Sports are more important than ever right now.

The juxtaposition of Election Night in America and the deciding game of the World Series showed why there may be only one true common denominator left.

Atlanta is a blue city that swung elections in red Georgia’s favor in 2020 and ’21. Houston is in the middle of the move to turn Texas purple. Yet, while the politicized parts of a country fretted over the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, no one watching the World Series that ended anti-climatically seemed to care.

You see it everywhere in sports these days, practically nowhere else. Rabid college and pro football stadiums, hockey and basketball arenas also coming to life out of COVID and fervent baseball fans cheering their teams in October, all putting their partisanship aside and losing themselves in the games they love.

Tell me, where else is that happening?

Sports are more than a diversion for much of America, offering an escape from a reality that has driven us apart over wearing masks, getting vaccinated or looking down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories.

Do you think the Atlanta Braves let any of that keep them from mounting one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Major League Baseball history? The team with a losing record before the All-Star break in July somehow overcoming injuries and suspensions to transform into a playoff contender and eventually world champion.

As the networks nervously tallied votes from counties, another carried players of different colors, nationalities and religions caring most about winning a game, knowing exactly what that would mean.

Sports are just about the only place left where that still happens. Fans waving their team-colored towels one minute are crying into them the next. And after fighting hard on the fields and courts, athletes hugging and high-fiving when the games end.

This country is in a state of turmoil unlike anything most of us have ever experienced. And, now more than ever, it takes people who truly love each other to bring us moments of joy and sorrow and a result no one can, or wants to, dispute.

That’s why we need sports in America right now.

 

Photo via Kevin M. Cox/The Galveston County Daily News and Associated Press.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Several States Are Making Late Changes to Election Rules, Even as Voting Is Set To Begin
New or recently altered state laws are changing how Americans will vote, tally ballots, and administer and certify November’s election.
What’s in the Voting Bill That Republicans Are Pushing to the Senate Floor
Legislation that would require proof of U.S. citizenship for new voters has become a rallying cry for President Donald Trump, who claims that passage of the bill will “guarantee the midterms” for his Republican Party in November.
The US Could See Shortages and Higher Retail Prices if a Dockworkers Strike Drags On
U.S. ports from Maine to Texas shut down Tuesday when the union representing about 45,000 dockworkers went on strike.
Supplies Rushed to Communities Isolated by Helene as Death Toll Rises to Nearly 100
A crisis unfolded in western North Carolina as officials rushed to get more water, food and other supplies to flood-stricken areas on Monday.
How Helene Became the Near-Perfect Storm To Bring Widespread Destruction Across the South
Hurricane Helene killed and destroyed far and wide — from Tampa to Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina, its high winds, heavy rains and sheer size created a perfect mix for devastation.
Mental Health Emerges as a Dividing Line in Abortion Rights Initiatives Planned for State Ballots
Written by CHRISTINE FERNANDO The weeks after Kaniya Harris found out she was pregnant were among the hardest in her life. Final exams were fast approaching for the college junior. Her doctors told her she had an ovarian cyst, and the risk of ectopic pregnancy was high. The wait times for abortion clinics near her city of […]
Trump Enjoys Strong Support Among Republicans. The General Election Could Be a Different Story
Written by JILL COLVIN and LINLEY SANDERS After every new indictment, Donald Trump has boasted that his standing among Republicans only improves — and he has a point. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans — 63% — now say they want the former president to run again, according to new polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs […]
NC Supreme Court To Hear Voter ID Arguments Next Month
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON Oral arguments over the constitutionality of North Carolina’s photo voter identification law will be held next month, the state Supreme Court has decided in another ruling determined along partisan lines. In a 4-3 decision, the justices who are registered as Democrats agreed with attorneys for minority voters who had asked the state’s […]
Abrams Seeks National Voting Rights Action Before 2022 Race
Written by JEFF AMY Stacey Abrams, who built her national reputation by advocating for voting rights, is calling on Congress to take action on federal voting rules as the Democrat launches a second bid to become Georgia’s governor. Senators including Georgia Democrat Raphael Warnock, Abrams’ close ally, have been arguing in recent days that the Senate must […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Games We Need
Sports are more important than ever right now. The juxtaposition of Election Night in America and the deciding game of the World Series showed why there may be only one true common denominator left. Atlanta is a blue city that swung elections in red Georgia’s favor in 2020 and ’21. Houston is in the middle […]
›