OT: Is happiness in sports an illusion?

[IndayArtHauz]

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I both 1) care less about sports and b. am increasingly cynical about their ultimate aims. Let me establish some priors:

1. I am a Christian of a sect who believes that true fulfillment cannot be found apart from Christ. However, I do believe there are many lesser joys in life that are worthy of pursuit. so to be clear, I am not equating “happiness in sports” with anything on an eternal scale.

2. In my life I have had multiple franchises I follow in multiple sports win championships. The Canes, 49ers, Spurs, and tangentially the Cubs have all won ships, with all but the Cubs winning multiple in or around my youth/adult life. I am not a Cleveland Browns or Buffalo Bills fan who doesn’t know what winning it all feels like.

3. I think the commercialization of sports, specifically college and pro, has reduced the joy of being a fan to the ultimate ends of the sport only. Namely, winning championships, which we already refer to as “winning it all” (suggesting there is nothing left).

The last point has harmed the sports individually and collectively, especially college, and turned them into 365-days-a-year content machines. Whoever wins the Super Bowl in two weeks will have less than 24 minutes dedicated to their victory, let alone 24 hours. The content machine will immediately kick into high gear, refocusing the fans of the other 31 teams on free agency and the draft. The NFL is no different than an endless scrolling app like IG or YouTube, it just uses your calendar instead of a piece of software.

Im pro-playoff expansion in CFB, but I’ve come around more to the thoughts of my late father: he hated the idea of a playoff. I thought he was a grump, but hes been proven right on a couple of things since the sport added the BCS and playoff: 1. College football would lose its local flavor and focus. 2. The significance of conference accomplishments would vanish (I remember his profound joy when Illinois won the B10 and got to play in a Rose Bowl. A huge deal decades ago). It’s that second point that I think reverberates so strongly with me now; nothing short of winning it all matters anymore. There is no “good season” that ends in defeat, not unless you expected your team to suck.

So the significance of *not* winning it all has never been lower, and, oddly enough, the significance of winning it all has never been lower. If you can’t find joy in lesser accomplishments, and you can’t really enjoy when you win it all, has the ceiling in sports not fallen dramatically? (I think this may also explain why data-driven, “I love the sport itself” type interests and media adjacent to those interests have flourished, but that’s another issue.)

I don’t expect anyone to really read this, it’s a stupid question. Besides, there’s always next year.

 

[Bender]

Happiness in itself is an illusion.

 

[IndayArtHauz]

Happiness in itself is an illusion.

 

[Page305]

 

[Bender]

Good grief.

 

[WeBallinBoyz]

 

[Brains]

I've never been happy as a sports fan. It's not about happiness, it's about passion. I'm 36, and I care more now than I did when it began.

 

[HicksFix]

Your first sentence in the first prior hits it on the head.

 

[406Cane]

 

[P-Tizzle]

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I both 1) care less about sports and b. am increasingly cynical about their ultimate aims. Let me establish some priors:

1. I am a Christian of a sect who believes that true fulfillment cannot be found apart from Christ. However, I do believe there are many lesser joys in life that are worthy of pursuit. so to be clear, I am not equating “happiness in sports” with anything on an eternal scale.

2. In my life I have had multiple franchises I follow in multiple sports win championships. The Canes, 49ers, Spurs, and tangentially the Cubs have all won ships, with all but the Cubs winning multiple in or around my youth/adult life. I am not a Cleveland Browns or Buffalo Bills fan who doesn’t know what winning it all feels like.

3. I think the commercialization of sports, specifically college and pro, has reduced the joy of being a fan to the ultimate ends of the sport only. Namely, winning championships, which we already refer to as “winning it all” (suggesting there is nothing left).

The last point has harmed the sports individually and collectively, especially college, and turned them into 365-days-a-year content machines. Whoever wins the Super Bowl in two weeks will have less than 24 minutes dedicated to their victory, let alone 24 hours. The content machine will immediately kick into high gear, refocusing the fans of the other 31 teams on free agency and the draft. The NFL is no different than an endless scrolling app like IG or YouTube, it just uses your calendar instead of a piece of software.

