Excessive Violence example essay topic
Professional athletes such as Laurell Spr ewell, Todd Bertuzzi, and Ron Artest have made common names for themselves with the violence they have endured in their respective sports. Some sports are violent by nature. Boxing is the obvious example, where physical attack is the point of the exercise. There has been much debate over the sport with many calling for its abolition.
Other sports, such as wrestling and the martial arts, also involve one-on-one unarmed combat. These forms of 'violence' are within the rules of the sport and the possibility of injury is well known by participants. Then there is a range of contact sports, particularly the football codes, where there is punishing body contact within the rules but also the scope for borderline or unintentional 'violence's uch as late tackles, high tackles and tackles on players without the ball. These tactics can be, and are also, used intentionally. However, the use of video replays over recent years has made these tactics more risky for the perpetrators, especially in professional sports where suspension can lead to a significant loss of income.
As we enter the year the beginning stages of 2005, one has to wonder if this violence is going to continue or if the leagues, sports and the people themselves will start to gain some kind of control and realize this is's prot and such violence cannot continue. The fans are even getting themselves. One factor in the increase in violence among fans is an emotional disconnection from their own lives. They have difficulty empathizing with others' pain.
Some of this is caused by watching violence on television and computer screens. If you watch the reaction of the first base umpire and the second baseman of the Chicago White Sox in the incident you mentioned, you can see that they watch the violent event and don't get involved. They don't connect with what is really happening. Another factor is the excessive importance of winning. This 'win at all costs' mentality has spread from the pros into the sports of our children as well. There was a tragic incident at an ice skating rink.
A father killed his son's coach in front of the entire hockey team over some disagreement about coaching methods. A new form of father-son bonding event is growing. 'Let's spend the afternoon together and beat up the coach. ' Sports organizations have become more aware of the growing danger that players, fans and now coaches are exposed to at these events.
New rules and policies have been initiated in an attempt to stem the tide. This is especially true since the trauma of 9/11/01. In an attempt to reduce violence, stadiums have also limited the sale of alcohol - which is often the fuel for aggressive behavior. Major league baseball has mandated that no beer should be sold after the sixth inning. More needs to be done to resolve the issue. In order to have a significant impact, players are going to need to become involved.
Fans - both young and old - emulate what they see their heroes doing. It follows then that there will only be a reduction in fan violence when the payers themselves decrease their aggression. While the 'aggressive' vs. 'excessive' line remains hard to draw, the need to define and implement clear standards of behavior becomes even more important for players, spectators, and league officials. As economic pressures become greater, equipment becomes stronger, and as the stakes increase, games become more violent. As a result, the leagues and courts must continue to strike a delicate balance between promoting aggressive play and controlling excessive violence in each sport.