When Assy Beats Classy
So, the big not-news is that Barry Bonds has the new home run record. Everyone still likes Hank Aaron better, though. This pretty much sums it up. Deep thoughts to follow.
So, I am officially off my electronic media ban. I was pretty good--a few lapses here and there, but that's to be expected. One thing I really missed during my month of abstinence was sports. I did break down and watch one game (the Mariners lost. To the Red Sox. It was horrible).
I don't really like the sports writing in either of my local papers, so for the most part I read sports news online. So while I was restricting myself to print media, I didn't do much more than read box scores and check standings.
And oh, what I've missed. Actually, I didn't miss having to endure the lengthy run-up to Bonds breaking the record. All the endless pontificating about what this "means" for the game. Yeah, it sucks that someone hateable replaces someone loveable. But that's the game.* Half the time I can't even remember why I hate Bonds. Except for that stupid dangly earring he used to wear. Blech.
But this festival of Bonds-hating taps into something odd about sports celebrity: certain players are loved or hated for reasons that go well beyond either matters of play or off-field behavior. There's just something about sports-fandom that demands heroes and villains, in a way that other types of fandom don't.
Because, I think, unlike other forms of entertainment, we don't choose our sports loyalties for merit or for the satisfaction they bring us (ask a Cubs fan). I won't buy a Britney Spears album or watch a Jerry Bruckheimer show because I know that they will suck. But there have been lots of years when I know that the Mariners will suck, and I still watch the game.
It's this frankly and inescapably irrational nature of the commitment that leads to the need for good guys and bad guys, I think. I don't need to demonize Britney because she just doesn't matter when I've got the Lou Reed playing. But man, did I enjoy hating Paul O'Neill. Hating Paul O'Neill made baseball better in a way that hating Britney doesn't make music any better. I was actually sad when old Paul retired, I liked hating him so much.
And Bonds is like Paul O'Neill--he's not a monster or any more of an asshole than many other players. He just seems to fit the bill for this decade's villain.
*Although I do think that Hank Aaron's stats from the Negro Leagues should be added to his records from the Majors. But that's another post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other sports new from while I was gone:
- A few marks can be placed in the good guy column: Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripkin got into the Hall of Fame. Griffey made it to 2500 hits.
- Gary Sheffield said some offensive things. The world yawned. For whatever reason, I can't ever be annoyed with Sheffield. Yeah, he's a jerk. But he's such a patient hitter and just one of the smartest at-bats in the game, I just kind of love him.
- Rickey Henderson officially retired. And a little piece of me died. I guess we'll have to wait until I'm commissioner to get him back. And seriously, let's get cracking on that letter-writing campaign. I'm looking for a new job, and I think Commissioner of Baseball is just the ticket.
And I know this isn't a sports blog, so it'll be back to our regularly scheduled bitching about stuff tomorrow. Because this is a bitching about stuff blog.
So, I am officially off my electronic media ban. I was pretty good--a few lapses here and there, but that's to be expected. One thing I really missed during my month of abstinence was sports. I did break down and watch one game (the Mariners lost. To the Red Sox. It was horrible).
I don't really like the sports writing in either of my local papers, so for the most part I read sports news online. So while I was restricting myself to print media, I didn't do much more than read box scores and check standings.
And oh, what I've missed. Actually, I didn't miss having to endure the lengthy run-up to Bonds breaking the record. All the endless pontificating about what this "means" for the game. Yeah, it sucks that someone hateable replaces someone loveable. But that's the game.* Half the time I can't even remember why I hate Bonds. Except for that stupid dangly earring he used to wear. Blech.
But this festival of Bonds-hating taps into something odd about sports celebrity: certain players are loved or hated for reasons that go well beyond either matters of play or off-field behavior. There's just something about sports-fandom that demands heroes and villains, in a way that other types of fandom don't.
Because, I think, unlike other forms of entertainment, we don't choose our sports loyalties for merit or for the satisfaction they bring us (ask a Cubs fan). I won't buy a Britney Spears album or watch a Jerry Bruckheimer show because I know that they will suck. But there have been lots of years when I know that the Mariners will suck, and I still watch the game.