Im pro-playoff expansion in CFB, but I’ve come around more to the thoughts of my late father: he hated the idea of a playoff. I thought he was a grump, but hes been proven right on a couple of things since the sport added the BCS and playoff: 1. College football would lose its local flavor and focus. 2. The significance of conference accomplishments would vanish (I remember his profound joy when Illinois won the B10 and got to play in a Rose Bowl. A huge deal decades ago). It’s that second point that I think reverberates so strongly with me now; nothing short of winning it all matters anymore. There is no “good season” that ends in defeat, not unless you expected your team to suck.

So the significance of *not* winning it all has never been lower, and, oddly enough, the significance of winning it all has never been lower. If you can’t find joy in lesser accomplishments, and you can’t really enjoy when you win it all, has the ceiling in sports not fallen dramatically? (I think this may also explain why data-driven, “I love the sport itself” type interests and media adjacent to those interests have flourished, but that’s another issue.)

I don’t expect anyone to really read this, it’s a stupid question. Besides, there’s always next year.

Really?

 

[ddann]

We got philosophers on here, too???

You go, @IndayArtHauz

 

[PIPO]

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I both 1) care less about sports and b. am increasingly cynical about their ultimate aims. Let me establish some priors:

1. I am a Christian of a sect who believes that true fulfillment cannot be found apart from Christ. However, I do believe there are many lesser joys in life that are worthy of pursuit. so to be clear, I am not equating “happiness in sports” with anything on an eternal scale.

2. In my life I have had multiple franchises I follow in multiple sports win championships. The Canes, 49ers, Spurs, and tangentially the Cubs have all won ships, with all but the Cubs winning multiple in or around my youth/adult life. I am not a Cleveland Browns or Buffalo Bills fan who doesn’t know what winning it all feels like.

3. I think the commercialization of sports, specifically college and pro, has reduced the joy of being a fan to the ultimate ends of the sport only. Namely, winning championships, which we already refer to as “winning it all” (suggesting there is nothing left).

The last point has harmed the sports individually and collectively, especially college, and turned them into 365-days-a-year content machines. Whoever wins the Super Bowl in two weeks will have less than 24 minutes dedicated to their victory, let alone 24 hours. The content machine will immediately kick into high gear, refocusing the fans of the other 31 teams on free agency and the draft. The NFL is no different than an endless scrolling app like IG or YouTube, it just uses your calendar instead of a piece of software.

Im pro-playoff expansion in CFB, but I’ve come around more to the thoughts of my late father: he hated the idea of a playoff. I thought he was a grump, but hes been proven right on a couple of things since the sport added the BCS and playoff: 1. College football would lose its local flavor and focus. 2. The significance of conference accomplishments would vanish (I remember his profound joy when Illinois won the B10 and got to play in a Rose Bowl. A huge deal decades ago). It’s that second point that I think reverberates so strongly with me now; nothing short of winning it all matters anymore. There is no “good season” that ends in defeat, not unless you expected your team to suck.

So the significance of *not* winning it all has never been lower, and, oddly enough, the significance of winning it all has never been lower. If you can’t find joy in lesser accomplishments, and you can’t really enjoy when you win it all, has the ceiling in sports not fallen dramatically? (I think this may also explain why data-driven, “I love the sport itself” type interests and media adjacent to those interests have flourished, but that’s another issue.)

I don’t expect anyone to really read this, it’s a stupid question. Besides, there’s always next year.

When I grew up and lived in Philly area, I lived vicariously through the sports teams. Part of the identity. Lives and died (mostly died) with them.

Moved to Miami and after 18 years here, I can legit say that I don’t care as much or if they lose it doesn’t sting as much probably because I am disconnected from the negative environment or similar minded people (with the exception here if the Canes but even then, it doesn’t compare to a huge fan base like the Eagles have and how much it means).

So to me, it’s complicated because I can get easily reeled in when the Birds or Phillies go on a run.

 

[canester95]

2 times of happiness….day after the Rose Bowl and the Nats World Series. Other than that…slow, painful torture that destroys my mood and fuels my alcohol addiction.

 

[Rellyrell]

I think when ur sports teams have sucked over a long period of time, it jades ur view of sports, in general.

 

[Dghustla]

Being a Heat and Canes fan realizing how I took some of those truely amazing years for granted and mourned every loss and didn’t enjoy wins unless they were blow outs.

My perspective has truely shifted.

realizing that when the Heat won titles recently that joy during those moments is fleeting.

