Yes, Tragedy...I Get It!

The BBQ Pit
#1

I live in SoCal so believe I understadn the devastation, the lives ruined and lost, by the fires. But whis it every fucking time something like this comes along some damn columnist or radio host or TV commentator feels compelled to remind us how unimportat sports are “in times like this”. To wit:

San Diego Tribune Columnist

BTW, this doesn’t just apply to sports but to everything in life that is apparently “unimportant”

First of all, it makes it seems like that we all don’t understand where sports is in our lives and out society, etc. Like we are all single minded idiots that cannot separate when a shooter is "on fire’ and a a house is “on fire”. Honestly, it is a bit insulting.

Secondly, it is pretty much bullshit, sports are important in our modern culture. To millions of people it provides them entertainment, community and involvement that they value. Is it the most important thing? Of course, not. Sports is one of those things, like art and literature and porn, that elevates human life from the daily drudgery of existence and survival that befits the reast of the animal kingdom. By elevate, I simply mean it helps make life worth living These tragedies are tragic because they ruin and take lives, and it is also tragic because it takes “life”, not the act of breathing, brainwaves, etc. but life, our connection with the world and people around us.

#2

nfl.com article

  1. The game has NOT been cancelled.

  2. With the air quality in San Diego, there is no way the game could be played–too dangerous for the players and fans to be outside that long.

  3. People are asked to keep freeways in San Diego clear for emergency vehicles.

  4. You need to get some perspective.

#3

Who was doing all this weeping and wailing, that the columnist felt compelled to speak out against?

If anything, I thought that the change of venue just pointed up how dire the situation is. If people are upset, I daresay they’re not upset because MFN was moved; they’re upset that the fires are that bad that MFN had to be moved.

Typical post-9/11 mentality. At every opportunity, make sure to announce how keenly aware you are of what’s Really Important.

#4

Standard debate and annoying conversationalist tactic.

By talking about something Important, I am Important. If you fail to show me proper respect by agreeing with me as I talk about The Tragedy, you are failing to show proper respect for those who suffered from The Tragedy.

#5

deb2world

Did you even read my OP?

#6

Gangster Octopus you sound surprised that I do not automatically agree with you on the status of sports in our society during a tragedy. And before you go off on you rampage on how I must be a sports hater, you need to know that I am a huge baseball and hockey fan. I don’t like football since I have to listen to the guys I work closely with put large dollars down every weekend and admit that they wouldn’t watch football if it wasn’t for the gambling.

The writer was told to write a column about the need to move the Chargers game. I don’t see it as being belittling of sports fans, but rather sympathizes with the disappointment the fans are experiencing. BUT THEY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO EITHER CANCEL THE GAME OR MOVE IT!!! How can you not understand that. He was trying to explain the reasons behind the league’s moving it. You obviously didn’t understand the article as just being one to try to explain the position of the league. Sports, and not even football, are not the end all of the world, as much as you and some of the guys I work with want to think that. Yes they provide some relief from tragedy, but how can you have a game at a stadium that is smoke filled and used as an evacution center.

I read your op as the usual whinny “whah they interruped my game”. So yes I read your op and understood it. I also understood the position of the writer and the NFL, the game had to be moved, and people deserved to hear their reasons for moving it.

#7

deb, the columnist’s tone, like yours, was condescending and needlessly combative.

Really, Mr. Canepa. I didn’t know that. Thank you for enlightening me. And thank you, deb, for jumping to the same conclusion that Mr. Canepa did: that Gangster Octopus is one of those mythical people, who I’m not convinced really exist, who want their MNF in San Diego even if people die for it.

If you live anywhere in California, you’d already have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to know that these fires are dead serious. As I said earlier, the change of locale merely illustrated the magnitude of this crisis. If people are upset, it’s because of the fires, not because of football. I honestly think the columnist manufactured this supposed hue and cry so he’d have something to rant against.

Oh, and I know it’s MNF. [Rilchiam chuckles awkwardly] Monday Night Football. Not MFN. What’s MFN? Milk For Newborns? Melons From Norway? Miners Find Nuggets?

#8

What I find interesting is griping about someone writing an emotional piece DURING an emergency. I think those of you getting upset by this article need to pick your battles better. Let me repeat, the writer was probably told to write a piece explaining why the game was moved. Was it condescending, I don’t think so, it was more emotional. But then again I am not trying to read more into his piece than he wrote.

And he and I am both entitled to the opinion that sometimes luxuries are put on hold, or in this case moved to another location. He could have also written just as passionately about how the courts were closed, how children sometimes need to stay home from school for their own safety, how non-essential gov’t services are currently not being done, etc. So he uses hyperbole, but it is an op-ed piece.

#9

I’ll concede your point about people being emotional during an emergency. But I still think you’re the one reading more into what GO wrote, rather than s/he reading too much into the column.

**

How is that an opinion*?

BTW, I just saw on the news that they closed the Starbucks in Big Bear! Oh the humanity! Of course, they’ve also evacuated every last resident…but…but they closed the Starbucks! Augh!

#10

deb, I want to offer you a qualified apology*. Not an unconditional one, because I still think you were unnecessarily harsh with GO, but I’d like to retract what I said about having to be DD&B not to know that this is a crisis.

While I was waiting for my earlier post to go through (damned hamsters), I went downstairs with Mr. Rilch to move the cars. A neighbor was leaving his apartment at the same time we were. Conversationally, I called out, “They closed the Starbucks up in Big Bear! Man, this is hardcore!”

“What’s hardcore? They’re shutting down Big Bear? Was there a crime or something?”

“No, because of the fires.”

“What fires?”

Mr. Rilch: “Dude, turn on any local channel.”

Neighbor: “I’ve been out all day. What’s happening? What fires?”

Me, thinking: “Where were you all weekend, that you’re still not aware of this?”

Mr. Rilch: “[overview of situation] This has now outpaced Northridge in cost of damage. They’re saying it’ll be the most expensive disaster in California ever.”

Neighbor: “Is that why there’s that haze [pointing to bright orange sun in overcast sky]? Yeah, I wondered why there was ash on my car.”

*and a full one for my coding error in the above post.

#11

just in times like this? :smiley:
:::d+r::::

#12

You’re forgetting the best part of that strategy-- when confronted with the faulty logic of it all, they will seamlessly change course and pronounce themselves saviors by proclaiming, ‘Well if anything, at least we got people to talk about it more than they might have before. We’ve encouraged discourse and raised awareness’.

Because, you know, discourse can solve all the problems in the world. And awareness… WOW!

This guy’s a wanker. And a hypocrite.

Shouldn’t he either be out there fighting the fire, or at home mourning? Where’d he find the time to go to work?