Sports and disaster.
A retreat for many from destruction, death, and sorrow. Many times have we seen sports as a way to
cope with loss and terrorism. In the end
we will have to deal with the tragic events that took place, but in the
meantime sports are a great way to cope with loss.
Sports help bring unity to a community that reels
from natural disaster. No example is
more prominent than Hurricane Katrina and the New Orleans Saints. After Katrina, 275,000 homes were destroyed (www.hurricanekatrinarelief.com). Millions were aching from loss and the Saints
were forced to play home games at the Alamodome in Texas, and Tiger Stadium in
Baton Rouge. When the 2006 season came
around the Saints sold out every home game for the entire season for the first
time in franchise history (en.wikipedia.org).
Many fans still heartbroken and homeless, they united at the Superdome
to get away from their sorrows. For at
least 3 hours on their Sundays in 2006, the people of New Orleans could forget
the real world and enjoy a simple game of football.April 15, 2013. September 11, 2001. Acts of terror that shocked the nation and especially Boston and New York. Horrific acts of terror resulting in 2,999 deaths combined (en.wikipedia.org and providencejournal.com). How did Americans respond? With courage, bravery, and pride. And to cope? Sports. Holding American flags and singing the nation anthem as one at the Boston Garden days after the bombings. David Ortiz spoke at Fenway days after the bombings, “This is our (expletive) city”. Both events giving Bostonians hope, pride, and courage, as well as making the Boston area come together. And then baseball and hockey. Again, like New Orleans, Bostonians could forget about the terror and relax to sports. The same can be said for the attacks on the World Trade Center. Yesterday, I watched a clip from Olbermann, a show on ESPN. Keith Olbermann told a story that on the day after the attacks a police officer approached him. The officer said, “I’m worried…about the Mets…yeah, do you think they can do it?” (The Mets were 8 games out of the playoffs). The officer went on to say, “They don’t of course (matter), but at least tonight I can go home and at 7 o’clock, I can put my feet up and watch the Mets and pretend things haven’t changed.” Only one day after 9/11 and the officer was asking about the Mets. Using them to cope with the horrors he saw just yesterday.
Sports. The coping
mechanism used by the people of New Orleans, Boston, and New York. To just put their feet up and forget the
world.
Eric, you explore an interesting issue. You look specifically at how people, probably all over the world, turn to sports during times of distress. This might make a very interesting research paper. I would argue that you are scratching the surface of a much greater phenomenon. You identify that sports are a source of relief from the sorrow of tragedy. However, you never really propose or explore a reason why. This, I suggest, might be worth considering. I think sports represent a much greater social force than you give them credit for.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, your post is good. Your writing style is unique, and it works most time, but when it doesn't work, you look sloppy. Your readers are only going to appreciate your fragmented sentences if you can prove to them that you are already a technically sound writer. There are a few instances in this post when you make mistakes that give the impression that you are not as in control of language as you should be. For example, look at these sentences:
"In the end we will have to deal with the tragic events that took place, but in the meantime sports are a great way to cope with loss." This sentence has three different verb tenses in it.
"Again, like New Orleans, Bostonians could forget..." This is called a faulty comparison. You compare the city of New Orleans to the people of Boston. You cannot do this.