Fantasy is the current test of reality

By James Hall
web posted August 20, 2001

Sports do not build character. They reveal it. 
- John Wooden

Anyone who is excited with the prospects of another pro football
season, appreciates the value of escapism. All sports in general
have evolved into the distraction that 'the every man' chase a
desire to flee the hard cruel realities of life. The rage of Fantasy
Football, especially symbolizes the nature of disconnect with
current events that the fan indulges. A cursory assessment tends
to dismiss this phenomenon as camp pop culture, but a closer
review may well speak to the nature of our current society.

Once sport represented the apex of human gratification at play.
Achievement was judged by testing the limits of mental and
physical abilities to be the best. The reward was the shear joy of
recognition and self satisfaction that you competed to the best of
your abilities and were applauded for your efforts. Sports were
played to examine your character, push your limits and measure
your abilities against others. Who could say any of these worthy
objectives are at play today?

NFL Football is the national sport. It more closely resembles the
evolving social trends than any other indicator. Our society is a
mirror of a game that once encompassed the essence of the
human struggle against the elements of nature and competing
warriors. The symbol of this era was the spent sacrifice of an
average quarterback who achieved miracles. The famous photo
of an exhausted Y.A Tittle captures the meaning of the game that
each fan treasured in their heart and desired to know for
themselves. The America of this period was not that long ago,
but now seems to be from a different century.

Who can forget the adroit and inventive annotations of Howard
Cosell, who brought class and perspective to a national
institution. Compare this level of commentary with Dennis Miller
and you have a vivid reminder that our society has entered into a
course and vulgar culture that has the full support of a national
network. Mr Miller's best work is as an actor on film, his humor
and attitude is tasteless, but that seems to be the edge that the
league has adopted.

Pete Rosell created a pearl of competitive dueling. While, Paul
Tagliabue has presided over the exploitation of entertainment
excess. Is this decline the result of demands from the public, or is
it primarily motivated to reap unconscionable income, at the cost
of fan affordability? Are we really being entertained with the
musical chair trades of free agency? And what sense of
community loyalty can survive when faces change, stars blow out
ACL's and ticket prices go through the roof?

Having experienced games as one of the masses and on more
than one occasion in a skybox, you can be assured there is a
class distinction that is ever widening. Back some ten years ago a
game in the cat bird seat was over $12,500. With the erection of
all the new corporate named fields, just what are the prices in
today's costs? Tax payers are left with the tab for most of these
stadiums, but do they really benefit from their existence? And we
are all told there is no inflation.

The salaries of the players have gone into the stratosphere.
Career ending injuries are routine, occurring daily. Athletes reject
the responsibility of being role models. Narcotic use and
enhancement drugs are commonplace. And off field violence is
so frequent that most incidents don't receive widespread media
coverage. Who would dare call this a game, anymore!

Examples of heroes of courage and earned respect are
numerous. The durability of Jimmy Brown, the generalship of a
Johnny Unitas and the bravado of a Joe Namath is seldom seen
today. It has been replaced with a violence that exists within a
culture that transcends combat on the turf. The violent world of
Sam Huff, has now expanded to the homes and clubs of the
rogue gladiator. But why should we be surprised? Isn't this the
exact kind of behavior that is infecting our entire urban society?

The motivation to invest the time and energy to match wits within
the arena of a 'Fantasy online Game', is a natural response to the
reality that the one that is being played on the field, has become
the real fantasy. One that no longer has the value of inspiration
that it once commanded. Escape becomes desirable when the
mechanisms of social interaction break down. The average man
knows intuitively that society is out of control and that the bread
and circus culture has become not only very expensive, but no
long offers worthwhile sport. Paid TV will inevitably replace
broadcast as the only means to indulge in the warfare of the
gridiron.

Yes, we all suffer from emotional overload as our political
institutions continue to deteriorate. Relief, as temporary as it
might be, is eagerly sought. So swallow your disgust, and
prepare for another season. Since few of you are willing to enter
the battle zone of political combat, we can still hope to find that
spirit of the next Y.A. Tittle. Who knows, miracles may still be
possible.

James Hall, AKA Sartre, is the driving force behind Breaking all
the Rules (http://pages.zdnet.com/sartre/RULES/index.html), a
collection of his essays.

Visit the official Y.A. Tittle homepage at http://www.yatittle.com/

Enter Stage Right - http://www.enterstageright.com