Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Gilded Age: College Football
During this Gilded Age era, one of the interesting modern developments we begin to notice is the onslaught for public entertainment. People, now moving to the cities in droves, needed stuff to do after they got off work (sound familiar?). Remember, this is the first time in American history where more people are living in cities than in rural/agricultural areas.
One of the "American inventions" of this age was college football. While not the money-making machine it is today, college football was certainly very popular...and very dangerous. The athletes back then certainly were not as fast and strong as they are today...but their equipment (pads, helmets etc.) certainly weren't as safe/protective as our modern versions.
Then, just like now, people questioned the brutality and popularity of this sport.
Watch this professor talk about the similarities between the Roman Gladiator system and our modern fascination with College Football. (Find the video link under "Chapter Five-Spectator Sports")
Read this article about Teddy Roosevelt's defense of college football in the early 20th century.
In the comment section, answer ALL THREE of these questions...
1) Based on the video, how does the Roman Gladiator system compare to college football today?
2) What were the complaints about football during Teddy Roosevelt's day and how did he intervene?
3) In your opinion, why does America seemed obsessed with football? Is this good or bad for our nation?
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1. The first similarity that comes to mind is in a arena, hitting each other with people cheering. The Fans choose sides and strongly care about the team like Roman citizens cheered their favorite gladiators in battle. Football is the same thing without the death.
ReplyDelete2. With little protective equipment, players sustained gruesome injuries—broken spinal cords, crushed skulls and broken ribs that occasionally stabbed their hearts. The Chicago Tribune reported that in 1904 alone, there were 18 football deaths and 159 serious injuries... Teddy helped revive the annual Harvard-Yale football series after it was canceled for two years after the violent 1894 clash that was deemed “the bloodbath at Hampden Park.” And since he was supposedly a big fan, and even though he couldn't play in college because he was nearsighted, he got involved. He said, "I believe in rough games and in rough, manly sports. I do not feel any particular sympathy for the person who gets battered about a good deal so long as it is not fatal.”
3. I don't think it's bad that were obsessed, I don't think it's best it's all we basically think about. I think it's good we're passionate about something, but I think it would be best if we channeled our passions and excitement that could really better us as a nation rather than a game. (227)
1. The Roman Gladiator system compares to college football today in many ways. The Gladiators would fight their enemies till death. While college football is less gory, the main idea of football is basically a combat against their opponents. The Gladiators found more pleasure in pain because the goal was to kill the enemy. Football, on the other hand, is a game where injuries occur-- but no one wants to see someone die.
ReplyDelete2. Teddy Roosevelt supported football (the manliness of it) and thought that sports taught lessons that you couldn't learn in a classroom. He got involved and revived the Harvard-Yale football series that had been going on for a while. This series was cancelled for the past two years because of a clash that occurred in 1894. Today, many fans have written in letters explaining their personal guilt in "participating" in the sport by watching it because of how many lives it shatters yearly. Recently, a 16 year old died playing the game and many people are questioning if football is even worth it.
3. I think America is obsessed with football because it's a competitive game against other people. Basically any sport today has tons of fans because of the competition. Those participating in the sports love the feeling of winning and being on top/being the best. I think that football is just something fun that guys have gotten involved in. The nation might be affected by it somehow, but to me, I think football is just a game that people love to play/watch that has blown up all around the world. It's for sure one of the most well known sports today.
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1. The goal of the roman gladiator system was to kill the opposition and go home safely. They actually needed to kill their opponents to call it a successful mission. It compares to football in many ways. Even it's 11 on 11 the majority part of football is winning your one on one matchup. They had one common denominator competition, competing is huge in football and it was huge back in the day in the roman society.
ReplyDelete2. Teddy asked everyone that is involved in the sport that is the injuries with it. I've been around the sport of football all my life and my grandfather played backed in the 1950s and he knew the consequences of playing the game. Every player that steps on that field knows that one play can change everything. They play the game because they love it. Football is the one sport that can teach more life lessons than any other sport.
