Sports have played an important role in the world’s development. What ties people together better than sports? Since ancient times sports have been creating bonds between people, be it good friends or hated rivals. Take the humble city of Boston, a mecca of sports history. For the past 100 years, sports played an important role. From the Red Sox, to the Pats, to the Celtics, to the Bruins, it is hard to find someone who isn’t a fan. When you walk down Mass Ave., look around. Count how many sports shirts there are. Count the baseball caps. It is a common bond everyone has. And all of them are united in a common hatred as well. The target of that hatred: The Yankees. Anyone born and raised in Massachusetts is instilled with this hatred at a young age. Stemming from the start of the curse, to taking World Series wins away from us, this intense hatred has affected many people across the country. And it’s not just baseball. It’s every sport that matters in this country. Similar rivalries can be found in every sports team across the nation. If you like the Packers, you hate the Bears. If you like the Knicks, you hate the Celtics (Boston and New York really hate each other). Nobody can deny that this is true.

That’s what most people would tell you. I believe it to be a load of crap. Sports are evil. People have been killed by sports, and not just the players. Fans have killed each other over petty sports rivalries. And even if they don’t go as far as killing each other, they still commit heinous crimes against each other. Read a newspaper, count how many times a person has been mugged in the city of Boston. Chances are they were wearing a Yankees jersey or cap. It is simply a horrible fact of life that people

I will say this; however, sports are one of the strongest bonds in today’s society. What young boy has not thrown a baseball with his father? It is one of the first bonding exercises every father and son goes through. No matter where you go, if two people are fans of the same sports team, they are immediately friends. Go into a bar sometime. The people there could be hated enemies outside of that bar. But once the game is turned on, you could swear they were brothers. That is the type of bond a sport can make.

But other than that, what is the point of a sport? To my eyes, all a sport does is instilling violence between people. How many people have been killed by petty sports feuds? How many people have resorted to using drugs just to do better in sports? How many people have raised their kids to be sports stars, when they know that their children have no shot at making it into the big leagues? How many sports stars have been arrested, destroying the hopes of their fans? It is disgusting.

As for those people who say sports are a good source of exercise, it is complete crap. Yes, sports do give you a nice workout. You know what else does? A gym membership. If you’re into contact sports, either take an anger management course or learn a martial art. All the benefits of a gym membership, plus you know you can kick the crap out of somebody if you need to. Better still, a gym membership has a lot lower rate of injury than being a member of a sports team. Martial arts studios, when run properly, have an even lower rate of injury. How many sports stars are on the injured list this year due to bad plays? I would think that reason alone would deter most sane people from playing a sport. Who in their right mind would willingly play a sport when, odds are, they are going to get hurt.

As for the children who dream to be sports stars, time to get to reality. You are not going to be the next Babe Ruth/ Michael Jordan/ Tiger Woods. You would be lucky to have half the talent they have, which you most likely don’t. You are as likely to become a celebrity as a sports star. Neither of those are good goals. Put your goals a little lower. Learn to bag groceries at the local super market. Learn to count and become an accountant. Become the manager of a local car dealership. Whatever you do, don’t aim for some goal that is next to impossible. The odds a child will join a major league team and become a household name are as good as they are getting a doctorate from Harvard University. Which outcome sounds better to you? Keep in mind that, all things being equal, you are much more likely to be hurt or killed by a nutcase fan as a sports fan than be hurt as a doctor. That dream of becoming a sports star doesn’t sound so good now, does it?

And finally we have the fans themselves. A stereotypical sports fan is fat, drunk, and more than likely Irish. Don’t believe me? Go to the same bar as before and look at the customers. I guarantee that at least half of them are fat, are drunk, and have an Irish accent. The main reason for this is the fact that most people will tell you nothing goes better with the game than a bottle of beer. And who drink the most beer in this country? Those with Irish heritage. I’m not saying all Irish are drunks, or all Irish are sports fans, but most sports fans are Irish and drunk. Also, I’m not talking about those people who turn on the game because it’s on. I’m talking about the people who march to Fenway Park, half naked, with half their bodies covered in red. That’s a sports fan. Think I’m lying that there are people like that in the world? Turn on any Red Sox game. Guarantee you that you see at least 8 people with the above characteristics. Chances are, they are acting like morons, well into their fourth beer, and single. Nobody wants that, right?

All of this is my opinion. Whether you choose to believe it is completely up to you. The choice is yours. You could choose to be like me giving up on sports entirely and deeming them a lost cause. You could choose to be indifferent, just ignoring sports entirely. Or you could choose to remain ignorant, believing sports are the best thing on earth. Just remember this, though, next time you turn on the game, does the above apply to you? If so, you might just be a menace to today’s society.