Every year, as the Facebooks and Twitters of the world become more and more popular, I become increasingly worried about my generation.
In 50 years, the 2000s will be remembered as the beginning of the multitasking era. Look around your average college classroom and you’ll see a several open laptops. Students’ eyes are fixed not on notebooks, but rather the latest urgent text message.
This may not seem to have much to do with sports. But it does, in more ways than you can imagine.
I know this because I am a perfect example of the multitasking generation. I use Facebook and Twitter far more than I should, and I find it hard to suppress the temptation to pull out my laptop during class.
Yet, it wasn’t until about a week ago that I discovered how this problem has permeated my sports life.
As I watched the beginning of the NBA playoffs, I realized how little time I spent with my attention fully devoted to the game. There was always something else distracting me, be it my computer, a book, a magazine, my cell phone or music.
Make no mistake, I’m a basketball junkie. During the NBA season, I watch as many games as possible and write (probably too much) about my observations throughout the year. If anything should command my undivided attention, it should be the NBA playoffs.
And still, I struggled. As the first round progressed, I actively tried to put aside potential distractions and actually watch the games. It wasn’t easy, and I never really succeeded for more than 15 minutes.
“So what?” you ask. “You’re not an NBA scout, it’s not your job to analyze every play.”
This is true. In the end, there’s nothing inherently wrong with me browsing my Twitter feed or reading a magazine while watching basketball. You could even argue that things like Twitter enhance the sports-watching experience, as they connect you to hundreds of other people’s thoughts in real time.
But I’m still troubled. The truth is, my lack of attention span is in no way unique. Don’t believe me? Take a look around you at the next sporting event you attend. Count how many people you see, at any given moment, perusing their BlackBerrys or taking pictures of themselves. I’d be willing to bet that you would lose count within a few seconds.
Gone are the days when patrons obsessively kept score at baseball games, or admired the beauty of a perfectly executed pick-and-roll. We, the 18 to 30 demographic, represent a new breed of passive, attention-deficit-affected fans.
I’m deeply saddened by this, and even more upset that I represent the problem in
a microcosm.
I’ve always wondered why, after hours upon hours of watching basketball, the nooks and crannies of the game continue to elude me. Now, I think I’ve found the answer: I’ve never really been watching the games. Until I turn off the computer and close the book, I’ll never be the sports fan that I want to be.
From here on out, I’m going to make a concerted effort to enjoy sports for what they are, and take a break from technology for a few hours. I encourage you to do the same (assuming, of course, that you’re as bad as I am).
Full disclosure: I wrote this column while watching the Portland Trail Blazers battle the Phoenix Suns.
I’m not off to a very good start.
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