As I write this article a few hours after the U.S. Women's Soccer team beat France in the World Cup semifinals, I know that if they lose in the finals, the American excitement toward soccer will wane once again. To be perfectly honest, soccer in our country will continue to be considered a boring, low-scoring game that rarely generates interest or excitement among American sports fans.
But, for now, U.S. Soccer -- nay, U.S. Women's Soccer -- is the talk of the town. Some have argued that it's the talk of the town by default, because all the other sports are involved in contentious labor disputes; and baseball, well, September is still far away. Others contend that they have become the darlings of our country because of their flair for the dramatic and the thrill of their quarterfinal victory over Brazil. While these factors have contributed to the sudden popularity of soccer in the U.S., I believe that there is a far more significant reason why the country is captivated by these women, and it serves as an important reminder to us about our priorities and goals in life.
We Americans have this obsessive need to be the best at whatever we do. We are the most powerful country in the world, and we never miss an opportunity to remind others of our superiority. Our culture and politics are based on "American Exceptionalism," which means that we believe that we are better than everyone else. Therefore, if there is an activity or program that we aren't the best at, we tend to quickly rationalize and explain that our deficiency should not be confused with our inadequacy. "Who needs soccer," we say to the rest of the world. It's not that important to us. We play football, a real man's sport.
However, in our heart of hearts, we know the reality -- that soccer is the world's sport. And we really want to be the best at soccer. The U.S. Men's Soccer team is improving, but they are not a championship-caliber team quite yet. We get excited when they win a couple of games, but we don't expect anything more than that. With the Women's Soccer team, though, there is a different feeling in the air. We really believe that they can win and that they can be the best. We, therefore, don't feel ashamed or timid to cheer and brag about our Women's Soccer team to the rest of the world. We jump on the bandwagon with great enthusiasm.
I believe this tendency to jump on the bandwagon when our national team is enjoying success is representative of the American sports culture. We aren't interested in mere competition; the thrill of participation is not satisfying enough. What matters is that we win -- not just one game, but everything. Indeed, after the U.S. Women's thrilling victory against Brazil, the sportswriters were questioning the team's ability to regroup and refocus, and predicted that if they don't win the World Cup, no one will remember the dramatic goal scored by Amy Wambach in extra time.
Our collective attitude toward tennis, golf and the Olympics are illustrative of this cultural phenomenon. In years past, when the top tennis players were American, like Connors and McEnroe, tennis boomed in this country. More recently, with no transcendent American star, interest has waned. The same is true in golf. Now that Tiger Woods is no longer dominant, golf is not as big a draw as it was just a few years ago. Similarly, ratings are routinely higher for the Summer Olympics, where the Americans usually win the medal count, compared to the winter games in which we are constantly bested by other countries.
We American's revere the great football coach Vince Lombardi, who famously said, "winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." But is this credo something we really want to live by? When we teach our children to play sports, we stress the thrill and value of competition, not winning. We teach them "that it's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game."
Unfortunately, that ideal is often forgotten once we actually begin to compete. By and large, American culture no longer believes that maxim. Instead, we have become a nation wedded to the concept that "winning is the only thing." How sad. We have lost the joy that comes from challenging ourselves to compete, and from knowing that we have given our best effort, even if we didn't win.
The unhealthy emphasis placed on winning in our society, conflicts with one of the basic precepts of Judaism, which values the journey toward perfection and recognizes that true perfection is only found in God. This idea is evidenced by the biblical commandment that every Jew study the Bible. It doesn't matter whether he or she will become a scholar, rabbi, businessperson or mailman. From the Jewish perspective, the pursuit of knowledge is far more important and commendable than being the best or most knowledgeable. Every person is obligated to study Torah so that he can become the best Jew he can be, even if he never achieves renown or greatness.
So while we revel in the achievement of the Women's Soccer team (for now), we should learn to appreciate athletes who give their all and compete to the best of their ability, even when they fall short of their goals and our national dreams. Win or lose, good or bad, we would be wise to show the same excitement and zeal when we observe valiant competitors in any walk of life, striving for excellence, so that our children will learn to appreciate the thrill and joy of competition. That's the true American spirit.
Follow Rabbi Joshua Hess on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rabbihess
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMk5sMHj58I
Soccer is a beautiful game, but it is an old world game, built on strategic concepts and a respect for the opponent that allows for ties or draws to exist. Hockey in many ways is like this too, and ties are acceptable. These roots existed in many of our sports too, when they were just games. But, the truth is that winning and losing is important. It needs to be taught, managed, and dealt with by competitors.
...it is this spirit that respects all Abby and Alex Morgan did in the Finals, but is broken by how carelessly the rest of their team let it slip away because they were unable to play at a similarly high level. Overall, the team failed, and this is how they will be remembered...despite the joy found in the journey.
- Craig
As far as I'm concerned the cup ended up just fine. The teams with the most divers and floppers were eliminated before the finals. France, who arguably played a dirtier game than Sweden, lost to Sweden. Two of the cleanest teams in the competition were in the final and the team that played the better football won.
