The Beauty of Sports

Over the last number of months I've watched a great deal of sports. First it was Canada's disappointing performance in Olympic hockey, then the dazzling Stanley Cup playoffs followed immediately by the World Cup. These days, it seems that almost the only thing I find enjoyable on TV is sports. I've heard some comments lately about the ridiculousness of soccer ("Grown men spending an hour and a half kicking a ball back and forth..."), and of course such criticism can be applied to any sport. So, here is my defense of watching sports.

I think there are two major reasons why sports are compelling entertainment. In the first place, a game of soccer or hockey or a tennis match, etc., often exceeds regular TV programming in terms of drama, suspense and intensity.

Let's face it, most TV shows are poorly written and extremely predictable. But who could have predicted Liverpool's three-goal comeback and eventual victory in shootouts against favourites AC Milan in last year's champions League final? Or Zidane's now (in)famous head-butt in the last game of the World Cup? In every game of any sport there is the potential for classic drama: the clash of personalities under pressure, underdog victories, and so on.

Because of this unpredictability, this atmosphere in which anything can happen, a good sporting event can produce a level of suspense to rival the best of Hitchcock (Alfred, not Ken). There is perhaps nothing as intense, as filled with anticipation and apprehension, as watching a breakaway in the dying seconds of a tied game, or a penalty shootout where everything is on the line. This atmosphere of suspense increases the more one follows and identifies with any given team. The team's victories come to be yours, as do its defeats.

Beyond the drama and suspense, there is another simple reason why I enjoy watching sports. It has to do with aesthetics. At a very basic level, there is something inherently pleasing about watching somebody do something they are exceedingly good at. Professional athletes dedicate themselves completely to mastering a certain set of skills, and it is a simple pleasure to witness them demonstrate their art. I love watching the crafty footwork of Ronaldinho, or the way that Alexander Ovechkin's stick becomes an extension of his body, or Cristiano Ronaldo's graceful diving technique.

This extends beyond sports, of course. Similarly, I really enjoying watching Jesse Cook's hands as he plays guitar, or an Iron Chef at work in Kitchen Stadium. But athletics is one area in which there are artists at work. Because of its aesthetic appeal, and its inherent drama and suspense, I will certainly continue to watch sports no matter how ridiculous it may seem to some people. In fact, I think there is a game on now...