Who?

Name the professional athletes you respect the most and why.

Let me start out by mentioning professional athletes I know. Um, yes, give me a moment. Wait… Uhhhh…

Okay, so I don’t follow any professional sport. I know some athletes’ names from news stories (winning Wimbledon, imprisoned for dog fighting, that sort of thing), or from hyped appearances on things.

The prompt seems to be imply that I should respect them for their behavior off the field/court/whatsis. But I don’t take time for any sport, much less follow them beyond that.

Odd memory: for the brief time I was in Mensa (courtesy of my GRE scores), I went to a social gathering. An older woman (probably younger than I am now!) wanted to get the conversation going. She asked, “What sports team do you follow and why?” I had nothing, since I followed no sport then, or now.

I’ve often said that too much money is involved in professional sports. (College and high school sports, too—how many arts and music programs have been cut to free up funds for that new stadium, new uniforms, etc?) Maybe we should be encouraging more people to be active and play sports rather than passively watching them while consuming high-fat snacks?

I know people find them relaxing (when not throwing things at the screen or screaming profanities), but the bread and circuses aspect really does distract the populace from things they should be focused on. Like childhood obesity. Instead of glorifying a star athlete, get everyone involved.

On a side note: one of the things that drives me crazy are people who listen to others talk about sports. I always bring up Plato’s ideal forms and how a painting of a chair is two steps removed from the original form of the chair conceived of by the Universe. Playing, watching, and then talking about the sport is also too many steps away.

On the lighter side, and to present both sides of the argument, I offer this: