(This is about football mainly...people who follow other sports may disagree)
I love sport. Or at least...I thought I did. I used to think, from watching it, I'd see glimpses of purity, and the humanity common to all, which would be shown by the rare moments of sportsmanship, where the players would occasionally rise above themselves, and acknowledge that, at the end of the day, it was indeed just a game.
I loved how team sports were reliant in equal measure on individual skill and collective will, and how, maybe, perhaps, at the highest level, with players exhibiting perfect technique, it becomes less of a sport, and more of an art. There's a special, intangible element present. See here for what I mean.
I loved how sport was a perfect example of the manifesting of human potential through endeavour at the highest level (on the physical plane), and how one could take inspiration from that and apply it to growth on the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual planes.
But I don't see it anymore. The sportsmanship is going, and money proliferates. Money is now necessary for the sport to flourish at the highest level. As a result, the heart is gone, and the cold, ruthless brain dictates how teams play...they don't play to win anymore...they just play to avoid loss. Parasitic elements like agents proliferate. Players are becoming prima donnas. Fans have no patience when their team loses.
And so it is that I'm beginning to drift away. Perhaps the beauty of sport, and the true corinthian spirit that I seek is not to be found at the highest level anymore, but in just playing for the sake of playing, with friends and family, where it matters not whether you win, draw or lose, but how you play the game.
Perhaps the fault lies with me, for reading too much into what is essentially a human creation, and so eventually, inherently flawed.
6 years ago
Ahsant bro. I agree that football is turning into more of an industry than a sport, with rich russians or arabs coming in and making things all about money. I also agree that teams and fans are impatient if they don't get good results, that's why we see managers being sacked season in and out.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, the joy of watching football itself still remains, the atmosphere in the crowd, the intensity, the marvellous goals scored etc.
I don't think you are reading too much into it, everybody is seeing what is happening - if you read the 606 forums on the BBC you'll find that a lot of football fans are seeing it too.
The internal politics of football clubs and the money may be a downside, but watching the game onfield is still beautiful.
Nice article bro
Salaam,
ReplyDeletenice article, though I must say, I dont quite like the football craze. it is no longer a sport, a game. its more of a religion. the excitement and emotions it arouses, the time people are willing to spend watching footie, discussing footie, living and dying footie is more than a little alarming. forGodssake... what does it matter which club has which player, or how many points behind a certain team is? too many people are so absorbed by sport they forget that anything you dedicate so much time and your thought and energy to stops being a game and becomes Ibadah. Allah (swt) says:
"Wa maa Khalaqtul insa wal jinnah illa liya3budoon.."
seriously, during the UEFA season or whatever other seasons there are.. how much time do our youth spend watching, discussing, debating, dreaming, wearing and playing football? too MUCH!
we have become servants of sport. too much la3ib and lahw. honestly, do we really have the time for all that? our greatest excuse for not doing so many things is time. but I think it is just priorities. anyone who can dedicate at least 90 minutes to watching footie a day, has more than enough time to do other more beneficial things, for instance increase their knowledge, interact more with family etc (not by discussing sport!)
peace.