Sports Can Reunite Us

 

Do you know what 24/7 Sports Networks have that other 24/7 News stations do not? Fun. Hope. Common Interest. Outside of sports, this modern society isn't fun anymore. 

The other networks are in the business of dividing. That's how they engage their audience, exposing differences and encouraging anger towards the differences. That moves the dial for them. They'll never change, they have zero incentive. That's why you sometimes ask yourself, "Why don't they ever report on something positive?" 

And I have news for you young readers, well before my 50th birthday I learned, you're gonna have differences with every single human being you ever meet.......ever. Whether large or small differences, you won't find anyone you agree 100% across the board with, might as well learn to work with people and be loving.

With sports, teams come together regardless of race, socio-economic background, and even nationality. The players have a common cause and their fanbase just wants to cheer them on for the season.

Don't get me wrong, some networks have tried employing the marketing strategy of 24/7 political talk by being overly controversial with politics, but in the end....the sports themselves are in the spotlight. 

The fact is, as former football coach Bill Curry once said "the miracle of sport." In the huddle, it doesn't matter whether you're black, white, Middle Eastern, Latino, Asian or Native American. It matters not whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, or believe in any other religion or in no religion. It does not matter whether you are young or old, gay or straight, or come from a rich family or poor family. It shouldn't matter if you're Republican, Democrat, Independent, or otherwise. The team simply cannot win unless everyone pulls together. Imagine if that power of sports spread to all institutions and communities across the country.

Sports has an opportunity now. Former President Obama knew the significance of sports, in 2017 stating,

"Throughout our history, sports has had this power to bring us together, even when our country is divided. Sports has changed attitudes and culture in ways that seem subtle, but that ultimately made us think differently about ourselves and who we are. It is a game and a celebration, but there is a direct line between Jackie Robinson and me standing here. . . . And sports has a way, sometimes, of changing hearts in a way that politics or business doesn’t.  And sometimes it’s just a matter of us being able to escape and relax from the difficulties of our days, but sometimes it also speaks to something better in us.  And when you see this group of folks of different shades and different backgrounds, and coming from different communities and neighborhoods all across the country, and then playing as one team, and . . . celebrating each other and being joyous in that, that tells us a little something about what America is and what America can be. So it is entirely appropriate that we celebrate the Cubs today, here in this White House, on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday because it helps direct us in terms of what this country has been and what it can be in the future.”

We shouldn't need bad things to happen for sports to take a leadership role and bring out the best of us and our country, the biggest being diversity. We are diverse in so many ways. Ethnicity and race, gender, age brackets, cultural backgrounds, socioeconomically, religion, and yes.... politics. That last one keeps tripping us up because somewhere along the way, political talk flooded the market on all media platforms. And the discourse was, and still is, vitriolic.  

I hope as the Olympics and football season nears, the major networks see the opportunity for unity, hope, and fun as viewing audiences rise (Olympics and football typically gain the most viewers). Remind sports fans that we are not that dissimilar in general, regardless of who we are voting for in November or beyond. Much like rooting for different teams, there's no reason to hate someone with differences. Whether those differences are physical, racial, financial, or political. 

Hey, at least they never called Saban the biggest threat to football ever. Well, if they did, it was a compliment and not some sort of call to battle for Non-Bama fans. 

And I often question myself for writing these articles, knowing the guy who is willing to punch a fan because they cheer for someone different is likely not reading my articles. However, change in discourse starts with ourselves. Tune out political networks and immerse yourself in sports. Don't hate someone cause they root for Michigan (we can still have fun banter). Avoid altercations in the stands. Just have fun, dammit. 

And, hopefully, this article doesn't come off as preachy, it's just concerning that partisanship and division are spiraling out of control in this country. I can barely stand to log into social media these days. People are arguing, bashing, and complaining about everything. 

However, I've tuned into several sports networks today, and I have tons of hope. Hope that once again sports can save us.  

Sport is a powerful tool for social integration and inclusion, whilst having the power to unite people in challenging times. And now is the time. 

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