We talked a few weeks ago about hockey and Canadian nationalism. We discussed how this is their national game and how this particular sport is meant to bring all Canadians together. Yet, through the commercials we were able to trouble this by pointing out the mostly white males that were featured in this commercial. All in all it is a game meant to bring everyone together but this picture was told through a limited scope. For this week I want to know what you think is the sport or sports that bring America together? How do you know this? What are the athletes in the United States that represent the nation? How does this contribute to our understandings of what America is?
If one is defining unifying as creating a sense of nationalism through sport on an international level, there are two sports that come to mind quickly. In terms of international success, however, this list is cut in half. Basketball is the one sport that the United Staes is consistently competing on the international level for either Olypic Gold or a FIBA Championship. Interesting in this observation is the fact that for the most part, NCAA and NBA games go largely unwatched on TV for nearly all of their regular seasons. Only during March Madness and the later rounds of the NBA Playoffs does basketaball take center stage. This is due in large part to the popularity of the game, with basketball fans now having access at the local/regional level (college and professional)to see diluted versions of the top level of play.
ReplyDeleteThe other sport that creates this sense of nationalism is hockey, at least during the Winter Olympics. Although neither a widely watched nor played sport, as the US Hockey teams nears the quarterfinals of the Winter Olympics, our interest and attention peak and we (for at least 3 weeks) care about hockey as much as (or more than based on population) Candiens.
However, there is one sport that is not only uniquely American but also one that is most popular (globally) in the United States, that sport is football (American). Throughout the United States, cities that have colleges in major athletic conferences (Columbus, Iowa City, Austin, Tuscaloosa, Morgantown) all share a connection to their college football team. Remove the team colors, mascots, and levels of success and the tradition and rituals are all the same. A Saturday afternoon in October on Melrose will closely resemble a Saturday afternoon in Austin, TX. Local identification with a University team is consistent and nation-wide. To further the case for football, the NFL is nearly identical in the rituals and team loyalty in the same ways as college football. The games are heavily viewed, regardless of success of teams. The games are heavily attended, again (for the most part) regardless of team success. Every three or four years, a new player emerges as the player who represents all the positive attributes of the town/university/city/region. This plays out over the course of decades and creates a connection to a historical past (similar to baseball) that unites the community/city/region. In these terms, it would be hard to argue against football as the great unifier. We all watch the Super Bowl.
While we discussed in class the athletes whom we believe to represent the United States, it is a hard question to answer as we are looking at this through the lens of the American. Should we poll the rest of the world, the likely candidates would be Tiger Words (internationally sucessful)or Michael Jordan. Not the two best examples of what America stands for (Sex addict and massive gambling issues). If, in my opinion, we were to poll European towns for this same answer, I believe we would get different answers. As soccer is the most popular sport in Europe, the answer would be given in the context of soccer players. There would be three easy answers: Time Howard (GK for Everton), Clint Dempsey (Fullham), and Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy/Everton). Prior to viewing the youtube link below, it should be noted that the season prior to the 2010 World Cup, Donovan was on loan to Everton for 7 weeks, and in that time Everton beat the Big Four (Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man U). During his final game, the Everton supporters were chanting "U-S-A he must stay" and "Sign him up", in hopes that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn3rOPmR9w
Donovan would remain with Everton.
Defining our nation with a single sport is tough to do. I believe two sports do a good job of defining our nation or this is how it is perceived by other nations. Basketball is the first sport that comes to mind, however I think of college basketball representing our nation more than the NBA does. I believe that college basketball does a better job of bringing our country together, because we know that for the most part athletes are there to play because they want to, not because they are being paid to. Athletes come to play as hard as they can and play as a team, a team that can't be successful with a missing link. In the NBA however many play for the money and the only time the competition is intense is during the finals.
ReplyDeleteCollege basketball ball brings people together by giving them a competitive sport to cheer about. I also think it provides a dream for kids to look up to. College ball is more realistic to reach than is playing pro ball. I think over all college ball is a great source of entertainment that is now widely televised and cheap to attend.
Football at the Professional level is in my opinion our new national past time. Football brings millions of people together for every game. Even the biggest die hard Packers fan will cheer for their rival if it means advancing themselves. I think the competitive nature of the sport gets people interested and excited to watch it. The media also plays a huge role in allowing such a large number of people to watch the games. We all take the time to watch the super bowl even though most of us have no real connection with the teams or anyone on the teams. This just goes to show that something like football can bring even the most non sport oriented people together to watch a game.
I think there are many athletes that represent our nation in a positive way and are used in commercials and advertising to depict our nation in way we want others to see it. It’s all based on the opinions of the people who decide who best represents the nation. Everyone has a different idea of who would be the best, but one common thing that we probably look for in that athlete is if they are viewed as a good person. Even though most of us don't know any of the players personally and don't know anything other than what we hear from the media about them, which makes it very hard to pick who best represents the nation. The Brett Favre clip about being a Wrangler jean wearer, says that we are a bunch of humble country people, that are from the country. Commercials like this one below help people understand America in a way that this country would want people to understand it. The media does its best to provide our viewing eyes with things that make our nation look good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2pIvg-2vEY
I agree with Jason in that NBA games are not viewed as heavily during the reagular season. In my opinion this is because of the lack of effort and intensity shown in those games. However in the finals the intensity increases and games become interesting, which brings people together. I think Jason makes an excellent point when it comes to Hockey and saying it is not viewed very often, but how it does bring a sense of nationalism to our country when we make it to the quaterfinals and so on.
ReplyDeleteLastly I agree with him when it comes to picking athletes who represent our nation. It is very tough to do, maybe impossible and this because everyone can find something wrong with an athlete. I like how he looked at how a different country would look at our athletes and which ones they would pick. I think since these athletes are supposed to be representing us, it is important to see what outside nations think because they are who judge us as a nation. They might not pick the most popular athlete in our country, but instead someone who does what they love with out the attention and brings a great sense of pride to our country for different reasons.
In my opinion the main sport that brings us as Americans together is the great sport of baseball. Baseball has been around since the 1800s and is one of America’s oldest sports. The World Series has been played since 1903 and is the oldest of the four major sports to hold a championship. In the modern era, the President of the United States annually throws out an opening day “first pitch” at one of the ballparks. This shows our country’s great sense of nationalism that we hold with baseball. To have our country’s leader inaugurating the beginning of the season by a ceremonial first pitch shows the kind of pride we have in baseball and how important it is to us. You don’t see our President delivering the game ball to the start of the NBA season, or at an NFL game.
ReplyDeleteThe national anthem started in baseball as well in 1918 after America’s entrance into World War I. This became a regular occurrence during World War II where baseball became a venue for a national display of patriotism. This national display of patriotism by playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” became a baseball pregame ritual and then spread to other sports.
This time of patriotism spread to the baseball athletes who played our nation’s sport. During World War II more than 500 MLB players served in the war. Now if that’s not representing your nation as an athlete I don’t know what is. Most of these players missed about 4 seasons. These players could have decided to opt out of their service duties due to them playing baseball, but none of those 500 players did. They all showed their patriotism and nationalism as they served their nation in the war. Warren Spahn served 3 years in the war and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He also won 363 games as a pitcher in the major leagues. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2016058/world_war_iis_impact_on_major_league_pg2.html?cat=37
These are the sort of players athletes in today’s society need to look up to and honor their great nationalism and honor for their country. Players like Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, and many more.
