Cool. Good for you. I'll keep watching them.

Both Nader and Chomsky have talked about how pro sports are the modern version of the Roman Bread and Circuses. They keep the masses pacified and distracted enough to avoid revolts. They certainly should not be subsidized by the government, but they are thru tax breaks and local governments spending money to build sports facilities. Let the suckers who are paying fans, along with the team owners, foot the entire bill for the sports teams.

I too quit caring about pro sports as I got older and became more deep and aware of how much socialism is needed. Like Nader tho, I still watch pro basketball, but mainly stick to just watching the playoff season, since the regular season is so long and exhausting that the teams, by necessity, don't really play defense or that all out during the regular season games.

Other than pro basketball, the only other sports I watch are the Olympic sports like swimming, track and field, and gymnastics, and for those it's mostly just during the summer Olympic games.

Bread and Games, has it not always been so?

They certainly should not be subsidized. But I think they do provide needed respite, specially in these troubling times. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but then neither is ballet or opera. They still give enjoyment, socializing, and for many, needed competition. Meaningless, certainly, worthless, certainly not.

Omg, I couldn’t agree more about not subsidizing sports — and about the silly handshake rule.

I’ve never cared for sports. I say they’re no more essential than ballet or movies or plays. They’re enjoyable and entertaining, and some people miss them terribly, but we certainly can live without them.