Monday, February 02, 2009

Super bowl

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Super Bowl Super Coverage

Abstract:
Spartan Daily writers Stephanie Vallejo and Jessica Ayala weigh in with their predictions for Sunday's big game between Arizona and Pittsburgh.

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Ted Rudow III,MA 2/02/09
Sports really foster the spirit of competition. It's the spirit of the world the "me first" spirit--do what's best for yourself, win no matter who you have to hurt or step on in order to get ahead of the next guy. That's the spirit of the world, which is just the opposite of what Jesus wants to teach people--to love your neighbor as yourself.
Of course, some form of sports is fine. It's good exercise and can be good fun. But things in the world are so different, and when athletes get to the professional level where they're being paid to win, it gets extremely competitive. It becomes almost a life-and-death spirit. For example, the soccer players in the World Cup practically ran themselves to exhaustion, suffered injuries and bruises, and still kept playing, because they wanted to win no matter what it cost them physically.
It's a spiritual thing. It's the spirit of competition and pride, proving you're better than the other guy. They do it by sheer brawn, by their own strength, which really feeds their pride. It's their idea of success. Winning means success in the world, so to win is a very big motivator. It just seems to be sort of an instinct with men especially to want to compete and to win. When they watch the World Cup or other sports events, it's almost like an extension of those human desires to compete and win. That's why some people get so into it, because they can relate to that drive to compete. The physical exertion, and then finally the goal, is exhilarating for some people.
But the world just loves it! See how this competitive sports thing has been the final stages of every great civilization and empire. What young men does the media glorify and glamorize the most? There about second. Is it the scholars? No probably about third. But the ones it builds memorials for and commemorates on special days and glamorizes as the greatest heroes of all time are its most murderous war-mongering soldiers.

Ted Rudow III,MA
class of 1996

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