"There is nothing wrong with competition in the proper proportion. Like a little salt, it adds zest to the game and to life itself. But when the seasoning is mistaken for the substance, only sickness can follow. Similarly, when winning becomes 'the only thing,' it can lead only to eventual emptiness and anomie. The time has come, I feel, to blow the whistle on this madness." ----quote from the essay "Winning Isnt Everything. Its Nothing." by George B. Leonard, from the book "Jock: Sports and Male Identity," edited by Donald F. Sabo, Jr. and Ross Runfola
Jocks are not just athletes or sports fans who play and enjoy their sport. Jocks are athletes and sports fans who use sports in abusive ways through excessive idolization, aggressiveness, and misplaced priorities. Sports are one component of a balanced society. But when society elevates sports into a status that is out of proper proportion, diminishing and disrespecting other elements, it puts everything out of balance. That is jockism, and its a sign of a sick society.
"The transformation of sports into heresy occurred without our realizing what has happening. It engulfs our history and reaches back over a thousand years of Western culture. Before we knew it, our treasured ideals celebrating the unity of mind and body, mens sana in corpore sano, sapientia et fortitudo, music and gymnastic, and strength and beauty were reduced to such simplistic proclaimations as 'Winning is the only thing,' which for too many coaches, administrators, and alumni became 'Winning ball games is the only thing.' Just as religion has been warped to justify sports, so sports have been warped to assist in preparation for war and the waging of it, as a techinque in the training of soldiers but mainly as a reinforcing symbol of manliness and knighthood." --- quote from God In The Stadium, by Robert J. Higgs. The book is about the way sports has undermined religion, and has become a religion itself.
Sports are one component of a society, but so are academics, arts, spirituality, family life, charity and positive work. People who are engaged in any of these areas should not be diminished in comparison to any other. In particular, people who serve as nurses tending the sick, or firefighters saving lives, or teachers imparting knowledge, should not be treated as less than people playing a game. Jocks and jockism throws everything out of balance.
"Researchers disagree over whether the force and aggressiveness required to succeed in some sports nurture a tendency toward the abuse of women who are physically weaker than the athletes. But there isn't any argument that athletes form a special, distinct, and often protected class of adolescents and young men in high school and college, and that some of these men think their status entitles them to do whatever they want to women. . . . In Glen Ridge, as many other American communities, beligerence, physical strength, competitiveness, a sense of superiority, winning above all- these qualities dominated all realms of these boys' childhoods from nursery school to high school graduation. Males who demonstrated such traits were cherished. In a more heterogeneous community, youngsters like the Glen Ridge boys might have found alternative models of masculinity- regular guys who enjoyed watching a tightly pitched baseball game but who also demonstrated compassion, fairness, and thoughtfulness. Guys who took more pleasure in appreciating females than in humiliating them. But in Glen Ridge the few public dissenters from the Jock ethic were treated as social pariahs." ----- quote from Our Guys, by Bernard Lefkowitz, describing the situation surrounding the rape of a young girl by high school athletes, and the idolization of sports in that community
Jockism has also encouraged and allowed for abusive and improper behavior in the form of bullying, harassment, and mistreatment. Excessive sports aggressiveness, competitiveness, and machismo has inspired jocks to abuse and dominate others who are not like them. Sports idolatry has then allowed jocks to get away with their outrageous acts. Jocks (i.e. abusive athletes) have gotten away with rape, physical and emotional abuse of others, and a lot of other improper behavior that would have been inexcusable if committed by anyone else. It should be inexcusable even when jocks commit these terrible acts, and they should not get away just because they are sports idols.
You really like gorillas? We've got just the pet for you It's the way you're forced to act To survive our schools Make your whole life revolve around sports Walk tough-don't act too smart Be a mean machine Then we'll let you get ahead Jock-O-Rama-Save my soul We're under the thumb of the Beef Patrol The future of America is in their hands Watch it roll over Niagara Falls Pep rally in the holy temple And you're forced to go Masturbate en masse With the favored religious cult Cheerleaders yell-"Ra Ra Team" From the locker room parades the prime beef When archaeologists dig this up They'll either laugh or cry Jock-O-Rama-On the brain Redneck-a-thon drivin' me insane The future of America is in their hands Watch it roll over Niagara Falls Unzip that old time religion On the almighty football field Beer bellies of all ages Come to watch the gladiators bleed "Now boys, this game ain't played for fun You're going out there to win How d'ya win? Get out there And snap the other guy's knee!" Beat 'em up! Beat 'em up! Ra Ra Ra Snap those spinal cords Ha Ha Ha The star quarterback lies injured Unconscious on the football field Looks like his neck's been broken Seems to happen somewhere every year His mom and dad clutch themselves and cry Their favorite son will never walk again Coach says, "That boy gave a hundred percent What spirit What a man" But who cares? Games over-Let's go get wasted man To the 7-11, to the liquor store Let's party all night and party some more Another Trans-Am Wrapped itself around a telephone pole "I ain't drunk, officer I just fell gettin' out of my car" Don't worry about it, son We were that way when we were young You've got all the skills To make a damn good businessman Jock-O-Rama-that's the law Come lick the butts of the Beef Patrol If the future of America is handed to them Watch it roll over Niagara Falls
"Our Guys" by Bernard Lefkowitz: tells the true account of the trial of several New Jersey High School athletes involved in a gang rape of a retarded girl. Points out the obsessive idolization of the High School athletics in hometown America, and how it can lead the idolized athletes to think they can get away with anything.
"Public Heroes, Private Felons," by Jeff Bennedict, about the connection between sports idolization and abuse of women.
"God In The Stadium," by Robert J. Higgs, about the way sports undermines religion.
"Friday Night Lights," by H.G.Bissinger. Points out the obsessiveness of sports culture in rural America.
"Lessons of the Locker Room:The Myth of School Sports," by Andrew W. Miracle, Jr. and C. Roger Rees. A well-balanced crtique of the role of sports in the U.S. school system, and the "myth" behind it. Points out both the negatives and positives of school sports, and offers suggestions for reform.
"Beer and Circus: How Big Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education," by Murray Sperber. An critique of college sports.
"College Sports, Inc." by Murray Sperber. Another critique of college sports.
"Jock: Sports and Male Identity," edited by Donald F. Sabo, Jr. and Ross Runfola. This is an excellent book of essays which criticize the excessive, macho sports culture. It's an excellect resource that offers both criticism of the way sports are presently treated, as well as hopeful possiblities for the future.