The sport of baseball contributes to our understanding of what America is by the nationalistic and patriotic framework that it produces. Baseball is considered “America’s Pastime.” This is because before the television and crazed media, every American knew something about baseball. It was a conversation starter when talking with neighbors or seeing friends at the grocery store. Kids would come home from school and go outside and play ball in the street or backyard. Baseball is the foundation of sport and America. It fought through a war and continued to play its season even with the loss of numerous star players. Baseball is a sport whose building blocks are made up of patriotism and nationalism. Not to many other sports can say that. That’s what America and sports are all about. Patriotism. Nationalism. And baseball. The following video is from Field of Dreams and is a speech James Earl Jones’ character gives about how baseball has made a mark on history and an important part of our nation’s past. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechfieldofdreams.html
It’s hard to determine what sport brings together the most Americans, but in my personal opinion there is no sport that is more popular than American Football. In prior decades I might have said baseball because it is America’s pastime and is said to be as American as apple pie. However, I think the rise of American football in the past couple years has shown that football has overcome baseball as America’s sport. American’s have basically made the biggest game of the year in football (the Super Bowl) a national holiday. For example, the latest Super Bowl between the Packers and the Steelers had a record 111 million viewers. You don’t have to look to far to see how popular football is, just look at Iowa City on Saturday in the fall. Melrose Street is filled with 70,000 plus fans on game days and they are all there to cheer for their team. Another aspect that makes football more appealing to Americans is the fact that football teams play one game a week, whereas baseball and basketball play 3 or 4 times a week, and no one really has the time to keep up with all the games. It’s difficult to describe what the athletes in America represent, through the eyes of another American, but I think the media has a lot to do with how the rest of the world looks at American athletes. The media only talks about the wrongdoings that athletes do and the world looks at their mistakes and thinks that this is how every American is, which is not true.
ReplyDeleteThe first sports that come to mind when thinking in terms of unifying America are football, baseball, and basketball. From this, I would choose football as the most unifying sport in America. I would choose this primarily because football is one of the most popular sports in America that is specifically American. Nowhere else in the world is football as highly regarded and covered by the media, if even played at all. The most recent Super Bowl, for example was the most watched television program of all time. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/super-bowl-ratings-cap-record-year-for-n-f-l/
ReplyDeleteThe class was asked after the Super Bowl who watched it and nearly everyone if not everyone raised their hand. I don’t believe this would occur the same way for any other sporting event in the United States throughout the year.
Apart from the media coverage that is headed by American football, one can even take the name as a reason for its unifying nature. What I mean by this is that if you were to go to any other nation in the world (except for possibly Canada) and were to talk about football, you would have to specify that you mean American football as opposed to just saying football, which we know as soccer. American football has become the tradition that has replaced baseball as America’s sport due to the fact that it is ours and nobody else’s.
On the whole, we are a nation that likes to distinguish ourselves from other nations as being the best nation in the world. From this, I would give certain other sports a slight advantage in unifying America on the international level. But even for many of the sports that can be argued to be more unifying, I don’t think they have the same constant effect that American football does. The 1980 defeat of The Soviet Union in hockey is a great example of one of the most unifying moments in American sports history. However, this only lasted for a short time before becoming a great memory. American football is a recurring American tradition that can be expected from year to year. Another sport in this conversation is basketball, a sport that we as a nation expect to win on the international level with ease. If the U.S. Olympic basketball team were to bring home anything but a gold medal, it is considered a disappointment. The 2004 Olympic team and the media coverage that ensued is a good example of this. This team was supposed to be a revival of the “Dream Team” but eventually earned the nickname of the “Nightmare Team” for a 3rd place finish that would be respectable for any other nation.
The athletes that best represent America can come from many different sports. The best representatives of the nation via the sports world are judged largely by their character as seen through the media. The players that I see best representing America are the ones that are hard-working, humble, determined, and cooperative. Players that come to mind for me are Peyton Manning, Jerry Rice and Pat Tillman because they are or were portrayed in the media as being of these characteristics. Whether they actually have these characteristics can’t be answered by people who do not know them personally.
Drew M. made some great points about how baseball brings us together as a nation. He stated some interesting facts I had never heard before and I think it makes an excellent case as to why baseball is our nations best representative.
ReplyDeleteBaseball has been around forever and I believe it is still a popular sport. It is a big part of our history and will continue to be. I guess when most people think aobut America they think baseball.
Also Drew brought up some amazing players that also fought in wars and did other things than play baseball. They represented the country in many ways, baseball being the one to make them famous. I think over baseball will always be a big part of our American culture.
When talking about sports that bring America as a nation together, you have to talk about the World Cup. Even if you are no interested in soccer you at least want your nation to win. This represents bringing America together to cheer for one team. The World Cup is a special event because it happens only once every 4 years. While it brings the nation together, soccer is not a very popular sport for the nation on a regular basis. Football is by far the most popular sport after overtaking baseball in the last 10 years. However, baseball did show a great moment of unity in September of 2001. After 9/11, baseball was the first sport to resume playing. This gave the nation a chance to get away from the craziness that 9/11 caused, especially in New York. While baseball was popular for a long time and was “America’s Pastime,” it now seems that football is the most popular sport, it is able to bring the nation together to watch one game every year, the Super Bowl. While people may not agree on the team they are cheering for, it has become almost a national holiday with the popularity of it. The reason I don’t believed that the MLB, NBA, or NFL can bring America together, is that Americans can become very fond of a team and very aggravated by another. This can sometimes pull people apart instead of bring them together.
ReplyDeleteLandon Donavon is the first name that comes to my mind that represents the nation. By playing in multiple World Cups for the U.S., he has become a national icon. By playing and being a captain of the national team of one of the only sports that the nation can agree on a team to cheer for, he becomes a highly touted American figure. Tom Brady is another athlete that represents the nation. He plays in the most popular sport of the nation and also quarterbacks and leads on a team named the Patriots. In the cases of these two athletes, I think they show that America thinks highly of leaders of sports teams. The two athletes I mentioned are not only some of the most popular when talking sports, but just in general when talking about any American men.
The question is what sport brings America together? So I think that this has to be looked at in a social context. This is why I say that American football is the sport that brings people together. So many people have or attend super bowl parties every year. You don't see this type of gathering in other sports. Sure people get together to watch their favorite teams compete, but not like the super bowl. Think about how many people watch the super bowl who haven't watched another game all season. They just want to be a part of the social sphere surrounding the game. This can also be seen at the college level. Tailgating before football games doesn't have anything to do with the game itself. People like to come together for the social enjoyment and to celebrate their team spirit with their friends. The importance of football can also be seen in retail. Take Hy-Vee, or the food section at Wal-Mart for example. All fall their was a black and gold section at Hy-Vee. Filled with plates, napkins, cups and food deals. As fans we are expected to get together either before the game or to watch the game. Before the super bowl Wal-Mart had a huge display of chips, salsa, pop, and beer. Lots of restaurants had food specials trying to get you to order their food for the big game or to come to their restaurant to watch the game. All of these examples show the importance that football has on bringing people together and the social gathering that surrounds the sport.
