13 May 2008
“Trinity” of Sports Demonstrates American Beliefs
Popular games cast light on moral decisions in real life, says religion scholar
Throughout history, sports express core beliefs of the societies from which they emerge, starting with their display of principles for how the individual person should relate to society. In the United States, the games of American football, baseball and basketball illustrate fundamental values of the country and the striving to reconcile individual freedom with sacrifice for the common good, argues Craig A. Forney, a professor of religious studies. The author says that the three sports provide a key to moral decisions in real-life situations and an insight into collective dreams of Americans.
Football, baseball and basketball illustrate American values for ethical decisionmaking, beginning with their portrayal of convictions about relations of the individual citizen to the nation.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – COLLECTIVE ACTION
The game of American football, the “ultimate team sport” in the United States, expresses dedication to self-sacrifice and to action as a collective force during times of crisis. The ball carrier follows the blocking of many teammates, the offensive linemen work together to protect the quarterback and free up a teammate to handle the ball for the benefit of the team.
On defense, players cooperate to “team tackle” the opponent with the ball. They strive to tip a threatening pass for someone else to intercept. In kicking situations, individuals almost link arms in the creation of a human wall to keep the opposition away from the kicker or kick returner, who uses the ball for the good of the team.
The game of football displays great concern for actions as a collective group, revealing American devotion to unified efforts as a nation and voluntary restraint on individualism in times of crisis.
This collectivist ethic pervades every corner of the game. Players are members of a group, numbered 1 to 99. Helmet-covered heads and heavily padded bodies hide their individual features and further convey the commitment to selfless identity. Individual players run on and off the field unannounced, routinely entering or exiting a game as “units.” After each play, they huddle together to re-establish the uniformity of purpose and action.
Even football fans exhibit the collectivism of the sport, often rising as one to shout in a deafening roar. In Pittsburgh, Steelers fans wave yellow “terrible towels” in unison, while the Nittany Lion faithful at Penn State University come to the games in identical white T-shirts to produce what is known as “white out” in the stands.
The cooperative efforts of fans start well before a game with the sharing of much food, drink and conversation in the parking lot. Both the players and fans of football portray American belief in self-sacrifice and collective action -- the prescribed morality for times of exceptional hardship.
BASEBALL – INDIVIDUALIST DREAM
In contrast to football, American baseball illustrates dedication to the ideal of individuality -- the virtue of individual freedom mindful of the freedoms of others. Baseball players act as independent individuals who represent a team, a sharp contrast to the group actions of football.
In American baseball, a player enters the batter’s box very much alone. He is introduced by his personal name and, sometimes, the playing of personalized music. The scoreboard displays details about the hometown and hobbies of the hitter at the plate. In a duel-like setup, one batter at a time faces one pitcher on the mound. By way of offensive and defensive performance, each player produces a unique set of statistics, generating a long list of numbers that distinguish every member of a team.
The individuality of baseball extends into all facets of the game. Teams wear uniforms of group identity, but individual players exhibit distinctive ways to shape the cap and wear the game socks. The substitution of one player for another receives public announcement and faces of individuals on the field often fill video displays and TV screens.
In baseball, the game stops to allow a player, coach or manager to express personal opinions about the rulings of an umpire. Fans raise their individual voices that are remarkably audible in a live crowd of many thousands, while the extra devout “keep score” in a personalized study of the action in a contest.
In diverse ways, the game of baseball illustrates American striving for individuality, displaying national dream of an ideal future of unprecedented liberty that does not impede common tasks.
BASKETBALL – DIFFICULT BALANCE
Representing the third element to the moral equation, basketball expresses commitment in the United States to balance collective interests with the pursuit of greater independence for individuals.
On the one hand, basketball encourages self-sacrifice for cooperation with teammates, especially by way of passing the ball. The best teams keep the basketball moving in a show of exceptional togetherness. Individual players “dish the ball off,” “pick” for, and “feed” teammates in an unselfish manner.
In “loose ball” situations, a player will dive on the floor, enduring painful contact with the ground to secure the ball for others. When not in possession of the ball, players play “team defense” to continue the group effort.
But along with its concern for cooperation, basketball also portrays aspiration for individuality, a striving for something ideal to counterbalance the periodic need for uniformity of behavior.
Basketball generates many one-on-one contests, engaging individuals in a personal struggle against individual opponents. A long list of statistics underscores the individual accomplishments by each member of a team, while court uniforms allow abundant self-expression by way of diverse tattoos, body piercings and hairstyles.
Television frequently focuses on the distinctive faces of individual players, particularly during moments of “free throws” and personalities of individual players (e.g., “Magic” Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal) dominate the game well beyond what is possible in football.
THE WORST, THE BEST, THE MOST TYPICAL
Taken together, the three most popular sports in the United States illustrate national values applied in a variety of real-life situations. Displaying moral thinking for times of exceptional adversity (e.g., external threat or natural disaster), football expresses commitment to self-sacrifice for collective action. Baseball depicts American devotion to the ideal of individuality in the service of personal self-expression and of common goals. In a perfect complement to football and baseball, basketball presents the reasoning for commonplace situations with their precarious balance between collective good and the striving for individual freedom.
