals (read: me) that we acknowledge the changes sports can bring within us and we don't care? I cheered a man's groin exploding! And should another Cub blow up another part of his anatomy tomorrow, I will cheer again.
How is that not sociopathic? Am I safe because I don't have this desire to see the pain in all other people, just athletes? I mean I might laugh if I friend of mine falls down some stairs, but I don't want them to break a leg or anything. I don't think.
Oh well, no real point to this post except I was feeling a bit strange about the whole thing. I'm sure the next time Kerry Wood blows out his elbow I'll feel much better about things.
Til next time friends
JeffRey
posted by The Crazy Leftist at 2:57 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home