politics and sports

[anvi]

This is a very impressionistic sort of question, but I feel the need to ask it anyway.  To what extent would you say that being an adherent of a political party in the U.S. nowadays is like rooting for one favorite sports team?  The analogy is fairly simple.  We are predominantly not interested in finding really effective solutions to complex problems.  We vaguely pick a political team that conforms to our own overarching ideals, and we are manipulated by political professionals and media into rooting for our team in an unqualified way and keeping score of victories and defeats.  We would no more root for the party normally opposed to our ideals to address a specific problem than we would root for a sports team we don't fancy.  And we view results of legislation like box scores too, winner-take-all.  To what degree do you think U.S. politics has become about spectacle rather than about reality?

[minionofmidas]

A large one. Not that the phenomenon is new or limited to the US, of course, though it seems perhaps worst there - which of course is due to the somewhat weird ideological makeup of both parties.

[angus]

To what degree do you think U.S. politics has become about spectacle rather than about reality?

I think you make a good analogy.  I usually use Pepsi versus Coke, because we have just two big parties, whereas if you don't like the Red Sox you could root for the Yankees or any other AL team, so it's not a dichotomy.  But yeah, when it comes down to it, the rooting for D and R isn't unlike the way we root for Yankees over Red Sox or vice-versa, the main difference being that most sports fans usually know something intelligent about their favorite teams (stats, injuries, records, roster, etc.), whereas most voters could maybe tell you who's pitching for the Democrats, but not who's coaching or injured or next in the batting lineup.

[fezzyfestoon]

It's the exact same thing.  The issues matter less and less every election.  And it's not as though we should care about the issues, almost nothing changes between administrations.  It's a cast of opposing characters pulling all sorts of stunts to get people excited and root for them.  It's like a football game, they alternate being on defense and offense.  Right now the Democrats are on defense and they're about to allow a touchdown.

[patrick1]

I approve of this analogy and can have a lot of fun with it. 



Illegal use of hands.  10 yard penalty. Automatic First down.

[© tweed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLbckGjuYpk

[fezzyfestoon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLbckGjuYpk

Haha I love how snobby political nerds are about sports.  As if they're somehow doing something more worthwhile.

[Boris]

right now my ranking in terms of interest is: NHL > NFL > NBA > MLB >>>>>> US Politics > UK Politics > EPL > Canadian Politics

Six years ago, it definitely went US Politics > MLB > NFL > NBA > NHL >>>>>>> Canadian Politics > UK Politics > EPL

I mean, how can anyone prefer 2010 US Politics to 2004, 2006, and 2008? The Tea Party is boring, dumb, and ephemeral. We all already know what's going to happen in November. California and Wisconsin are like the only two interesting races....It's just a total snoozefest. 2012 might be fun if Obama loses; 1992 and 1980 were definitely interesting and exciting. Maybe he could pull off an exciting 2004-esque victory but something weird would have to happen. Otherwise, if he wins, it'll probably be another boring season.

[nclib]

There are some similarities, but ultimately in politics, one party does not necessarily lose when the other party wins (and visa versa) in terms in policy.

[Hatman 🍁]

right now my ranking in terms of interest is: NHL > NFL > NBA > MLB >>>>>> US Politics > UK Politics > EPL > Canadian Politics

Six years ago, it definitely went US Politics > MLB > NFL > NBA > NHL >>>>>>> Canadian Politics > UK Politics > EPL

While I am happy for the improvement of the NHL on your list, I am disappointed by the dropping of Canadian politics.

This is fun though, I want to do one.

For me...

Curling > Canadian Politics >>>>> NHL > CFL > American Politics >>>>>>> UK Politics/Australia Politics/German/French, etc > MLS > Canadian University Sports >>>> MLB/NBA >>>>> EPL >>>>>> Watching paint dry >>>>> NFL >>>>> US College sports

[Boris]

Canadian Politics >>>>> NHL

What? Did you watch games 5-7 of Canadiens-Capitals earlier this year? Or game 7 of Flyers-Bruins? Or the Stanley Cup Finals? The NHL is a million times more exciting than listening to Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, and Michael Ignatieff drone on about meaningless nonsense.

[fezzyfestoon]

No no no no no

NFL>NHL>US Politics>College basketball>College football>other crap, especially boring Canadian crap

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

right now my ranking in terms of interest is: drunken bitches >>>> NHL > NFL > NBA > MLB >>>>>> US Politics > UK Politics > EPL > Canadian Politics

HAHA THIS BRITISH GIRL I WAS LIKE SUP HOW ABOUT YOUR PRIME MINISTER

AND SHE WAS LIKE OH WANNA TOUCH MY BOOB

AND I WAS LIKE, SH-YAAAAH I WANNA TOUCH YOUR BOOB

THEN WE MADE OUT BUT SHE WASN'T AS HOT AS THIS LATVIAN CHICK

[Vepres]

LOL at irrational cynicism.

[Mint]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLbckGjuYpk

Haha I love how snobby political nerds are about sports.  As if they're somehow doing something more worthwhile.

i'm going to start playing a drinking game with tweed's posts.

[Hatman 🍁]

Canadian Politics >>>>> NHL

What? Did you watch games 5-7 of Canadiens-Capitals earlier this year? Or game 7 of Flyers-Bruins? Or the Stanley Cup Finals? The NHL is a million times more exciting than listening to Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, and Michael Ignatieff drone on about meaningless nonsense.

I never said Canadian politics was interesting, I just like it a lot more than hockey. Don't get me wrong, I love hockey, but I also love Canadian politics. And it's a lot more than just Steve, Iggy and Dear Leader Jack.