3. In my opinion I think America is obsessed with football that it's the one sport that can unite people together more any other sport. Up north football is kinda important but down south some people treat football like a religion. It's a way of life down south because people are more passionate about it. It's a game that can get kids out of harsh communities and take them out of harsh environments. If you struggle with school but your good at football or any other sport of that matter. If your good enough you could get a scholarship and go to college. I think that America is obsessed with football beacuse it's the best sport to watch and play because of how physically violent it is and how freakishly gifted the athletes that play on any level. Some preachers on Sundays have to change their service schedules beacuse of the games on Sunday. It's the most popular sport in America because it's the best sport in America (270 words)
1. The Roman Gladiator system displayed elements of bravery, masculinity, and competitiveness that were shown through battle. Life was much different for them than it was during the early days of American football, but the ideas were the same. The idea of fans watching and showing support for a certain person also gave birth to the idea of showing support for a certain team, even by buying merchandise and attending different battles and events, just as football fans do today. However, Anerican football today is much different in the fact that football players use protective gear so that they don't get hurt. This idea wasn't used among some of the Romans, and battles ended much bloodier than just losing a game. (121)
ReplyDelete2. Most Americans during Roosevelt's time simply didn't see the reason for such sport to take place, especially considering the dangers football had during that time. Death by football is almost unheard of in our time, but it was much more prevalent in its beginnings. Some also believed that football had no moral or educational value to boys. They believed that football did nothing other than give boys something to do, but not with a pretty ending. (77)
3. Americans love being a part of something bigger than themselves. We also love coming together as a people group and showing support for a certain cause. Fans of football teams unite together to give encouragement and show support for those that do what they love best. Also, Americans love being competitive. We are great at arguing about what we are passionate about, and football is also a great source of entertainment. (72)
The Roman gladiator system compares quite well to the the American sport football, because it's all about who is the bigger, tougher, man who just refuses to lose. The goal in football is winning your one on one matchup(just ask coach morrel)and if a one on one match up was the basis for gladiators. There are many ways the two sports are alike just in football we don't try to kill each other we actually try to keep the each other safe.
ReplyDeleteBack in Roosevelts day people worried about all the injuries but no Roosevelt he saw the game as a character building sport and a good source of competition for the youth. All players know the risk of taking the field. It's a violent game, it's just the nature of the beast. However In my experience where I've played 6 different sports I've never played a single one that has taught me the life lessons and build my character of who I am today like football.
America is obsessed with football, and it's a magnificent obsession because it's a sport that can mold men into boys. The fine athletes can go to college off of it and people love those athletes, college football is one of the most competitive and most passionate sports in all of the United States and people love their football teams, it in a sense brings America together for one whole day of Saturday. Also the NFL does the same thing, owning it's own day of the week on Sunday. Football gives people like me a way of life and we love our football. (272 words)
1. The Romans with their sport making gladiators to entertain their population may seem like a far stretch from modern football today. Honestly it's really not, we all get pumped about football and decide who we want to have win or lose and it's done in a stadium. Back in those times it was like an arena, all though it was much more violent in those times. We still like to see players hit each other hard and make good tackles or big plays. It is also used as a method of gaining money in exchange for entertainment.
ReplyDelete2. People during Teddy Roosevelt's time probably didn't understand the point of it, but as we've grown into a modern society we see gay football can be more than a sport and we may often look beyond the injuries for he love of the game. I think it has more passion than any other sport that currently exists and takes determination to become a pro.
3. I think so many people love football since it's what we grew up with in our time and it's a fun sport to both play and watch. It has a whole community behind it of people who can share the same team you like and it is something great to discuss. We like the hard hitting and ways the game is played and I think it's ultimately a good thing. Although some may not be too happy with the injuries it can cause. But if you are that way, then just watch it. Football can be for everyone and that's what makes it so popular. (269)
1. The Roman Gladiator system compares to college football today in many ways. The Gladiators would fight their enemies till death. While college football is less gory, the main idea of football is basically a combat against their opponents. The Gladiators found more pleasure in pain because the goal was to kill the enemy.
ReplyDelete2. Teddy supported the sport of football. He thought that sports taughtnyou life lessons that the teacher in the classroom couldn't teach. He got involved and received a Harvard-Yale football series.
3. I think America loves football so much because it is so competitive and so intense and it is fun to watch. It is what we have all grown up watching so it has mainly become one of our routines to watch and keep up with. Football also has a lot to do with where you came from and who you grew up with and where you grew up. 201
1. It's very much similar in style that they would play vs the way the gladiators would fight. One thing that they talk about all the time in the gladiator fights is how it was a one on one. Well, very similar to football, they do the same thing in football. One thing coaches will tell you all the time in football is to do your 1/11. What they mean by this is that although you have 11 guys on the field you are assigned one person to take care of putting yourself in similarly a one on one battle vs your opponent. It also is similar by the sense of the environment. Each in an enclosed stadium where people choose who they want to win. It also, although less gory, brings in the same type of physical sport that gladiator fights had.