It's this frankly and inescapably irrational nature of the commitment that leads to the need for good guys and bad guys, I think. I don't need to demonize Britney because she just doesn't matter when I've got the Lou Reed playing. But man, did I enjoy hating Paul O'Neill. Hating Paul O'Neill made baseball better in a way that hating Britney doesn't make music any better. I was actually sad when old Paul retired, I liked hating him so much.
And Bonds is like Paul O'Neill--he's not a monster or any more of an asshole than many other players. He just seems to fit the bill for this decade's villain.
*Although I do think that Hank Aaron's stats from the Negro Leagues should be added to his records from the Majors. But that's another post.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other sports new from while I was gone:
- A few marks can be placed in the good guy column: Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripkin got into the Hall of Fame. Griffey made it to 2500 hits.
- Gary Sheffield said some offensive things. The world yawned. For whatever reason, I can't ever be annoyed with Sheffield. Yeah, he's a jerk. But he's such a patient hitter and just one of the smartest at-bats in the game, I just kind of love him.
- Rickey Henderson officially retired. And a little piece of me died. I guess we'll have to wait until I'm commissioner to get him back. And seriously, let's get cracking on that letter-writing campaign. I'm looking for a new job, and I think Commissioner of Baseball is just the ticket.
And I know this isn't a sports blog, so it'll be back to our regularly scheduled bitching about stuff tomorrow. Because this is a bitching about stuff blog.
posted by Feemus at
7:35 AM
6 Comments:
unlike other forms of entertainment, we don't choose our sports loyalties for merit or for the satisfaction they bring us
I don't know about that - I went to see all three of the new Star Wars movies in spite of the awfulness that transpired in the first two. I'm invested in the series.
But you're correct that while there are hero movies (ones that attract a rabid following), there are no villain movies.
By
jjdebenedictis, at 7:50 PM
Very funny! That's quite true about getting invested in a series. There's that weird combo of comfort and resentment when a series goes south (yeah, I'm looking at you, Buffy season 7. You too, Moonraker).
I guess I didn't mean so much within the drama of the game, itself. There, the other team is the villain.
I meant more in terms of the people who "act" in the drama--somehow it enhances the whole appreciation of the sport (even outside the confines of an individual game) to have villains among the actors.
Whereas, as much as I hate Tom Cruise, hating him doesn't make going to the movies better. It sure as hell doesn't make a Tom Cruise movies any better.
I don't know if that makes sense. I think my blogging skills are rusty!
By
Feemus, at 8:20 PM
No, that makes sense.
[I]n terms of the people who "act" in the drama--somehow it enhances the whole appreciation of the sport (even outside the confines of an individual game) to have villains among the actors.
When you think about it, pro. wrestling has taken that hero/villain act and blown it up until seeing the act is the whole point of watching the sport (which has nothing to do with athletics anymore.)
I wonder if it's the intrinsic interpersonal aggression involved in sports like boxing and wresting that breeds that sort of thing? In sports that don't involve one individual personally thumping another, the (perceived) heroes and villains tend to be rarer.
By
jjdebenedictis, at 12:05 AM
Pro-wrestling is just weird. And it's like a soap-opera. As you say, athleticism doesn't have anything to do with it.
It's not entirely related to your comment about boxing, but have you seen this new "free form" boxing/martial arts things? Apparently it's wildly popular, although I just heard of it. It makes boxing look like croquet. What does it do to your sense of decency to get your entertainment by watching people try to inflict maximum damage on one another?
And it doesn't do much to dispel the notion that the US is the new Rome.
Just sayin'.
By
Feemus, at 8:26 AM
have you seen this new "free form" boxing/martial arts things?
I don't own a television, so no. However, I can imagine. Every time I spend any time watching TV, I find things I can't bear to watch.
And it doesn't do much to dispel the notion that the US is the new Rome.
Come hide behind Hadrian's Wall with me. All the kilts you can wear; don't mind the thistles.
By
jjdebenedictis, at 5:51 PM
Ah the siren song of limitless kilts...
By
Feemus, at 1:25 PM
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