ReplyDeleteLike many of my classmates have said the athletes that represent our nation is greatly a matter of opinion. There are many athletes that for a time where our nations heros who represent everything we want America to be. Brett Farve, Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps. But eventually they have failed. The media is more concerned with what athletes have done wrong than the goods things they do to represent our nation. So I think the athletes that best represent our nation are the ones that we don't know. The ones who haven't done anything to gain the media attention. Everyone has a different idea of who these athletes are based on which sports we follow and the teams that we pay attention to. But these athletes haven't gained national attention because they haven't done anything wrong.
In my opinion this is a difficult question to answer. I'm not sure there is one sport we can put our finger on and say that is our national sport. We all know that baseball is known as the american past time and known as our sport as a whole but the fact is there aren't as many Americans in the sport today. The game has become latino dominated and the asian nations also take great pride in the sport as well. I instead believe there are two sporting events that come closest to this idea of bringing a nation together and those are the Super Bowl and March Madness.
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible how our nation stops and watches a sporting event like the Super Bowl. It takes over our lives for a weekend and is all every news station talks about for a week. We even become obsessed over the commercials surrounding this event. It is also incredible to watch grown men and women go crazy over a sporting event similar to that of a student section in high school or college. These are grown men painting their bare chests, which i think is hilarious and awesome.
March Madness is similar in that the brackets and pools and having so many teams involved creates a buzz that lasts nearly a month. This is also in a sport that was created in America and one that we continually dominate on an international level. I know that personally this is my favorite sporting event along with the Masters to follow on a yearly basis and a time I can't wait to come.
As for Athletes that represent our nation I think this differs on who you ask. This also depends on whether you are talking about strictly on field production or off the field issues as well. I believe the athlete of our generation is Tiger Woods. He completely took over a sport and created a buzz that is unlike anything in his time. I know there are many other athletes out there who have had incredible accomplishments in their respective sports but the fact Tiger changed the game and created a whole new level of interest in the sport for people of all colors is an incredible thing. When Tiger is in a tournament the whole world is watching but when he is not it seems as though nobody cares. The commercial i have linked to the end of this post is one of Tiger's first. This was a powerful commercial in that it showed people of different ages, race and culture. You see kids walking with their bags in the rural areas and urban areas. This commercial you could say represents America as a whole.
I agree with Jason in that maybe the best way to find out who or what represents America in the sporting world would be to take a poll of the rest of the world. What comes to mind when they are asked about American sports or American sports figures? I think this would be a very interesting thing to see.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAnlcW_ILyw
When I think of sports in America two things come to mind. First would be America's pastime, baseball. The other would be football, especially the National Football league. The NFL has increased in popularity exponentially over the last few decades. For this reason I would include football among baseball on this list. Some could argue basketball as well due to the long history of success in the Olympics and World Games recently. In my opinion though, both baseball and football hold an edge in popularity of fans and in representing America.
ReplyDeleteOne example of this would be the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings. After these devastating attacks many Americans turned to sports as a way to bring the nation together, especially football and baseball. All across the country Americans came together to watch or attend the first football and baseball games post 9/11. This represented the country coming together to support not only football, but a nation at the same time. Sports became a distraction or an escape from the "outside" world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isdDD2YypbQ
When I think of athletes who represent our country my mind goes back to the list we made in class. The first athlete I would choose would be Derek Jeter. He seems to represent the American athlete best, part of this could be because of his success with one of the greatest sports franchises in the world, the New York Yankees. He has always remained loyal to his team and teammates which I admire him for, even though I am not a Yankee fan. He also represents the American dream which many people love. He represents this through his hard work and by avoiding negative press, such as accusations of performance enhancers and cheating. I would also put Michael Jordan in this category because he represents great success and determination.
These athletes help contribute to our understanding of what America is by portraying the type of characteristics we like in our athletes. By examining the type of athletes who are loved and hated, it is easy to see the type of people we look for to represent our country.
In my opinion the sport that brings America or Americans together is the sport of American football both professional and collegiate. I chose this sport because American football has become one of the most popular sports in American history. The reason I chose this sport as the sport that brings everyone together is because for the months of August through the months February, which is 7 of the 12 months, people gather together every Saturday and or Sunday to come together to tailgate and cheer on their favorite collegiate or professional team. Now I know people say that baseball is America's pasttime, but as other people have mentioned baseball is a sport of the past. Now American football is the sport that brings Americans together. Thousands and thousands of people pour into stadiums across on Saturdays and Sundays to support their teams.
ReplyDeleteHow do I know this? Baseball was the big thing of the past and now as a different generation is coming through American football is now Americas sport. By media standerds, Super Bowls are the most watched events on television passing season finales such as M.A.S.H and others. So as you can see they are very popular.
http://www.bizoffootball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=750:super-bowl-xlv-most-viewed-tv-event-in-us-history&catid=40:television&Itemid=57
Another reason I believe that American football is the sport that brings Americans together is because 97% of football players are American while 65% of baseball players are American.
http://www.chineseorjapanese.com/racial-breakdown-us-sports/
On the other hand there is a steady decline of American makeup of baseball. Over that past 15-20 years a decline of 15% of Americans in baseball while there has been a steady increase of 15% Latino or other ethnicities in baseball. So I feel that baseball was the American sport of the past and now it has been passed onto American football.
http://inquirer.philly.com/pdfs/2007/MLB_by_race.pdf
Finally, among U.S. sports fans, the sport that the majority of the fans chose was football. The percentage of fans who chose baseball as their favorite has decreased over 6% over the past 25 years while Football has increased over 7%.
http://www.sportsgrid.com/nfl/harris-poll-football-is-americas-sport-basketball-not-so-much/
When I think of athletes that come to mind the represent our nation I think of people such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Brett Favre, and as we have mentioned in class Pat Tillman, etc.
How do these players help contribute to our understanding of what America is? America is the land of the free and home of the brave. America has been built on the terms of hard work and dedication. These are terms to help us understand what American is. American nationalism has really been built around sports in America espcially football. The media following all of these great athletes around helps create this since that these athletes represent that values of America. The hard work of all these players to get to where they are now as superstars and to achieve the great accomplishments they have. They are all great leaders and have lead their teams to great places. Many youth football leagues are beginning which are reaching out to kids at a young age teaching them the American values and showing them what America is. Football players these days are starting to be seen these days as soldiers who are representing our nation and some such as Pat Tillman who are actually serving our country. At the Super Bowl when all of the soldiers pull out the American flag to cover the field shows a great sign of American patriotism and nationalism. http://www.life.com/image/84350915
In the end, after all I have said I believe that American football both collegiate and professional is the sport that brings our nation together and represents our nation the best.
Everyone calls baseball America's past time but I believe that it is not representative of all Americans. We call baseball our pastime because it has been around in America for so long and we like tradition here. It is a sport that is mostly white with the number of minorities increasing. This sport brings people together because it is a game you can watch with friends and just relax about but there are also strong rivalries involved. However, I think that basketball and football may be just as popular or more popular for that matter than baseball, but people do not want to change what represents America on the athletic front because they are sports dominated my African-Americans and as I previously stated we like tradition. American athletes are represented using hegemonic masculinity. Hegemonic masculinity is based on the “common sense” understanding of what it is to be a man and when the people’s acceptance of what it means to be a man coincides with the dominant ideology of the culture. (Trujillo)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.uky.edu/~addesa01/documents/Trujillo_Baseball.pdf
White American athletes are usually represented as a "good guy," a team leader, strong, powerful, and in control. Black athletes are not always represented in the same light as white athletes, but it is not always negative either. However, when it comes to the international stage an American athlete, black or white, is represented well by our media. We try to show America in the best light possible, and that is all well and good, but this is not really showing the world our true selves. Sport is also one of the sites where we like to show off, be the best, and represent ourselves to others in a way different from our everyday issues. And as I am describing this athlete I am thinking of a male athlete because sport is still seen as a male domain.
