I really don’t know what to write about right now.
I have one final column to get a last point across to an adoring fanbase. Whether you call it the words of wisdom from a soon-to-be-departed senior, or cast it away as a bald sports writer’s rantings and ravings, I’ve got one shot to leave a lasting impact, so it needs to count.
But I don’t know how to pare a ton of ideas into one concise message. The only common tie and bond I can think of is this: Sports matter.
Sports reflect our world; they’re a mirrored version of the real world we have to slug through on a daily basis. Love, hate, passion – fans show it for their teams, in ties so strong they feel a sense of possession, of ownership. Whether it’s a specific seat and row at a stadium that you’ve sat in for years, wearing a jersey to school or work on the day of a big game, a customized license plate or bumper stickers, or simply water-cooler talk – the passion of sports fans is displayed in so many ways every day.
This is why sports fans need to be educated. And not just in a seamhead stat-geek way, either, though in the world of sports those people are needed to sort out arguments when you can’t get to a computer to check facts. No, it’s another example of the way in which sports mirror the real world. Just like how we as Americans and citizens of the world need to better understand what is going on around us, sports fans need to think for themselves outside of the realm of ESPN.
Ah, the four-letter network! I was lamenting its downward fall with a friend the other day. What was once the sole oasis of sports analysis and information is now an entertainment medium and advertising arm of Disney. Oh, sure, ESPN still provides the goods – but does everything need to always be over-dramaticized? Does every debate on SportsCenter, Around the Horn or any other show need to be an argument? Why does everything need to be packaged with a song-and-dance routine – shouldn’t sports news be enough on its own?
Sooner or later it’s going to become nothing more than a gossip show about sports stars. If we’re not careful, ESPN will hire pretty anchors who try to hard to tell jokes and plug upcoming games during pauses in the one you’re trying to watch with your friends. Wait … never mind, that happens now. And let’s not even mention the celebrity tie-ins on Monday Night Football, which I’m glad to hear were almost unanimously disliked by diehard and casual sports fans alike.
Sports fans are in danger of having their passions turned down unfortunate roads due to marketing companies and “news outlets” like ESPN. Fortunately, Web 2.0 is shifting the balance back to individuals, and that’s true in the world of sports.
Through the magic of a series of tubes, sports fans can now get dozens of articles delivered to their e-mail or RSS reader daily. Sites like TrueHoop deliver small nuggets each day, linking to newspaper NBA beat writer articles on a daily basis. If I wanted to, I could read every post-game writeup for every MLB, NBA, and NFL team around the nation – all online.
Power is being delivered to the fans via Web 2.0. However, we – sports fans and writers alike – can’t misuse it. Just because the line is blurring, and unfiltered sports opinion and news is available instantaneously (complete with funny YouTube clips, Photoshopped images, and swearing!), doesn’t mean every rule should be broken – or every tenet of journalism ignored.
I say this because I can see two different sides developing regarding sports broadcasting and sports writing. Traditionalists are bemoaning the death of newspapers, and new-school Internet users are snarky and cutting-edge; a balance, as ever in life, is needed.
Trust the beat writers, many of whom do amazing work online, but listen to the cries and wit of the more authentic fan-run blogosphere, as that’s the group that will keep traditional powers (including ESPN) from becoming monopolies. Everyone has the ability to form a valid opinion and promote it online.
Most importantly, though, enjoy sports. Games matter, yes, but it’s far from life and death; be passionate, but realistic; be knowledgeable, and read as much as you can. Get out and play sports, too. I look at the impending spring weather and think of nothing but shooting hoops or kicking a soccer ball around. It doesn’t matter that I suck at sports, just that I’m passionate and informed.