Apathy

[Redz]

I've been thinking about writing something about this for a while, but it took a couple of recent events to really solidify it for me.  More and more my feelings about pro sports, and I guess major organized sports in general, have swayed towards the side of apathy.  I just don't care like I used to.  The disconnect from reality by a lot of the people involved has gone too far for me.  I still love the games - the actual SPORTS - but I can take it or leave it.  If it's there, wonderful.  If not, I can find some other way to spend my time.  And more and more I am enjoying that time doing something else.

I love the Celts and I love hoops, but I've really had enough of the insular, privileged population of pro athletes.  Ultimately the games have suffered as the level of team competition has been drained along the NBA's inexorable path to promote the individual. 

As a kid I could see these guys as stars and be enchanted by it.  As an adult, I just don't feel it any more.

And then there's issue of the inordinate amount of power yielded by sports in our society.  The Penn State thing speaks to a living hyperbole; an inflated sense of imperviousness and entitlement.  That those involved have forgotten that the root of their power stems from a game, not a thing of actual consequence, just a distraction from our daily lives, is pretty messed up.  That our (the fans') blind devotion has enabled this is equally disturbing.

So...I'll be happy to watch and root for my teams when they play, but if they can't find a way to entertain me, I'll find some other mode of entertainment (crochet perhaps).

I liked it better when I could just worship Larry Bird!

[butterbeanlove]

Well said. We were also less saturated with sports back in the day: two or (tops) three college football games on a Saturday afternoon, none at night, etc.

I miss the C's, Mike and Tommy, but I don't miss NBA games featuring other NBA teams. I'd be fascinated to see whether Kemba Walker can live up to his draft position, etc. but I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to watch other NBA games.

Same with the NFL outside of my favorite teams. And I'll skip baseball and hockey - although I'm willing to check out rugby and even soccer on the odd Saturday morning. Or even reading a book.

[BASS_THUMPER]

butter bean....

wassup playa?

[Q_FBE]

Peace out fellas, I am moving on to womens tennis and figure skating and solving sudoku puzzles. Wake me up in twitter when the Celtics start playing basketball.

[slamtheking]

I am moving on to womens tennis and figure skating

Can slitting wrists be far behind?   

[Q_FBE]

I am moving on to womens tennis and figure skating

Can slitting wrists be far behind?   

I also play chess on line. Looks like I will sign up for more on line chess tournaments and play well I watch womens tennis and figure skating to cure my lockout talk induced insomnia.

[PierceMVP08]

To me, I think this is a very natural progression.  This happened for me, not due to the recent lockout or the Penn State scandal, but growing up.  In college I got to see what the athletes at BC were like (scumbags) and I realized these are just men, nothing special about them.  I couldn't root for my own team because I wouldn't root for a creep.

Now having graduated, I work full time, run a non-profit organization and spend quality time with those that matter to me.  I still love the Celtics and the game, but it's not to the level it previously was (I would stay in while all my friends or family went out just to watch the game).  They are no longer anything more than entertainers to me.  I like to keep them away from reality and I'm ok with that.

[butterbeanlove]

butter bean....

wassup playa?

Not much, just bracing for another pleasant Boston winter. How u?

[Kiorrik]

Wow, isn't Boston (or rather "Celtic Pride") all about the TEAM as opposed to the individual?

I hear what you're saying Redz, but don't you miss rooting for that group of guys in green? Hoping BBD takes another charge, KG gets down on all four again, Rondo throws another ridiculous cross-court bounce pass, Ray hit that shot from the corner, Paul turns around and fades away as he puts it in, Delonte stifling a backup point-guard on D, etc?

There's a lot more to sports than just the individual. And yeah, I get pretty angry too when I see the way the game gets called in favor of the "greats". But that's not the core of the game. I still enjoyed watching my Celtics, and was proud for what they have accomplished. Every single one of them.

And I'm hoping it's not over just yet.




That said, I see where you're coming from, and I'm there too :p I can detach myself from the NBA just fine, playing basketball outside, taking a dip in the pool, playing some games, building sites, etc. There's plenty of stuff to do out there.