To start off, I agree with Kalli Hansen when she said it's hard to define our nation with just one sport. Their is no way we can configure one sport in our nation to being the America's game because our nation 'now' is pretty much controlled by sport depending on how you look at money and sports. But, I do remember in on of my sports history classes with Catriona Parratt, that baseball was said to be America’s game at the turn of the 20th century. Just like Rugby and soccer was the Europeans sport. Saying that, looking at college sports is the best way to define what we as American's should be. Beyond all the money and the business sides of professional sports, it all starts at a youth’s age and their love for the sport. Kids get involved in sport because they like to play the sport or like to spend time with friends having a sense of commonality with one another. For the most part, that’s why college athletes participate at the collegiate level as well. If it’s not that, it’s for the thoughts and desires at making it into the pros and making a living out of their talent like most underprivileged kids do.
ReplyDeleteOn the other side, I believe in today’s American society, the NFL is the number one sport that brings Americans together. The athletes are not paid nearly as much as the athletes in baseball, but you still have to look at the revenue standpoint between the two. Cyrus Behzadi wrote an article stating that NFL is the most popular sport in America. It created over $9 billion last year alone and the latest superbowl was the most watched television event in the history. And the revenue is only increasing year after year. http://dailytrojan.com/2011/02/22/greed-taking-its-toll-on-american-sports/
Saying that, I agree with Cyrus on this hypothesis, what other sport brings that many Americans together at the same time and moment. One can argue that it has created a new tradition or a new event that takes place every year. We all make phone calls to friends and family and organize a place to hold a superbowl party and we go… we go because it’s what we have done year after year. It’s not only about the game it’s about having the sense of commonality and togetherness. I mean, who doesn’t watch or have the urge to watch the superbowl game whether it is with friends or family.
Agreeing with Jason Witt and his statement about defining an athlete that best represents America is hard to do from our standpoint. We need to include other countries in on their thoughts. More than likely, they would have to the same names as we have Brett Favre, Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dale Earnhardt, Alex Rodriguez and the list could go on. http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html It really all depends on how well they are, media attention, memorabilia, and salaries they are ascribed to. Media especially, it seems we cannot go a week or two without hearing one of these names pop up. Saying that, the media has created sport into a highly populated business and we will not be able to turn things around because our nation is sport hungry. We can all agree and say that athletes are over paid, but no one wants to change anything about the whole thing. Our country loves it and it’s proven that fact by the increasing revenues brought in by all sports.
While it is true that baseball is "America's pastime," that's all it has been around the last decade or so. A pastime. Football has conquered the American sporting market in so many ways it's preposterous. In no other sport do we follow the draft from college to pro so closely. No other sport has the cult following of "fantasy games" as wildly popular as it is in football. This past superbowl was the single most viewed anything ever in the history of American television, while this past world series was the least watched series of the decade. And while around 65 percent of the players in the NFL are black, white quarterbacks are the face of the league. I challenge anyone to not say Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, or even Aaron Rodgers as the first athlete that comes to mind when they think of the NFL. These players encompass the American dream of hard work and fierce competition will bring rewards. The only black NFL athlete I can think of that fills these pre-requisites is Steve McNair, who correct me if I'm wrong, is the last black quarterback to win a super bowl. Unfortunately, McNair was a victim of a homicide a few years back, and as of late, Michael Vick has been doing a good job of rebuilding his image. I think a large factor of football's popularity is due to the fact that it is the shortest season of all four of the major American sports, creating a scarcity. Since the NFL seems to be a product that constantly experiences a shortage, things like NFL network and the draft can be hugely successful. College football is popular because these are the players we will be watching in a few years on Sunday's.
ReplyDeleteI believe our country is more defined by specific sporting events, as opposed to an actual sport. End of the season games where the best play the best like the Superbowl, March Madness, etc. are really what people look forward to the most. America likes to be the best so that may be why focus so much attention to these sort of things. Unless you are talking to someone who likes the same team as you, people may not know what game you are referring to when you ask did you see the game, but after the Superbowl or the finals of March Madness, everyone is on the same page for the most part.
ReplyDeleteI somewhat agree with what Desiree said, that we just look forward to the final games over certain sports. I think this is a good statement because no matter what teams are playing in the Super Bowl or the NCAA Championships, those are definitely some of the most popular events to throw a party for. It's hard to put one sport to bring our country together. The act and thought of sport in itself can bring people from all over this nation together. For instance a Chicago themed sports bar in Orlando is going to attract people from all over based on either a certain team from Chicago or a feeling of belonging in an unfamiliar place. The point I'm trying to make is that a simple tshirt or ball cap can bring people together from all over the nation. If i were to place one sport that could bring this country together, I would probably have to say football. I say football because everyone can seem to be into it. wether or not you have any idea whats going on, you can recognize a big hit or a touchdown. on top of this, I've heard many people, including family, who despise the sport of baseball. they think it's boring and pointless, and that anyone could do it(as an ex-baseball player and avid fan, i obviously disagree and some pretty heated arguments have been the outcome). the national exposure of the NHL in this country is just not enough, although i love the sport of hockey. it can bring people from the northern states together for the most part, but more tropical locations could seem to care less. the NBA seems like soon it will be who can buy the most dominant trio of guys with hopes of winning some hardware, and less of a league. i feel like college sports can hit home with alot more people because of the locations of big schools, like for instance Iowa, where no pro teams are local to this area. so the NCAA almost breaks down the NFL when it comes to a location standpoint. for instance, Iowa fans, Illinois fans, and Northwestern fans all hate eachother, but when it comes to the NFL, most of the said fans are going to be fans of the Bears. now i'm not saying it always ends up like that, but it seems to be the case more times than not. as shown before in this blog, the recent super bowl was the most watched program in tv history (even with the atrocious half time show) . i think that says a lot for the nation and for the super bowl and the league's impact on this nation. it's easy to say the NFL has a big impact on this nation, and i really think they would extremely dumb to end in a lockout for the upcoming season. but thats a totally different issue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what a lot of you have written, and I think when it comes to thinking about what sport/sports bring America together, we have to look at all things that sport offers us throughout a full year. No matter what the sport, when it comes Olympics time winter or summer, people are going to watch. I never sit down and watch snowboarding, but when the winter games are on, I’ll watch it because it’s the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the reason I think this, is because when we’re being represented as a country, it’s a lot easier to jump on the bandwagon than it is to follow a certain team of a sport that we’re not that crazy about. If the USA is competing against any other country in a sport, they have all of our support and we’re all behind everything they do, because we all share that common interest and common goal of being from the same country.
It’s hard to pin-point one sport that I think brings us together as a country; some would say baseball because it’s “America’s sport”. I think that as each season of the big sports: basketball, football, and baseball, rolls around then that becomes “America’s sport”. We’re always going to pay most attention to what’s going on right now rather than what happened last season of that sport.