ReplyDelete2. Teddy was a big supporter of football. Many people criticize the sport because of the thought that it is problematic in the injury sense. People can truly just like it was in the origin of football considered deadly and painful where people could easily get injured from which there was no true recovery. However, Roosevelt supported it because he believed that it taught so many life lessons to those that sometimes the classroom couldn't even teach itself. Although he was limited by his own body size and health to the game of football, he was still a great supporter to the game and also took part in reviving the rivalry of Harvard vs Yale.
3. America loves football because it really is competitive, intense and has its own original taste in the states. It has a major impact on where you grow up, the people that you talk with and influence you and is just a great community game to enjoy. And with how much the sport is growing, more is being put into the game. Uniforms look cooler and flashier than before drawing in different crowds, pads are better which gives more freedom for big hits in the game of football, and the experience with growing attendance numbers and better seating quality and luxury is starting to attract more and more people toward enjoying the game of football.(375)
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ReplyDeleteIt required much bravery and toughness they would line up and fine fight to the death when now days it's not death but it's for victory and pride is on the line very much for grown men like these and with how much money their making.
ReplyDeleteWith little protective equipment, players sustained gruesome injuries—broken spinal cords, crushed skulls and broken ribs that occasionally stabbed their hearts. The Chicago Tribune reported that in 1904 alone, there were 18 football deaths and 159 serious injuries.Today, many fans have written in letters explaining their personal guilt in "participating" in the sport by watching it because of how many lives it shatters yearly. Recently, a 16 year old died playing the game and many people are questioning if football is even worth it.
In my opinion I think America is obsessed with football that it's the one sport that can unite people together more any other sport. Up north football is kinda important but down south some people treat football like a religion. It's a way of life down south because people are more passionate about it. It's a game that can get kids out of harsh communities and take them out of harsh environments. (202)
202 words
Delete1: the romans and college football compare because the both fought in stadiums. They hit each other hard. Everyone chooses a side/team basically the only difference is that they tried to kill each other and hurt as much as possible. In college football they just make plays and try to win the one on one battle and then that helps there team wins. So it's sorta similar but it's different all together.
ReplyDelete2: They used to be scared that people would die a lot because there used to be a lot of deaths in football. They believed that football did nothing but give guys something to do and have fun while doing it. They were sort of right because there are many injuries in today's football. But the love of the game over took the way most of the people thought about it and football stayed a sport and it still is one of the most watched sports in the world.
3: because we love the fact that we can pick one side and then get so involved into the game and cheering and telling there's how much better there team is and how much better there player is and it just made us have fun and it is a very fun sport to watch. People also enjoy watching and playing football becaausse it can be fun for all the people who play because they get to run around and it hit people and score touchdowns and they get cheered and people love the one who scores the most touchdowns. No it's not the a bad thing that we do because it gives people a reason to come together and socialize about the life when watching the game and it also makes it fun when I play a game like fantasy football.(302)
First Post: Abbey Paine
ReplyDeleteBest Post: Zachary Chisenall
1) The Roman gladiator system has many things in common with today's football. Both are violent sports ment as proxies for actual mono e mono combat. Both focus on staying alive (i.e. Not getting tackled), and beating your opponent. These sports are both ment to be dangerous, and shows of "manliness". And they both became industrialized, ment as sources of pleasure and profit. Physicaly they share similarities, both take place in large ovaluler arenas, on a cleared field. They both involve a form of combats between two sides, with the winner gaining glory and renown.
ReplyDelete2) The majority of the the problem with football in Roosevelt's day was that player safety was non-existent. Players could choke, hit, bit and hurt other players as much as they want. Rules were also very loose, there were no regulations to the tactics they could use. They also wore minimal armor, a padded helmet formed most of their protection. Roosevelt intervened by speaking out, explaining how he believed that sports were good for boys, and these spots brought people together.
3) I don't think Americans are obsessed with football, its popular, but not to obsessive levels. Maybe individuals are obsessed, but not America as a whole. If it did become an obsession, it would not be healthy for America simply because obsession over anything is unhealthy.
Word count: 222
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