Long ago I once had a friend who hated sports.  He thought it was just the stupidest thing in the whole world for someone to chase after a ball, hit a ball, kick a ball, throw a ball or do any other thing with a ball.  It held no interest to him.  I also think he saw it as a waste of time.  It was not utilitarian, not for a redemptive purpose of some sort. It was frivolous. He took pride in his dislike for sports. I think he saw it as an intellectual badge of honor.  

I saw it as elitist and ignorant.  Now, I know many will say I shouldn’t say that.  That he has a right to not like sports just as I have a right to like them. And that would be true.  But I am not arguing with his dislike of sports. I am arguing with his denigration and dismissal of the sport itself, those who play the sport and those who watch it as having no value.  

I don’t watch sports a lot, but when I do I find great value in many aspects of it.  Great examples of character being revealed, for good or bad.  Beautiful  displays of physical agility, intense and amazing split-second strategic decision making, and fantastic coordination of individuals into one cohesive team among other things.

If we want humans to only be utilitarian, to be only focused on redeeming their time, money, work, effort for a specific puritan purpose, then many other activities will seem worthless to do or pay attention to, maybe even dangerous.  If sports is included in this list, then we should also include:

  • Hobbies
  • Art
  • Dancing
  • Music
  • Play
  • Movies / TV
  • Books (especially novels)
  • Decorating and landscaping
  • Celebrations such as birthdays and anniversaries

You don’t have to like sports.  But denigrating them and those who participate them doesn’t make you a better person, it makes you a lesser one.

Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman

“Sports do not build character, they reveal it.” – John Wooden, 1910 – 2010, UCLA Basketball coach.  Read about him and his UCLA teams at his wiki bio.  You will be astonished at the depth and width of his character and ability.