Why Football is Important

You might be like me and have friends who decry sports - and football in particular as a complete waste of time. "There's really no point to the game," notes my friend Sue. "The guys talk for a few minutes then a few minutes later everyone falls on top of one guy. Nothing ever happens." I completely disagree. Sure it does seem that there's a lot of planning and not a lot of action but that might just be the point. When men gather to strategize they use their bodies, their minds, their passion. Sometimes a remarkable play does occur and the quarterback hurls the ball with beauty and precision. Or a running back breaks past the ranks of men and breaks free to score. Again, strategy, action, passion.

I think football and organized sports are vital to men. Here's why, if they didn't use their minds and bodies on these activities, their need for motion and emotion would have no vent. Instead of channeling their energy into a game they would seek some outlet, and I'm guessing it would not be an innocuous one. Most modern countries have organized sports - football in the USA, soccer in the most Eastern and European countries. Now look at areas that don't have organized sports. Let's say, oh, the Middle East. Let me pose a question. If these guys were so busy playing, betting on or watching sports do you think they would have time to blow up the bookstore or cafe. If they exhausted themselves engaging in sports they might not have the energy or anger to vent towards each other.

Sports and violence do go together but you can't take away what is natural to the male. Action, movement, decision, these are all within the realm of the masculine, as much as emotional, expressive and nurturing are aspects of the feminine. So to all those who decry football as violent or worse, stupid take heed. I'd rather have my men warring on a football field than in a military zone.