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Post by GEO on May 9, 2007 15:25:03 GMT -5
Of course it can. If the one person puts together the best argument, I'll give him the win. Like I said, I have no opinion. Whomever makes the point that gets me to believe one thing or another will win.
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Post by blindlywewander on May 9, 2007 21:12:40 GMT -5
There are so many reasons why baseball is no longer America's pastime. It's funny though, 'cause baseball fans moan about how it is and always will be baseball. Unfortunately, things change. In today's America, football is the perfect sport. It's fast paced, multi-faceted, simple enough for anyone (except most girls ), yet complex enough for coaches to be acclaimed "geniuses" at their craft. That's what gets fans watching. So much time and energy is put into every game. So much planning. That fact only contributes to making it America's pastime. NFL fans know how important every game is. That's what makes American's watch. Games mean so much to every team. A loss for one team benefits at least 3 others. Two losses or three? The Super Bowl could be out of reach within a month. In baseball, it's not like this. Fans will watch the occasional games. Devout fans, which are slowly becoming few and far between, my watch as many as they can, but it's unlikely that they can watch every single game. Guys talk about it on their breaks like "Eh.. Yanks lost again." Something like that.. nonchalant. Seasons are so much different in football, and that's what makes it so great. There are people who never miss a single game of their team. My Grandpa has probably missed maybe 5 Redskins games in the past 20 years. The sheer importance of each football game has helped it reach the point of America's new favorite pastime. Another reason football is America's new favorite pastime is the game itself. The excitement level is consistently greater than baseball. When I watch baseball in October, it's exciting. Every game counts as teams fight for a World Series title. The Yanks need to win, it's bottom of the ninth and Rivera is in to close. Up one run, there is no moment in baseball than that more exciting. But baseball's excitement level peaks. In the NFL, there is always a way to win for both teams and the excitement is endless. When Peyton Manning or Mike Vick step onto the field, the intensity and focus are instantly increased. It's not only that way with the elite players though. Any single player on offense, defense, or special teams can change the game in one play. It may be Champ Bailey making an outstanding INT return, or Warrick Holdman being in the right place at the right time. The game is always on the line. In baseball, it's not that way. If it's 10-0 in the 7th, people leave. The game's over. Even though it's possible to come back, it's unlikely. Of course, one would argue that these situations happen in football as well. It's true sometimes, but far less often than in baseball. When the Manning's play (er um.. Colts), games usually end by the third quarter. Dominate teams can pull away. But for most teams, the winds can easily change with one or two possessions. This excitement, this unmatchable excitement, is what has pushed it above and beyond the entertainment value of baseball. America loves it because every team has a chance at victory and every game is exciting for the entire game (a majority of the time). The last thing I'll discuss in this post is GEO's question "Does pastime always mean favorite?" I think the answer is obviously yes. A resounding yes. What else could it mean? 2nd favorite? Important? Occasional? No. It's something people want to do in their free time (or when it comes to many fans, their not-so-free time). America's pastime is something that American's would do rather than anything in their free time. While I could argue sex or drinking could be America's real pastime (ha.. little joke there), American's would much rather watch Football than baseball. Grab a bag of chips, a mountain dew, and plop down on the couch for 3 1/2 hours. Why? It's exciting. It's rough. It's physical. It's fast. It's football. America's new favorite pastime
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Post by GEO on May 11, 2007 15:38:13 GMT -5
Alright, get in your final thoughts guys. BWW is making a great push and may have won it
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Post by Nyi28nhl on May 11, 2007 19:48:54 GMT -5
Meh, I've said all I needed to say. No one has brought up any real new points, so I don't have anything to rebuttle with. Go back a page or two for my argument.
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Post by GEO on May 14, 2007 16:56:19 GMT -5
I have read this debate through and many good points are brought up. BlindlyWeWander: Made a great push at the end there. Had you addressed some points that other people made, you might have gotten it. But that's a hard task to begin with. Nyi28nhl is the winner. You challenged every point and let no question or challenge go unanswered. Please have a new topic up in the next two days
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Post by blindlywewander on May 14, 2007 22:28:13 GMT -5
wow. ok then. good job.
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