And I am a U.S. citizen.
yet it is a weird anomaly of our culture that we revere wealth and the person holding it no matter how obtained
Why would average Americans be so averse to a more even handed tax code ? in part it is because it is percieved as penalizing "winners", something that goes against the cultural grain.
And if these winners do so in what are arguably unfair practices (like the 15% tax rate for hedge fund mangers) you STILL have people arguing the case for allowing it--why? because that guy is a "winner". He is exceptional and should be revered for it, no matter how that money was obtained--perhaps even if he got it babysitting a computer while it makes a million trades a nanosecond for him. Nope some people insist the fact that this money was obtained is self evident of the guy's exceptionalism....
and vicariously the exceptionalism of Americans generally.
just MHO
1. Couch potatos who strongly identify with a team, yet only get up on their hind legs to hit the toilet or snag more snacks.
2. Team sport players who don't care that they're only as good as their weakest player
3. Individual, non-competitive sport (competing is often optional) such as karate, hang gliding, motorcycling, developing personal skills and abilities.
4. Nonsport couch potato. You know them. They watch Jersey Shore instead of the Big Game.
I've always been drawn to individual sport. I don't like that 'weakest link' factor found in teams.
The Winter Olympics don't get the same attention as the Summer Olympics because it is a smaller event--there are fewer sports and a narrower range of competition. case in point--while SLC in 2002 was the largest city to host the winter games in decades, Atlanta (which is a much larger city) is generally see in retrospect to have been to small to really make a success of the summer games in 1996.
Soccer is not as big a deal in the US as in other countries because it is not as strong here historically as it is in most other nations. That is not to say as in ALL other nations. While most of Europe is strong soccer turf, the Irish happily stick with their hurling & gaelic football. Baseball dominates Cuba, The DR, and Venezuela to exclusion of all other sports. Australia & New Zealand are rugby dominate. cricket is THE sport of the Indian Subcontinent. Yes, the secondary status of soccer in this country is atypical, but not unique.
Personally, as a US soccer fan, I am happy that it isn't the sport of the masses. That means that I can get sidline seats for $30 and free parking for pro soccer matches in my region--try doing that with the NFL...
Also, sorry to be pedantic but the game known throughout the world as 'Football' is what you call 'Soccer'. That is the American Exceptionalism angle here. Your football is what the rest of the world calls 'American Football'. There is also 'Irish Football' and 'Australian Football'. Football is not called Soccer anywhere else, not even in the UK where Association Football originated - not as the name of a sport but meaning Football Clubs associated to the Football League.
Except of course in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand .
Check out the Australian Football league: http://www.afl.com.au/
Seriously, why so obsessed about this, like it some kind of big insult to the world. In places where other forms of football than association were more popular they got the place in the vernacular as 'football'. What is the big friggen deal?
"U.S. Women's Soccer -- is the talk of the town"
What town? Honestly, I havent met anyone who cares that much. Its not a matter of rationalizing, its just that nobody really cares about womans international soccer. If they win the world cup, I'm fairly certain people will continue to not care.
Check this out, did you know that in 2011 the US Womans National Hockey team clinched its 3rd straight world title at the IIHF championship, beating Canada 3-2? Did you even know about that?
". Similarly, ratings are routinely higher for the Summer Olympics, where the Americans usually win the medal count, compared to the winter games in which we are constantly bested by other countries."
I'm guessing you didnt watch the 2010 Olympics..because the US won the medal count, and were 3rd in golds (not exactly constantly bested). The reason ratings were low was because 90% of the winter Olympics is still boring ice princess dancing, and few people are interested in watching a week of curling.
I'm not sure that's quite true. I think they had a fairly clear idea of what the yield would be
Everyone wants to win, but the American everything or nothing attitude towards winning, is its prime weakness. Shows up as arrogance around the world.
The Jewish precept of perfection as claimed by the rabbi, smacks of arrogance.... all religions say only god is perfect
Does the ill treatment of the Palestinians by Israeli jews not conflict with the basic precepts of Judaism?
I think you are ascribing a motivation that is not there. He is a rabbi, speaking about how his tradition views perfection. He is not saying it is better unique to Judaism, he is merely providing a perspective with which he has knowledge.
As far as treatment of Palestinians, are you really going to require that when anybody tries to contribute something about subject, that they must always reference where individuals of that tradition fall short? Really? In that case, nobody would say anything about anything.
Are you saying they walk on their hands? Because "football" got its name because it refers to games that are played by running as opposed horseback (this is from the English), hence Rugby football, Gridiron football (aka American football), Celtic football, Canadian Football, Association football (aka soccer), ect.
In the end, I get the sentiment. I just think that the author stepped on a lot of logical mistakes along the way.
meaning the best each person is *capable* of being; it's about striving and continually making a sincere effort.
see the distinction?