I really view watching sports as more of like enjoying a movie or TV that I’m more invested in and purely for the entertainment value.

I was able to enjoy the Heats final run vs the lakers even though they lost which before I could have never enjoyed a playoff run or finals run that didn’t result in a championship before.

 

[AtlAtty]

I think you inaccurately glorified sports to be something they never were based on your perspective.
Sports are not more anything today than ever before. Sports are a job for the players, coaches, etc. They are a means to an ends; to a scholarship, to money, to good looking women, to popularity.
You want to see sports played without all the cynicism and other BS then go to a local park or college and watch pick up basketball. They play for nothing more than pleasure. Everyone else is playing for something.

 

[Brains]

Except for mine, these are very American conceptions of relations with your club. The nature of my sports fandom is clearly a vestige of Argentina. I'd never think, let alone say, any of what you all are posting.

 

[407cane]

I mean go to the bama boards, even UGA is getting that way

Just as whiny and *****y as it is on here the only downside is their expectations are now untenable where we’re just hoping for relevancy

 

[AlphaMarshan]

If I'm being honest, I care way less only now that NIL is a thing.

I argued ardently with friends and co-workers that it would ultimately be bad for CFB. Now that cat is out of the bag and there's no way of getting it back in.

The best part about CFB used to be the rivalries. Kids don't care about that anymore; it's all about money. All these kids are buddies on Twitter and IG now - they couldn't care less what the logo is on the side of their helmets.

****, we got guys on our team that would go play for FSU or UF TOMORROW if the price is right. Same with Auburn/Alabama, OSU/Michigan, etc.

The minute someone starts in front of them, they go hit the portal because they ultimately don't care about what it means to be a Cane or a part of any other program.

It's tough to watch and in a lot of ways has ruined the sport, IMO. I'll still watch but I'm way less invested because I know they're way less invested. They wanna get in, get that NIL, and get to the NFL as quickly as possible.

 

[Ispyin]

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I both 1) care less about sports and b. am increasingly cynical about their ultimate aims. Let me establish some priors:

1. I am a Christian of a sect who believes that true fulfillment cannot be found apart from Christ. However, I do believe there are many lesser joys in life that are worthy of pursuit. so to be clear, I am not equating “happiness in sports” with anything on an eternal scale.

2. In my life I have had multiple franchises I follow in multiple sports win championships. The Canes, 49ers, Spurs, and tangentially the Cubs have all won ships, with all but the Cubs winning multiple in or around my youth/adult life. I am not a Cleveland Browns or Buffalo Bills fan who doesn’t know what winning it all feels like.

3. I think the commercialization of sports, specifically college and pro, has reduced the joy of being a fan to the ultimate ends of the sport only. Namely, winning championships, which we already refer to as “winning it all” (suggesting there is nothing left).

The last point has harmed the sports individually and collectively, especially college, and turned them into 365-days-a-year content machines. Whoever wins the Super Bowl in two weeks will have less than 24 minutes dedicated to their victory, let alone 24 hours. The content machine will immediately kick into high gear, refocusing the fans of the other 31 teams on free agency and the draft. The NFL is no different than an endless scrolling app like IG or YouTube, it just uses your calendar instead of a piece of software.

Im pro-playoff expansion in CFB, but I’ve come around more to the thoughts of my late father: he hated the idea of a playoff. I thought he was a grump, but hes been proven right on a couple of things since the sport added the BCS and playoff: 1. College football would lose its local flavor and focus. 2. The significance of conference accomplishments would vanish (I remember his profound joy when Illinois won the B10 and got to play in a Rose Bowl. A huge deal decades ago). It’s that second point that I think reverberates so strongly with me now; nothing short of winning it all matters anymore. There is no “good season” that ends in defeat, not unless you expected your team to suck.

So the significance of *not* winning it all has never been lower, and, oddly enough, the significance of winning it all has never been lower. If you can’t find joy in lesser accomplishments, and you can’t really enjoy when you win it all, has the ceiling in sports not fallen dramatically? (I think this may also explain why data-driven, “I love the sport itself” type interests and media adjacent to those interests have flourished, but that’s another issue.)

I don’t expect anyone to really read this, it’s a stupid question. Besides, there’s always next year.