... but I do miss it, whenever I see a green jersey, cap or shoe.

[Kuberski33]

Redz you've summed up why the NFL is a much stronger entity than the NBA.  In the NFL it really is all about the jersey.  Players come and go but each Sunday its about spending 3 hours following your team.  With the Celtics, its definitely all about the brand.  But league-wide its about the stars - and therein lies the rub of why more people aren't upset about this lockout.  The passion for a lot of these teams is lacking. And I'm sure there are a lot of reasons for this. 

I'm a lifelong Celtics fan, I buy tickets, I enjoy the games...but I don't miss it all that much.  At least not yet.

In general I question the passion of NBA fans just based upon how the sport markets itself - it's entertainment first, sport 2nd.  NFL on the other hand is all about who wins and loses on Sunday.

I would not be a happy camper if there were no football.  if there's no NBA, I'll find something else to do with my time. 

[guava_wrench]

As a kid I could see these guys as stars and be enchanted by it.  As an adult, I just don't feel it any more.

Perhaps because you are an adult?

People are jaded in general these days anyway.

[Edgar]

[Edgar]

BTW

I am enchanted

[Celtics4ever]

You posted here as fan of the Celtics on a Blog about them.   That is hardly apathetic.

[Redz]

You posted here as fan of the Celtics on a Blog about them.   That is hardly apathetic.

Hmmm, now this is interesting, because I actually thought about my "relationship" with CelticsBlog while reflecting on my post.  Over the years my involvement on this blog have leaned more and more towards the "off topic" stuff and less with the nuts and bolts of the Celtics and the NBA.  I tend to participate more about the Celtics on game days, and less in scrutinizing potential signings, who's getting minutes, who we should draft, etc etc...

Maybe I'm still burned out from the intensity of the `08 and `10 runs.

As a kid I could see these guys as stars and be enchanted by it.  As an adult, I just don't feel it any more.

Perhaps because you are an adult?

People are jaded in general these days anyway.

True enough.

Wow, isn't Boston (or rather "Celtic Pride") all about the TEAM as opposed to the individual?

I hear what you're saying Redz, but don't you miss rooting for that group of guys in green? Hoping BBD takes another charge, KG gets down on all four again, Rondo throws another ridiculous cross-court bounce pass, Ray hit that shot from the corner, Paul turns around and fades away as he puts it in, Delonte stifling a backup point-guard on D, etc?

There's a lot more to sports than just the individual. And yeah, I get pretty angry too when I see the way the game gets called in favor of the "greats". But that's not the core of the game. I still enjoyed watching my Celtics, and was proud for what they have accomplished. Every single one of them.

And I'm hoping it's not over just yet.




That said, I see where you're coming from, and I'm there too :p I can detach myself from the NBA just fine, playing basketball outside, taking a dip in the pool, playing some games, building sites, etc. There's plenty of stuff to do out there.

... but I do miss it, whenever I see a green jersey, cap or shoe.

Yes, I do get my game face on still when there is a game, but I don't yearn for the games when they're not there.

Redz you've summed up why the NFL is a much stronger entity than the NBA.  In the NFL it really is all about the jersey.  Players come and go but each Sunday its about spending 3 hours following your team.  With the Celtics, its definitely all about the brand.  But league-wide its about the stars - and therein lies the rub of why more people aren't upset about this lockout.  The passion for a lot of these teams is lacking. And I'm sure there are a lot of reasons for this. 

I'm a lifelong Celtics fan, I buy tickets, I enjoy the games...but I don't miss it all that much.  At least not yet.

In general I question the passion of NBA fans just based upon how the sport markets itself - it's entertainment first, sport 2nd.  NFL on the other hand is all about who wins and loses on Sunday.

I would not be a happy camper if there were no football.  if there's no NBA, I'll find something else to do with my time. 

Very much agreed about the NFL.  I can't name more than a few players on most teams, but I can tell you whether they are a defensive team or an offensive one, and how they've fared against various other teams over the course of the season. 

But again, I was happy that the NFL got it together in time to play a full season, but I wasn't going to sweat if it there was no football.