Athletes such as Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Malcolm X, they’re the ones that represent us; pretty much any American athlete that receives/has received constant positive publicity for what they do in their sport and outside of it I would consider to represent us well. This contributes to our understanding, because we like greatness obviously, and those that represent us well by their good actions are the people we respect the most and want us representing us.
I agree with what Rachael F had to say about American football. So many people have or attend super bowl or tailgating parties each year. You really don't see this type of gathering in basketball or baseball games. Millions and millions of people watch the super bowl unlike that of a game 7 in the World Series. This can also be seen at the college level. Tailgating at Kinnick before football games and the 70,000 plus people who come together to have a good time. As she said People like to come together for the social enjoyment. I also agree with the retail and how football is advertised with tables of food items and football decoration surrounding them to attract people to buy for tailgating and other football events.
ReplyDeleteAlot of people have spoke there opinion on what sport is America's sport, baseball, football, or baseketball. The sport I believe to be considered America's game is football. America is the only country where football is played on a professional level.
ReplyDeleteHaving said all this, I know football is the only sport believed to be America's game. I have to agree with Jason Witt on the fact that Americans do love basketball and that we take pride every time the olympics come around and we get to cheer for our country. I also agree with Drew M. when he talked about how baseball is the original past time, that it is the oldest and most charished sports in America. However where I disagree with them and heavily agree with Ben Ross when he said "football has conquered the American sporting world" and bascally football is the most popular sport in America. As I said earlier, America is the only place anymore where football is played on a professional level. Sports like baseball and baketball may have originated in America, but are now played in many other countries and continents throughout the world. Football is the one sport that Americans can truly call their own. The majority of the athletes in the NFL embody the theme of the American Dream going from rags to ritches. Also people like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Joe Montana and etc. that capture the image of the american working men, with all the scrafice and hard work that goes into there jobs. Football also is seen by most as the achieving the American Dream, considering how so many athletes stories to the NFL have been of overcoming diversity and succeding to the NFL. In College football many teams including our own Hawkeyes display the American Flag on some part of their helmets to pay tribute to our country. On the NFL Network there is a program dedicated to telling the story of super bowl winning team and the title of this show is "America's Game". Also the mascalintity part of football draws alot of pride from people who have played, watched, or support football. The main idea of football being a sport that requires not idividuals but teams, which is the goal for many when it comes to our nation with the fact of coming and working together to overcome obsticles. Which is Why I firmly believe football to be America's game.
I agree with what Drew M's opinion on baseball. It is a sport that has a rich history in America. The sport has been around for so long and so much has happened in America during that time. Baseball had athletes fighting in world wars, that shows a true American. Stan Musial was recently honored with the medal of freedom which is given "for especially meritorious contribution (in) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_cb1cb8c0-f270-11df-9786-0017a4a78c22.html
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about all time great American athletes Stan Musial is just one of many great baseball players who represented the country well and should be looked at as a role model for the athletes of today.
I agree with what a lot of people have said. I agree that when our team plays in the World Cup, the Olympics, and other major sporting events, our country rallies behind them and supports them through it all. However, if I had to pick one sport that brings America together I'd have to choose football.
ReplyDeleteFootball is, in my opinion, the most watched and well-liked sport in America. Football is something that many people look forward to every Saturday morning for college and Sunday/Mondays for professional ball. Even in high schools, football plays a big role in unifying the community, at least I know it did in my hometown. I feel like other sports do not pull in the same kind of support and fan base. People tailgate for hours before football games week after week for the full season. You don't hear of people doing that for basketball or baseball games. Also, how many World Series or NBA finals parties do you hear of? Not as often as that of Super Bowl parties. No matter which two teams are in the Super Bowl, people all over the nation are tuning in to the game and holding get togethers to watch with their friends. People have pride in this sport and even if they are rooting for different teams, they are rooting for the same country.
Football is a team sport. Yes individuals need to excel at their positions but they have to function as a team. An offense doesn't work if only the quarterback is good. A defense doesn't work if only one linebacker excels. We like to see people work together and excel as a team. America takes pride in working together and coming together as a country to get through things, such as working through 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Football brings many people in a couple days a week during the fall. People look forward to the food, the drinking, and the social factor of the sport. You don't get that with other sports.
It's hard to pinpoint one sport that unifies America. However, football does a really great job of doing just that. It brings people in a couple days a week and no matter who is playing in the final game each year, majority of the nation will be watching.
I agree with most everyone that football, baseball, and basketball are the top sports in America. I agree that baseball is an American past time too but lately baseball has been dominated by Latin American players. So I would have to say that football is definitely the sport that defines America the most because other countries see football as what America is. Football is the most watched sport in America too. If i had to pick a player I would say it is either Peyton Manning or Drew Brees because they are the quarterbacks and the quarterbacks are seen as the leaders of the team and are known as field generals. Quarterbacks are seen as a position where white players have owned and these two players being seen as America shows how American culture shows white men as the idea of Americanism. This is what the mainstream tries to put as America because these two players are seen as "All-American" boys.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the point that Aaron makes. Football is only played professionaly in America. Baseball has spread through out all other countries and players from other countries are now playing in North America at an increasing rate. American football has conquered as the American sport. I also agree with the point Aaron makes that the American Dream is lived out through American football.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading a bunch of the comments I see a similar pattern among most everyone and it's that football and basketball dominate our country. These two sports we've come to dominate in international competition (football we would because we are the only country that really plays). We not only win these competitions but we dominate in them. I'm not to sure if i would say baseball is anymore because of the international players that have come from all across the world just to play in our league, I guess thats why they call it the "World Series." But getting back to this whole domination of the competition, we as US citizens expect nothing less than just that in any aspect of society. We want to win and we want to do it big time. Just look at the whole race to the moon when Kennedy was in office, we started our program because we wanted to beat Russia to it. Football and basketball are both sports we can call our own because it is what we are known for and our society can really relate to what these athletes do in order to preserve our nations pride.
ReplyDelete-As far as who I best feel represents our country as athletes the first ones that I thought of were ones people had mentioned already. Both Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in todays sport. They both symbolize what it means to be an American. They go out there and just do what they are supposed to do and do it in extreme fashion. They not only go out and put up big numbers but they go out and win, just like the United States of America. These two men hate losing, it doesn't happen to often but when it does it's almost always when they are the "big guns," or the United States. They aren't expected to lose and when the do it's a complete shock, it just isn't supposed to happen. These guys win and they do it in the right way by playing hard and blowing everyone away.
-Like i said earlier these two sports and two athletes I mentioned are who people in our country look to when times are tough. These guys/sports motivates people to be the best that they can be whether its a kid learning to play basketball or a man fighting for his country. In a sense they are fighting a battle (completely different context of course) to be the best and win, just like we Americans always do and always expect. I don't ever expect the USA basketball team to ever be within 20 points of another competitor at international play just like i don't ever expect us to lose something like a war. These outside spectacles are good places to look for motivation to what our country is about and what we believe in.
I would definitely say that football is the sport that brings America together. First off, football is an American sport in general. Football in almost every other country is known as soccer to America. I've noticed that other people have pointed that out. One doesn't even have to be a big fan of football to know some of the big name players. And even though a lot of people that I know aren't die hard football fans, they all tune into the Super Bowl. And most people attending college will back up their school team and be in the stadiums even if they aren't fans of football. I remember back in high school the cool thing to do was to go to the football games. However, I don't think it's suck as big a nation sport as hockey is in Canada. In the commercials we saw in class, it made it seem as if everyone in Canada was playing or at least loved hockey which I definitely do not think is the case in the United States. As far as the athletes the represent the nation, back to thinking about football, here is a list according to bleacher report the top 10 greatest football players of all time. I don't think non hardcore football fans will know the names of the players on this list.
ReplyDeletehttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/151712-the-ultimate-list-the-top-ten-football-players-of-all-time
Sadly, most of the time athletes, or celebrities in general, are in the media is when they've done something wrong. How many non football fans knew who Michael Vick was before he was charged with dog fighting? But I bet everyone, even people don't watch basketball, know exactly who Michael Jordan is. I would definitely say that Jordan is the player that best represents America. He fulfilled this "American dream" that we all think of. He went from rags to riches and never gave up. This man was cut from his high school basketball team because the coach didn't think he had what it took and now here I am writing about him saying he's the best representative of athletes of America. Not only did he fulfill the dream, he worked his butt off to do it. He went out there every game and played as if it was his last.
When I started looking for articles about the sport that unites America, I was certain that this sport was football. I felt football embodied the American culture through racial and gender ideologies. The racial ideology that is portrayed in this sport is white supremacy. Whites hold the positions of power on and off the field. On the field, the positions of centrality like the quarterback are dominated by white athletes. Then, off the field, there are very few minorities in the positions of power, such as coaches and owners. The gender ideology that is portrayed in football is that of hegemonic masculinity. The NFL players that are portrayed in the media are big, strong, powerful, and wealthy. This creates the sense that they are protectors and the breadwinners of their families – the characteristics of the “ideal American man.” The women that are shown by the media at football games are usually cheerleaders, who are highly sexualized. Even though these ideologies are highly criticized, I believe that Americans cling to them and find comfort in them. This is why football is so attractive to fans, and consistently has high TV ratings.
ReplyDeleteIt was not until I read the New York Times article, “The National Pastime(s),” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/weekinreview/01curtis.html) that I considered that America could have two pastimes. After reading the article, I believe basketball is also America’s pastime. As Andrew Zimbalist put it, “If you have a national pastime, it doesn’t necessarily refer to spectators, it refers to how people pass their time.” The one sport that you see both young and old, men and women, athletic and not athletic playing all times of the year – not just when the sport is in season – is basketball. You do not see this in any other sport. Therefore, basketball is the sport that unifies America when they want to pass their time.
The one athlete who stands out in my mind as being a representation of America is Drew Brees. He is seen as a genuine, caring guy who knows how to lead both on and off the field and on top of that he is a winner. These are all characteristics Americans place in high regard and strive to attain themselves. The media portrays Brees as the savior to New Orleans. Not only did he lead the Saints to win the Super Bowl last year, but he also was active in the rebuilding of New Orleans after Katrina. When Brees represents America, people get the view that Americans are the white men with these characteristics, and it leaves out minorities all together.
I like the point that Kalli Hansen makes about college basketball. A lot of the times college basketball and professional basketball get lumped together as just basketball, but there are huge differences. The passion for the game that is seen at the college level is what Americans embrace and love. Also, the access that fans have to college basketball creates more investment in the teams. Tickets for the games are cheaper, and there are usually more opportunities to interact with the players.
ReplyDeleteBen Ross makes a very good point about how football has taken over the American sporting market. We often don’t realize how much football consumes our lives. It seems like all guys talk about during the fall and winter is their fantasy teams. Then for about a month up until the super bowl there are ads and specials on all of the food, apparel, and electronics that you need to watch the game. There is not this much hype for the championship game or series of any other sport.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would have to say the first sport or sports that bring America together would have to be the Olympics. At least that’s the first thing that comes to mind. The only problem with that is that the Olympics are only once every four years. None the less when they are on for that period of time it seems as though there are American flags everywhere and strangers will even talk to you about events that the U.S. did well in. It’s nice when the Olympics are on because we get to see all races/cultures competing on common ground. In the U.S. at least it seems as though on that winners’ podium there is no such thing as black or white Its American. The Olympics have given us greats from Bruce Jenner to Michelle Kwan to Michael Johnson. I say that the Olympics bring us together because when I hear these names I don’t think of famous white, Asian, or black athletes. I think of famous American athletes, and I think most of the country feels the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard to say if any of the three athletes I just named represent our nation, I mean they did in the Olympics but at the same time they had no choice. Man, it’s hard to name any athlete now days that can be considered a true representative of our nation. I never see or hear our great athletes mentioning anything about their national pride after winning the super bowl, the NBA Title, or the World Series. Really, when was the last time you heard your favorite athlete say “I did this for you America!”? Yet I can tell you that when Manny Paquiao gives his victory speech in the ring after every bout he tells the people of the Philippines that he did it for them. Not for his city or friends and family back home but for his country. I think the lack of that national pride is a good representation of what an individualistic society we live in.
I think it is a difficult task to figure out which sport by itself unifies and builds US nationalism. It would be easier, however, to figure out which sports in the large sports market that we have here in the states that best unifies and represents the people and also build American nationalism. Such sports i believe that do just that is basketball, baseball and football. If i had to go with one sport, i would have to go with football, solely based on its mass appeal and TV ratings which culminated in the NFL gaining its highest tv viewers of 111 million for the Superbowl 2011.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/08/super-bowl-highest-ever-audience.
Arguable one of if not the best and most influential athlete in and out of the sporting arena has to be Michael Jordan. Some of us has watched his progress as he rose through the ranks of the NBA becoming one of the most popular athletic personalities in the world, up to the present day. Another reason why i chose Jordan as the athletes best embodies America ( and basketball of course).
Looking at the Neilsen ratings off wikipedia (ratings in chronological order) the NBA ratings in 91 when Jordan was going for his first championship against the Lakers was at its highest 15.8 since 1987 which was the last time Larry Bird and Magic Johnson would meet in the NBA finals.
The second highest rating (17.9) occurred in 1993 with the Bulls vs the Phoenix Suns.
The highest rating (18.9) was in 1998 where the Bulls played the Utah Jazz.
The 18.9 rating has not been matched nor surpassed, in fact the ratings decreased after Jordan retired and after the NBA lock out. The lowest rating 6.2 occurred in 2007 Spurs vs Cavaliers.
If you did not get what i was saying, Michael Jordan is the common demonitator for the rise and fall of the viewing rating of the NBA(though mostly based on NBA championship finals).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association_Nielsen_ratings
I am looking at the athlete and sport that builds American nationalism solely on the facts from the internet which i posted, however, it is up for debate.
