It has not been explained to me why people enjoy doing things which cause them damage, nor why people enjoy watching other people doing things that damage themselves.
What’s the attraction? Money… okay. Girls… okay. Should so much money and sex be based on one’s willingness toward self-destruction, and others’ willingness to pay well for watching it happen?
What is the pleasure in seeing someone do a self-destructive thing with greater “success” than one can achieve oneself?
Dunno. It’s in the genes? Fifty year old geezer here, basketball player in my younger days, turned to raquetball afterwards. Honestly can’t recall how many injuries I’ve had, from a torn knee ligament to countless fractures, pulls, sprains, etc. – in fact still in recovery/therapy from a broken humerus (at shoulder level) I suffered four months ago while crashing into the front wall during a raquetball match.
Can’t wait to get back on the court.
Let’s be honest. This is just another sports are stupid thread, isn’t it?
There’s still a risk of injury. You could pull a muscle or slip and suffer an injury while doing Yoga. You could misstep while walking and twist your ankle. You’re premise is false. There is no physical activity you can engage in that does not have risks associated with it. Granted, you’re less likely to be hurt while walking or engaging in Yoga then you are boxing or playing football, but the risk is still there.
Marc
Nothing Special, what is the overriding principle which you seek to apply in order to ban most sports: that people should never be allowed to injure themselves in any way? That people can’t be trusted to make decisions about exercise? That people who sprain their ankle doing something they enjoy are actually immoral people who hate America?
Another question: I’m a black belt in a martial art. I’ve had various muscle pulls and strains, a black eye once, a lot of minor scrapes and bruises, and that’s pretty much it. In your view, what is mentally or morally wrong with me?
To reiterate, that is because–excepting boxing and possibly football–you’ve yet to prove that people enjoy either.
Let’s start with an easier question:
Why do some people like the color blue?
Unfortunately you have yet to prove that sports of any kind automatically result in the particpants causing damage to one another. Is damage defined as permanent harm or any injury? Your entire premise is false, ie. sports are always damaging, so therefore everything you say after that is false. You’re building a house of cards.
Competition is fun. I played football for many years and it was thrilling to go out there on the field and compete against the other team. Knocking the guy across from you on his ass, bashing the opposing quarter back, or smashing through the line and making a touchdown is quite a rush. I found that boxing and wrestling provided me with a much better rush.
Granted, there are other places where you might feel a similar rush. Winning a debate, making a scientific discover, etc. Then again you still face risks with those. You might accidentally jab yourself with a needle infected with some horrible monkey virus in the lab or your professional reputation could suffer if you write a paper that turns out to be poorly crafted. Life is a risk, Sport, there’s always a chance you’re going to get hurt one way or another.
Marc
Well, you could always lessen the risk by walking over a long stretch of bubble-wrap and practice Yoga in a room with padded walls. Or is that the other way around?
Yoga and walking carry risks too, of course, especially depending on the way they’re practiced. I’m an Iyengar yoga gal myself, where we’re very careful about proper physical alignment and safety, but I know plenty of people even in the Iyengar school who’ve had injuries. And some other schools are much more taxing (I don’t know any serious Ashtanga yoga practitioner who hasn’t had a pretty severe injury at some point, for example).
All forms of sport and exercise carry risk/benefit tradeoffs. Every person has to decide for him/herself the point at which the mental/emotional/physical rewards of the activity stop outweighing the risks. But no challenging physical activity is reliably risk-free.
I might be somewhat more receptive to your point if it was only about professional sports, which do have their exploitative side (especially in the way they use up so many young hopefuls to sift out the lucky few who make it as pros). But you seem to be deploring all participation in sports of almost any kind, and I think that’s too sweeping.
One think I’ll agree with the OP on: regular guys shouldn’t play tackle football when they’re 40 years old, like I did. I wasn’t much of a football player to begin with, but that was the last time I ever gave that a try-- fortunately my back healed after a few weeks! 
I think both questions have been answered VERY thoroughly. People enjoy all sorts of damaging activities (drinking, drugs, rough sex… list goes on). The acts in question bring pleasure to the people who are doing them - being good at something FEELS good - and then there’s the money and the acclaim of your peers. Aren’t these the same things that drive anybody to do anything?
When you assess how self-destructive most sports really are, I don’t think it’s a big problem. The money athletes make is ridiculous, but that’s a function of the amount of money they make for the owners of their teams and the people who sell sports-related merchandise. If people enjoy paying for those things, why IS it a problem?
Wish fulfillment? Again, fans and participants don’t usually think of these acts as self-destructive. Your repeated use of that description implies that there’s a sadistic side to it, which is usually not the case.
Um, there are **non-contact ** martial arts tournaments.
People play American Football for the money and the glory.
It’s a classic US sport, because it’s perfect for TV (with regular breaks in play).
What statistics are you thinking of to show heading a ball is ‘quite damaging’?!
You can get a knee injury standing up from a chair or doing yoga.
Throwing is not allowed in cricket.
I think you need to reconsider your sweeping statements, since you clearly are not up on all the various sports.
Tennis is violent?
Volleyball is violent?
You must use a different dictionary from me!
In your terms, walking is certainly ‘dangerous’. You could strain something, get attacked by a dog, get run over or mugged. :eek:
What % of golfers have to retire through your ‘back problems’?
Decapitation? Meteor strike? Blunt force trauma? Percussive damage to eardrums?
Do you have any cites at all, or is this just your “I detest sport” thread?
Can someone explain how tennis is violent? I’m just a bit doubtful that the OP is taking this seriously. There is zero physical contact, and it’s rare that the ball even hits a player. Or am I to believe that running and making a swinging motion is violent?
I got swimmer’s ear once, oh…and green hair from the chlorine. Those were pretty traumatic and life threatening. Both have cut down my life expectancy and pain free existence tremendously. :dubious:
As for Golf…just don’t get hit by lightning or fly in a plane with a depressurized cabin…
Gene Sarazen (1902 - 1999)
Byron Nelson (1912 - )
Sam Snead (1912 - )
Walter Hagen (1892 - 1969)
Arnold Palmer (1929 - )
Gary Player (1935 - )
Actually, Senna’s death was more the result of the actions of others (for example, the mechanics who designed and built the steering column that failed.)
Earnhardt’s death was the result of him trying to do something good and allow his son and his close friend to decide the race between themselves. If Earnhardt wasn’t blocking for Waltrip and Little E, he wouldn’t have been in a position to get turned.
I think your premise is flawed because it fails to recognize that there is an inherent desire to compete, to compare your abilities to others. Yoga isn’t competitive.
Byron Nelson died earlier this year, and Snead died in 2002. Arnie is still with us.
How can you possibly not wait to get back at it? You’re hurt. You’re bound to get more hurt if you continue.
Something is very wrong, here.
No, it’s a “These things are damaging to us and why do we do them,” thread. I hope.
Because it’s fun! There’s really no other answer to be given. People play sports because they enjoy them.