The Olympics

[David Nevin Friedman]

Those who view sports in the context of bastardized professional sports 
are missing the primal urge to exrcise their body, not their mind.  If I 
am in now way physically disable, why would I not want to participate in 
sports?  That there are those who corrupt sports and physical activity by 
putting wishes of fortunes ahead of the sheer fun and benefit of physical 
activity is irrelevant.  It seems to me those who do not like sports for 
what they are--fun--has some sort of complex about being beaten up in the 
palyground in kindergarten.

David Friedman
namdeirf at gwis2.circ.gwu.edu

Ignorance breeds complicity.

On Tue, 6 Aug 1996, Peter Romanienko wrote:

>         If I have nothing erudite to say about some Pynchon matter, at
> least I can fulminate about sports and the like. It's just like religion
> and has become the new opiate of the masses. When I hear friends and just
> strangers talk about how we (meaning whatever autochthonous team) did last
> night or what we need to do is this and rattle off the last 3 years of some
> running backs average yardage per game, or run, or season a-and give stats
> that make my head reel ( but he sure would make a great trivial pursuit
> partner who could compensate for my complete ignorance ((purposeful)) of
> sports trivia) I just can't feel anything but pity.
>         I think sports at an amateur level is good for the exercise and
> teamwork aspect, but it eventually gets poisoned by overzealous,
> egomaniacal little-league coaches and high-schools that are known for their
> continuing state championships and lowest 10th percentile reading scores
> whose students only go on to college if they can throw a ball. People
> should get a life and not allow passive involvement to be their savior. I
> know some families that center around a sports team or event without which
> any quality time would be non-existant. And to top it all off, while
> leafing through a tuxedo catalog looking for a tux style for my impending
> marriage, I see vests with football team logos emblazoned on them. I could
> picture it now... Do you promise to love, honor, obey, a-and root-root-root
> for the home team, Go GIANTS, Yeah!!! Woof, Woof, Woof !!! I'd walk out of
> that church in a second, of course wondering what came over me to go inside
> in the first place. My $.02 of non-Pynchon posting.
> 
> Peter Romanienko
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