I agree with Emmanuel about the olympics, though it is only every 4 years it builds the anticipation of getting together to represent the different nations that are participating. The real problem i would think is that the olympics is made up of many sports not just one
ReplyDeleteIn reading many of the responses, it seems many people are going with football, basketball or baseball. I think any of those sports are legitimate answers to this question. While I haven't read all of the posts, I think my answer to this question will be much different from everyone elses. To me, the sport that brings America together is soccer when Team USA plays in the World Cup. Soccer probably isn't even in the top 5 most popular sports in America. As annoying as I find it, I can't ignore how incredibly excited people - who don't give a care at all about the sport the previous three years - get over the world cup. That is the most impressive part about the world cup and why I think it brings American together more than any other sport. Soccer recieves little to no play in the media on a yearly basis. But when the world cup rolls around, its all over SportsCenter and even on news networks.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason for all this may be obvious, and that is people's great pride in America and their sense of nationalism. I don't think you see the same kind of unity when it comes to the Superbowl that you see with the World Cup. I also think this shows America's love and appreciation for the 'little guy.' If you think about the sport of soccer in general, it in a way is symbolic of the ideas associated with the American dream concept. The American dream is all about working your way up from the bottom and making something of yourself. That is exactly what the sport of soccer does in this coutry in relation to the World Cup. Like I said above, soccer is basically irrelevant in this country compared to other major sports (NFL, NBA, etc) But somehow, the sport manages to work its way up to the top of the sports world in America when the World Cup is going on .
A lot of people commenting speculate and claim that sports like Football, Baseball, and Basketball all exemplify what it 'means' to be an American. I would have to disagree, but first it is important to define exactly what nationalism is. In a recent article I read called Imagined Communities by Benedict Anderson, he describes the term nationalism as "... an imagined political community - and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign." What exactly does he mean by this? Simply put, the term nationalism describes a nation as being those three things. It is imagined as political because one has to look at a nation's identity and the political power of it's nationalism (think revolutions and overthrowing of governments) versus their philosophical power. A nation is also limited because regardless of how big of a nation, it is still finite, and will still have boundaries. A nation (and the nationalism of it's occupants) is lastly sovereign, because the term nationalism itself evokes a deep horizontal comradeship, almost like a fraternity, where you don't need to know all the members, but you all feel like you belong.
ReplyDeleteNow, after discussing the beast which is the term nationalism, I would put forth the notion that the only(or properly) applicable sports would be those of a national breed - that means no teams that wear the name of "mini" nationalist states like the LA Lakers, or the Green Bay Packers, but rather one that encompasses the whole that is America. For this reason, I believe that international sports bring forth a larger, and cohesive following than individual "city-states" sports. Team U.S.A. in both the Olympics and in the World Cup brings our whole nation together - not pits it against each other internally. Olympic athletes are some of the most well respected in their individual sports, and I would wager that the percentage of "pro" players that get into media/drugs/allegation trouble is far higher than those of the Olympic or World Cup teams. Appolo Ono, Cale Sanderson, Shaun White, take your pick. Now, some of you may argue that many pro athletes make the switch over into Olympic athletes to compete, and I would agree that they too are some of the greats, but take a look at what playing for Team U.S.A. does: it brings together these "city state" team's players. Formerly pitted against each other, they band together to play for the red, white, and blue. To me, that's the phenomena that is nationalism, and that is why national teams should be considered the most prolific. They exemplify what it means to be an American to the rest of the world - not just within our own country.
I think the Olympics bring America together because we are all rooting for the same team and people. Regardless of the sport most Americans usually want the USA to win against the other countries to show that we're the best country in sports. In a way I think baseball, basketball and football all bring America together because even though a certain race is more predominant than another, there's still all different types of race playing that sport. So when teams meet on a grand stage like the superbowl or NBA playoffs everybody of all races have parties and celebrate them to watch and cheer their respective team on. The athletes in the United States represent positive symbols to the country that everybody looks up to. Which in most cases they mean more to us than I think the athletes really think. This contributes to our understanding of America by showing and having people believe that being a professional ball player is the life and the American dream in a way because of how well their treated financially, on and off the court.
ReplyDeleteI think Tyler makes a good point to put baseball on the list as America’s past time. I would argue that the NFL is more influential than baseball today and has a larger fan base. Although baseball is still very popular, it has many negative connotations surrounding it due largely to the steroid scandals of the past decade. I think that these scandals have turned some away from the game and I don’t believe they represent the ideals that many Americans have for the country. Especially when many players come out and say that it is even more prevalent than the public thinks. I do think you make a good point about Derek Jeter being a good representative of the ideal American athlete. He seems to stand apart from all the allegations and is a good example of how baseball players should act as role models and popular figures. I find this especially impressive considering he is on one of the most hated teams in MLB in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteDerek makes a good point about Olympic Sports and the World Cup bringing together Americans. I think the Olympics are a better example of this because there are still many people who aren’t on board with the U.S. World Cup team. Keep in mind though that each of these events only occurs once every 4 years and so it can be argued that the effect is greater and more cherished. For all the other time not taken up by these events, I would give more credit for unification to sports that are uniquely American. As far as pitting Americans against each other, I don’t believe this is the case for many Americans. I am pretty big Packers fan with many friends who are Bears fans. Between us there is a friendly rivalry, with some trash-talking, but it is all part of the beauty of the game. It isn’t like we’re not friends after the game is over. In the end, it’s just a game.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think there is one sport in America that brings everyone together but the sport that is closest to doing this is football. The Super Bowl and festivities surrounding the game which occurred a few weeks ago are the perfect example of how football can bring the vast majority of Americans together. The media reflects much of what we in America value or are interested in. If you turned on the TV anytime during the week leading up to the Super Bowl you would undoubtedly see some form of coverage of the upcoming game. This coverage was not only limited to the predominantly sports channels such as ESPN but included local news stations, national news stations and even channels that would be considered “pop-culture” channels such as MTV or VH1. The NFL is a multi-billion dollar business and obviously much of the reason it is so successful is the interest that it garners from the American people. TV ratings for NFL games far surpass the ratings for all other sporting events. This claim is supported by this CNBC article in which a Monday Night Football game between two average NFL teams received higher ratings than the American League Championship Series between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, a team that is considered America’s team.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnbc.com/id/39741267/It_s_Official_NFL_Is_America_s_Sport
But there is more evidence than just TV ratings that contribute to the popularity of football and its ability to bring America together. This evidence can be seen on any given Saturday in Iowa City during the fall. The entire community of Iowa City floods the streets surrounding Kinnick Stadium to support Iowa Hawkeye football. Similarly high school football draws the same crowds in our community on Friday nights. This is something that doesn’t occur for any other sporting event in our state. Even so, football’s ability to bring a small community in Iowa together is no comparison to the way in which football brings together communities in southern states such as Texas, Alabama, or Florida. Football may not bring together all of America but comparably it is far and above any other sport in evoking a sense of community.
As far as athletes that represent America I can think of a select few that many would consider the ideal athlete in America. This list would include the likes of Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods, and Tom Brady. I believe these athletes are the leading candidates to represent our nation’s athletics because of what they have accomplished in American sport and the values people tend to associate with them. All of these athletes at some point in their careers, if not currently, were or are considered to be the best at what they do. Similarly all these athletes are winners. They have all won multiple titles in their respective sports and have been a picture of excellence for their sport. Another thing these athletes have in common is their approach to their sport. When one thinks of these athletes ideas of competitiveness, hard work, and the will to succeed come to mind. I believe this is a big reason these athletes are representative of America because these are all qualities American’s generally value
When I think of American sports, I think basketball. While baseball and American football are quite popular in the U.S., I do believe basketball has has the largest national impact.
ReplyDeleteFirst, basketball produced Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest athlete of all time. Jordan set precedents both on and off the court as an exceptional player and a positive role model for U.S. citizens. The saying, "I want to be like Mike" applied to people of all ages.
