gofer articles

Sports and politics are closely connected, despite the fact that people like to say that good sportsmanship transcends national boundaries and exhibition matches among rival countries – even outright enemies – are sometimes held in the spirit of reconciliation or, at the very least, as a token gesture of would-be friendliness.
But why should sports and politics be such close companions; why must they ever be fellow travelers at all?

After all, NFL beach towels are manufactured overseas, a fact that mixes two favorite American pastimes: sports and making money (to wit, the politics of money-making).
And naturally, there are folks who say that everything is political, since everything is about power, control – but that’s another discussion.
For now, think about the curious case of Governor of Pennsylvania Ed Rendell, who made a however colorful comment that manages to bring together local sports with global politics.

Throughout the Great Blizzard of ’Oh-Ten, the Philadelphia Eagles were about to play the Minnesota Vikings when the NFL chose to just reschedule the game because of the weather.
After all, difficult driving situations would suggest that too many fans, if not just about every one, would be forced to miss the show anyway.

That’s when the veteran Democratic politician ventured into the history books.

He went on-air to criticize about how America had become a “nation of wussies” in letting a simple snowstorm prevent such a holy staple as the Sunday football game.

Being a public speaker, he didn’t stop there.
He proceeded to question whether the Chinese would exhibit such a similar lack of intestinal fortitude, and concluded that not only would they have braved such a non-difficulty, they would have, quote, been doing calculus in their minds while on their way to the stadium!

One almost imagines them marching with NFL beach towels too.

Cultural observors will no doubt take note the latent anxiety in American community that gives Rendell’s comment its charge.
And given American culture, what better way to state it all than within the context of sports and competition?

Too bad for Governor Rendell that there isn’t an NFL franchise in the Middle Kingdom – ’cause then he can get the NFL beach towels of a Chinese team!