Sport: How The Dictionary Got It Wrong

Look up the term "sport" in any dictionary you care to find and you shall come upon results that are never far away from: 

noun - diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime

or

verb - to amuse oneself with some pleasant pastime or recreation.

To say the dictionary is doing sport a disservice is an understatement. Sport has been availed of as far more than a pleasant pastime for centuries. In Ancient Greece it formed part of a culture of self-development, in Ancient Rome it became a form of spectacular entertainment while in nineteen century England sport was used as a source of moral education in public schools. During the World and Cold Wars sport was used as a form of ideological contestation whilst in contemporary times sport has become a commodified global spectacle.

Sport can cause a hundred emotions to be felt at once: pleasure, pain, joy, laughter, sobbing, heartbreak, passion, patroitism, delight and sadly on occasions, violence.

The start of the Celtic Tiger economic boom in Ireland has largely been attributed to the success of the Republic of Ireland Soccer Team under Jack Charlton and the feel-good factors that came with this success. 

In contrast, in 1969 El Salvador invaded Honduras in what has been termed the Football War. However, it must be noted that there were severe political divides between the countries but some media sources have claimed tensions were raised further by rioting at a game between the two neighbours in July that immediately preceded the war.

The above example gives a slight insight into the power of sport. In the next couple of paragraphs I will look at how sport has an effect on my everyday life and hope that some of you guys, if not all, can relate or at least think of similar examples.

Bleacher Report

Well, anyone reading this is on Bleacher Report so can relate.

This site offers hopeful sport journalists like myself the opportunity to test my writing skills, attempt to create debate and do so in a format that allows me to reach a wide audience.

While I can mainly be found in the FIFA section, I do on occasion flirt with other areas of the site. What never fails to amaze me is the passion with which people write and defend their views on sport.

Check out the wrestling section where the members fight their corner to defend their sport as something that means more to them than light entertainment. Or there is the F1 section where McLaren take on Ferrari and Hamiltonites take on the anti-Hamilton brigade. Then of course you have the soccer and football sections where fans of rival teams debate online until they can type no more.

I know that I am not the first person to thank Zander and Co for their hard work and dedication to this site, but I here add my name to the line of those who are grateful.

Ireland

Those that read my articles (thank you guys) will know that I try to bring an Irish flavour to most of what I write and the reason for this is simply, it is what I know. I am not American, French, Spanish, South African or Cuban. I do not know how sport affects the psyche of these nations but I feel in a position to speak on behalf of us proud people.

Above is one of the most iconic pictures in Irish culture, never mind sport. It is of Packie Bonner saving the fifth Romanian penalty in the quarter final shootout at Italia '90. I was four when this occurred but yet I have seen the clip of the shootout on Irish television so much that I can tell you the name of each penalty taker, what way they directed the kick, the commentary as the shootout progressed. Just ask any Irish person do they remember when "The Nation Holds Its Breath", a piece of commentary I will never forget to my dying day.

Memories of great days in Irish sport always bring a smile to my face, even now just writing about it.

Rep.Ireland beating Italy 1-0 in Giants Stadium New York, defeating Holland 1-0 at Lansdowne Road on the road to Korea and Japan, the Irish Rugby Union team hammering England 43-13 at Croke Park on that brilliant day, Padraig Harrington winning a Masters for the first team, the Irish cricket team suggesting it is ok for the Irish to like and play the game, Sonia O'Sullivan through her ups and downs, watching our indigenous sports been played with such passion, being one of 10,000 people in Limerick city watching Munster win the European Cup on the big screen, being one of 300 people watching Limerick 37 beating Monaghan Town 1-0.

These are just a small number of those that have already happened, here's hoping that many more are still to come.

Arsene Wenger & Paolo Maldini

In each person's profile page there is a section where you can fill in the names of your favourite athletes/sportspeople. I must have at least ten in mine that include the likes of F1 maestro Michael Schumacher, the aforementioned Padraig Harrington and Munster Rugby Union players, Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi, the all-conquering Valentino Rossi and possibly Arsenal's greatest ever player, Theirry Henry.

However, ask me to pick ONE all-time sports hero and I can't, it is a thing that is beyond me. I have thought about it, studied it and thought about it even some more before writing this article, yet it escapes me.

Alas, I am caught between two lovers: Is it to be Arsene Wenger or Paolo Maldini?

I have found a solution in combining the two, one manages the beautiful game as it should be, the other plays it as it should be, both conduct in the manner you would expect of professionals.

I believe that sport is not all about the winning, it is the taking part where winning is the icing atop the cake. Each time I see Arsenal play I thank whoever it is I would be thanking that the man we call the Professor is in charge.

Sport's ability to feel love and rage take over me as I read reports following Arsenal defeats. I love that even in defeat Arsenal attempt to play the game as it should, rage that it does not always work but absolute contempt at Arsenal "fans" who complain that Wenger should sacrifice the team's playing style for the sake of a bit of silverware. My reply is that there are many clubs who will buy and not earn trophies, go support them.

As for Paolo Maldini, what more can I add to what has already been said about the man. The term Legend is thrown around far too often, but this man is definitely one. Perhaps playing a role that is too often forgotten, he was the first defender to win the player of the year award.

He has the all time caps for Italy, all time appearances for AC Milan, stayed at the club when it would of been fashionable to leave, is never dirty on the pitch, never complains off it and to top it all off he has been rewarded by winning the same amount of European trophies as Liverpool.

Best to end it on a high note

Sorry if I went on for too long but thanks to those who finished and got to here.

Above are some of the reasons I love the wonderful, wonderful ideals of pleasant pastimes.

As you were reading I hope you could erase Ireland and put in America, India, Australia, England, Scotland, Pakistan, China, Japan, Ghana or whatever your home country may be. For Arsene Wenger and Paolo Maldini I hope you can transplant in your respective sporting heroes and think of all the reasons people you have never met yet feel as if you know them all your life.

I could have included some people that I feel have no place in sport or at least should not be celebrated but that is to take away the joy sport can bring.

Munster Rugby Union

I will leave you with some sayings from a team near and dear to my heart that illustrates sport and its meaning to our lives, how it can make you believe and never give up, how sport is a tonic for life.

Irish by birth, Munster by the grace of God.

Believe!

Stand Up and Fight,
Until you hear the bell,
Stand toe to toe,
Trade blow for blow,
Keep punching 'til you make your punches tell,
Show that crowd what you know,
Until you hear that bell,
That final bell,
Stand Up and Fight like hell.

Indeed, the dictionary got it wrong!!