The Sporting Life in 2012

It's no secret that The Southern Donkey has been known to play some golf. I have a strong background in sports including basketball, softball, football and various others. I've lost a lot of my sports addiction over the past few years for many reasons but part of my dissatisfaction comes from the fact that corporate America has tried to make sports into a business and they have become all about story lines and not about the games or the competition. Giant corporations have taken control of the teams and the events and are mostly concerned with exacting as much profit out as possible.
Sports have also become the domain of religion much like politics. With conservative corporate America running the show, the tendency has become to appeal to a base of religious fans who are fascinated with the white christian American story line. This in part explains the fall of Tiger Woods and the rise of Tim Tebow and the likes of Bubba Watson. It's ironic that I was on the verge of posting some comments about Bubba Watson being the Tim Tebow of the PGA but I restrained myself because I didn't want to offend people on either my golf or political pages but then, as it turns out, Bubba and Tebow are buddies and they media has gone crazy with the hype.
I believe that white America to a large degree still holds a grudge back to boxing being taken over by African Americans as well as the NFL, basketball and even baseball. The longing for a great white hope still lingers in the hearts of some and the Nationalism that took hold after 911 only further cemented the desire for a non Muslim hero to emerge on the scene. The PGA is controlled and dominated by wealthy white christians and they have mixed religion, politics, sports and patriotism to levels that make me want to just puke. They constantly have military day, do huge segments about some members holding religious services on the course and the announcers are almost 100% male and white. The sport seems to try to discriminate based on financial abilities and the charitable giving that is done is only a means to ease the critical eyes that would dare gaze upon the huge profits being made.
If you're a fan of Tebow or Bubba or any other great white hope, it's not a problem and you have every right to be a fan of whoever you chose but all I ask is for some balance. When is the last time that you supported or the corporate media did a story on an athlete of a non christian faith or who might be an atheist? Why do we never ask if God was responsible for the loses and the interceptions as well as the wins and touchdowns? I'm perfectly willing to allow others the freedom to focus on and be a fan of anyone just as long as I also receive the same courtesy to dislike players and athletes, especially the ones that I'm told that I have to like and approve of. I ask today, that you broaden your horizon and decide for yourself what your opinions are in every situation in this life. Only by thinking for yourself can you truly have solid and grounded reasons for the life that you live. Freedom to agree as well as disagree without demonizing others can make us strong and if your product is really a good one, why would you ever fear competition?

Think about it..... TSD