Sport Values, Violence, and Society

Full Article: https://www.twrsports.com/2017/03/27/violence-in-sports/

On May 17th, 2017, during the first day of class, sport values and how they reflect societal values (and vice versa) were discussed in Module 1. Often we see things during sporting events that, if seen in the street, would summon law enforcement to the scene. Therefore, where do we draw the line? Or better yet, why has it become accepted? The author of the article to which I am referring (see link below) provides perspectives on both questions.


Rougned Odor, 2nd baseman for the Texas Rangers, landing a solid right
hook on Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista after a hard slide into 2nd
 

As discussed in Module 1, modern-day sports are "submerged in an embarrassment of," among other things, violence, scandals, and ethical disgrace.


The Sport Industry is the 4th largest industry in the United States, and its products and services are consumed by people of all ages, usually starting around age three or four. The only problem is, what these people are consuming is becoming less and less socially acceptable. Athletes, more and more, are engaging in brawls, postgame derogatory commentary, and other forms of societal discontent, all of which are being absorbed by the minds of the consumers. Take, for example, NFL arrest rates. We all can agree that it seems as though every other day, there is a report of yet another NFL athlete being held on criminal charges. The following graphs illustrate that point:

Given that these athletes are adults, and for the most part have had the time to mature as public figures, why is it that they are participating in the inexplicable action on and off the playing surface? Well, it can easily be traced back to youth sports, and the moral foundation on which these athletes are built. Youth sports are not what they used to be. The same can be said for what young athletes are being taught individually nowadays.

A big part of the problem here is the over-emphasis on winning, and how it ultimately leads to the concept of "winning at all costs." At this point, the integrity and sportsmanship of the athletes is disregarded, first and foremost--usually--by the coaches. So, instead of striving for excellence, these athletes just do what they have to do to win. Such actions are most often unsportsmanlike. The author suggests that it a lot of the action you see on the playing surface comes as a byproduct of the lessons or tasks given by coaches. However, some of it does stem from the spontaneous initiative of young athletes to engage in unsportsmanlike behavior.

The governing bodies of the major sports of our time are doing what they can to ensure player safety and conformity of their rules without jeopardizing the nature of the game itself. They have recognized the increased hostility, and are attempting to make a positive change. Now, it is up to the individuals of sport to make the lasting difference on how sport and societal values correlate.

The violence needs to stop, along with the unacceptable verbal usage that has found its way into sport. We understand the physical nature of some sports, and that injuries are a part of the game. However, it is the unnecessary physicality and violence that causes injury that must be brought to an end.

We can attempt to eliminate the violence and unsportsmanlike conduct portrayed in the video above by starting from the bottom with our youth, and working upward. Here are some rearranging values, discussed in module 1, that might help with that:

• focus on cooperation more and competition less
• focus on "ours" rather than "mine"
• focus more on social responsibility and less on profit motive
• focus on building, NOT destroying self concept

Additional source(s)/reference(s):

The Rate of Domestic Violence Arrests Among NFL Players | FiveThirtyEight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-rate-of-domestic-violence-arrests-among-nfl-players/