Jordan was a role model and an icon for American sports. He demonstrated very American characteristics such as hard work, determination, and perseverance. Despite Jordan's shortcomings early in his high school career, he stayed true to his passion and ended up shocking the world countless times with his athletic ability. Jordan is one of the best representatives of what it means to be American.
In addition to Jordan, basketball is "American" because it is represented in the Olympics. To my knowledge, neither baseball nor football is an Olympic sport. That is not to say that baseball and football avoid having global impact, however. America's basketball team competes on the biggest stage of international competition. Time and time again, the U.S. has dominated the competition.
Another athlete that represents the U.S. is mixed martial arts legend, Randy Couture. Couture exemplifies the same qualities as Jordan, simply in a different sports realm. As a man in his late 40s, Couture has recently won heavyweight titles, interim championships, and competes against the very best in the sport. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, the promotion Couture belongs to, brings in fighters from all over the world, which is why Couture is especially American in his representation of the sport. He competes against, and often defeats, outstanding martial artists from around the world. He has an upcoming fight against Lyoto Machida, former UFC light-heavyweight champion and Brazilian karate expert. In short, there is no surprise that Couture's nickname is "Captain America."
I agree with Matt Gatens that it's hard to say that one sport brings America together but instead specific sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness do. This is also in agreement with those who said the Olympics and World Cup bring together America because I would also consider those sporting events. These events occur either once a year in the case of the Super Bowl and March Madness or in the case of the Olympics and World Cup once every 4 years. I believe this adds to the excitement because not only are they very important events but they occur infrequently and therefore can be something to look forward to. These events bring America together becuase they involve a select few teams or in the internatinoal events, our national teams and individuals. The events are a time where all of America can come together and get behind a particular team or individual
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Jaime-Lee Grant that if one athlete represents America more than any other it would undoubtedly be Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan as she said transcended the sport of basketball within America and created a buzz about the game that has not resurfaced since his departure. I also think he litreally served as an ambassador for America in the 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona when he and the Dream Team absolutely dominated international competition. I believe this event led by Michael Jordan played a large role in the NBA's globalization and sparked the interest of basketball internationally. I can't think of a better athlete to represent America than Michael Jordan
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to asking the question of what sport or sports bring our country together I'm really uncertain. I really feel any sport has the ability to pull this nation together given a certain circumstance. For instance if hockey is on during the Olympics and its the finals against any major power country Or if Michael Phelps is trying to win a record 8 gold medals, really who's not going to watch that? But any other day of the week or even year I wound never say to myself, "I think I might watch swimming today". So many sports have brought this country together over different and even hard times. 1980 Olympic hockey team, baseball has done it for years during wars and tragedies. So if I had to pick overtime it would be baseball on the fact it's been there forever, "it's stood the test of time" (James Earl Jones). "Field of Dreams"
ReplyDeleteThen we have basketball, which to be true took off in the market in the 80's with the battles of Lakers and Celtics. Then came, to me the greatest overall athlete of all time, from Chapel Hill, 3rd pick of 1984's NBA draft, his "Airness" Michael Jeffrey Jordan. To have the ability to three-peat in 91' 92' and 93', take a break to play baseball, then come back the first year and lead the Bulls to the most wins in NBA history (72) and win 96' 97' 98'. So in his basketball life that's 6 straight championships. Even today he is still the icon of sports. Without stepping on the court his logo is playing ball everyday. So, to me he is the overwhelming representative of the United States.
However, I'd like to work back toward the first question, I've expressed based on one event that it could be any sport. But, during this sports season every up to date person in America knows Sat. Sun. turn on the tube and its there. And just as a bonus on your worst workday of the week we'll have a game for you, MNF. This sport is set up for success in the media. During American's ideal free time and biggest holidays it's there to take your worries away.
America is in sport and society what we make it. We are innovative and trendy. If something works here it works period.
I agree with eic.One sport that I think brings America together is basketball. One reason for this is our nations love for the game. There are so many people that love playing it growing up. People come together to play ball whether its at the YMCS, high school ball, or even collegian sports. It doesn’t matter what level of skill you are, there is always basketball games going on where you can go and play with other people of your same skill. So the love to play the game brings people together.
ReplyDeleteAnthother thing that brings people together when talking about basketball is the love to watch the game. I agree with laura when she says the passion of the game brings people together. When March comes around, people get hyped! Everyone talks about who they are picking to win and who they think is the Cinderella team. When the games are being played, you hardly ever see someone sitting by themselves watching the game. People like to enjoy the game with other people. They like to watch it with other people that have the same loves as them. Basketball games bring all kinds of people together under one house to watch a ball game.
I think one athlete that represents America is Lebron James. He is the prototypical freak athlete basketball player, the one everyone wants to watch. His high flying moves make him a fan favorite. Another thing he has going for him is he is young so everyone is excited to see how good he can become. America loves seeing a star in the making. What this shows about America is its love for athletisicm. We love to see a player dominate through superior athletic ability, which is exactly what “King James” does.
Although it was somewhat difficult to decipher what America’s sport is, the answer is in the fandom. For one specific sport to be a step ahead of all the others, there needs to be a clear and decisive factor. Baseball and basketball have been mainstays for years, with baseball even being called America’s “pastime.” Basketball has become immensely popularity with the help of college’s March Madness tournament every year. But the one sport that trumps all is football. Despite a potential NFL lockout this season, football is not going away. Every fall, the nation is consumed by the sport that features pigskin and 11 men on each side. On Friday, the high school level leads off the craziness. Every major college town rallies around their school on Saturdays, flooding the streets with teams colors and tailgaters. Or in our case, a Big Ass Turkey Leg (on Melrose near Kinnick Stadium). Finally, on Sundays, America sits in front of their TV’s to watch the NFL, arguably the nation’s most popular sport as of right now. What other sport has three separate days devoted to one sport? Each day it’s the same game with the same rules. And the popularity isn’t going to cease any time soon.
ReplyDeleteUnlike hockey, in which American sports fans have yet to latch on to, football exceeded that point over five decades ago. Today, stadiums still fill up without a seat to be had in the wee hours before the game. Although big market teams and small market up-and-comers have no problem with ticket sales in hockey, it’s just not to the elite level yet. This comparison is tough for me personally to make, because I love hockey — especially watching it live — but more people tend to enjoy football. Additionally, there doesn’t seem to be a gender gap in terms of fan hood as it relates to football. There are just as many guys and girls on this campus who go to the Iowa games, at least in my experiences. Whether or not that means they have the same knowledge level are unknown, but the percentages of attending football events is near if not the same.
Staying on the football track, I would say Brett Favre and Michael Vick represent modern day American sport. Two extremes, I know. Favre has been deemed by some as overstaying his welcome in professional football, but this isn’t the case at all. His love for the game has been clearly expressed as he comes back to the NFL year after year. It seems like he’s done for good now, but the decade-plus he has logged, as a pro will never be forgotten. Favre has set records left and right, and some of those probably will not be broken. In addition, his style off the field — the most previous controversy not withstanding — is simply “American.” Wrangler blue jeans? That’s him being the average Favre, and many because of the way he goes about things have admired him. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Vick can be argued to be the most liked and most hated athlete today. The southpaw quarterback came back from a prison term to win the Comeback Player of the Year award for the 2010-11 season. Vick has stepped it up off the field as well, volunteering some of his time to animal organizations in the Philadelphia area. Vick got a second chance, and he’s making the most of it.
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