Cracked5 Reasons Why Sports Are AWESOMEBy: Troy Merriman / Summer 2017

Some would probably could call me a “sports junkie” which I would have to agree with, but for good measure. I could sit all day and watch sports and not have a complaint in the world. But my love for sports does not just come because I have played them my entire life. Sports are unique and exciting. They make for great conversation with friends, a great family event, but most importantly, they unite people and I love sports for that reason. There is always something exciting happening in the sports world whether it is a big upset, a big time trade, or just exciting sports games. It’s not just a part of life, it is life. Okay, maybe not for me but for some people. You’ll see all about those kinds of sports fans when you keep scrolling down the page. Last thing I want to say… Go sports!

_________________________________#5 Sports Mascots Are Fan-Friendly. _________________________________Sports are said to be some of the most “fan-friendly” events in America, being able to bring your family out to a summer baseball game, or watching players bash their heads together for 4 quarters. But the real money maker for these sports are their friendly and sometimes furry animal friends. The mascots. Mascots have been around for a long time bringing the fun atmosphere into sports. When sometimes the sport seems to get too serious for the viewers discretion, the mascot is always there to save the day for the 6 year old in the stands. For example…

Google.com/Phillyphanatic

The mascot is the real reason for fans to attend a Philadelphia Phillies game, let’s all be honest here. One of the worst teams in baseball, somehow still gets very decent crowds every year regardless of their horrible record, leaving only one explanation. Mascots. Bit of a stretch, but I believe some honest truth. Parents may not even think to bring their kids if they do not have something fan-friendly for their little Johnny to enjoy. Mascots not only keep your eyes on the game, they always leave you wanting to stay for more of the game, watch more of the game, and ultimately making more money for the team. Money is the end all be all, I do not see that changing. Therefore, mascot, you are staying too.

Google.com/mascotraces

Maybe one of the greatest traditions of a baseball game… the mascot race. Kids and adults can really get themselves into a fun and exciting race.

_________________________________#4 Sports Help Cities Economies Prosper._________________________________Yes, I said it. Sports help cities’ economies drastically. Don’t believe me? Well let’s just think about this for one second. Being from Ohio, we have witnessed it first-hand. The city of Cleveland 3 years ago was definitely heading in some not-so-great places. Then what happened? LeBron James. I’m serious sports are that big. He came back instantly booming the city again, he was the savior. Not necessarily my point, but just a good example as to sports being bigger than we know. My actual point in this is that sports bring cities jobs. Without sports teams in the picture, there would be so many jobs lost it would be crazy. Nobody knows or even thinks about the amount of jobs there are because of sports, but I promise there are too many to even count. Vendors. First off, shoutout to those people. I mean carrying that huge carrier up the stairs of a stadium must take some guts. But honestly, how many vendors are there at 1 game? Maybe 20-30? Now multiply that by EVERY sporting team in the World… Okay, I think you understand my point now. That is just 1 job too….

Google.com/sportsvendors

Popcorn… get your popcorn here

Let’s look at another job at a sporting event, since we are on the topic. Seriously think of every usher at Cowboy Stadium in Texas. There are probably over 100 just at that stadium alone. I mean seriously think of all the jobs! If you are looking for a job, look no further than your nearest sporting venue. You don’t even have to work every single day because they don’t play at home every day, so you’ll actually get some time off! What’s better than that? In all seriousness, sports really do offer endless opportunities for not only the players, but the fans as well. If you are a huge fan, why not try and get a job for your favorite team, then you get to watch every game from the best seat in the house! Think about it!

Google.com/ticketusher

There is your seat ma’am right next to that handsome young gentleman in the blue coat.

_________________________________#3 Sports Bring Out Fans Pride For The Team._________________________________Sports fans are well… crazy. Honestly, they are crazy. But we love it. We love the guy who paints his chest and sits front row at every game. We love that fan that yells every time some call doesn’t go his team’s way. That is what is great about sports and makes them so unique. Fans of all ages can root on their favorite team to victory, no matter what. We’ve all seen that picture floating around the internet of adults crying because their team lost, kids yelling and crying when their favorite player or team does something great. It’s just fun and heartwarming seeing your favorite team do well. For instance, the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series in 2016. I mean come on, that is a Hollywood movie ending right there. Over 100 years since they won the World Series and fans of all ages finally got to see their beloved Cubs take the title. If that doesn’t get you a little hype, you’re either 1 of 2 things. 1, from Cleveland, Ohio (sorry Tribe fans.) Or 2, you just don’t like sports. Sports are great, and sports pride is second to none.

Google.com/CubsWorldSeriesParade

I’m sure every one of the people in this picture could name 5players on the Cubs team…. But seriously look at this championshipparade.

Let’s go back to talking about the actual crazy sports fans, not just the ones that love their team, I’m talking about the ones who LOVE their team. The people who paint their chest for their favorite football team when it is snowing. Or the ones who attend every single game rain or shine. Let’s not even start with the fans who get tattoos of their favorite team winning a game they haven’t even played yet. Oh yes, that happens more than you know. Sports fans truly are some of the most loyal people on the planet. If you are ever worried about people being loyal anymore in today’s society, look no further than at a Cleveland Browns game. I’m not bashing

you, Browns fans. I am actually applauding you. You know you guys are not very good at football, and have not been for a pretty long time actually. But I swear if you go to a Browns game you will not see more loyal fans anywhere. Rain, shine, snow and a 40 point loss and there they are still there the next week. Great stuff Browns fans, here’s a few claps for you guys.

Google.com/TheDawgPound

Look at this guy on the left. Dawg bone hat, official game jersey, probably game worn gloves, and game pants.. Hey Browns ownership, if any of your QB’s don’t work, look no further than this guy right here. I bet he can really sling a football around.

_________________________________#2 Sports Unify Cities. _________________________________This is one of my favorite reasons to why sports are actually awesome. If you do not think that sports unify cities, I can actually promise you that you are wrong. Walking in Chicago after the Cubs winning the World Series I can almost guarantee you was not the same after that day. After the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA championship last summer, I know for a fact that city was not the same. There is just a different buzz when your team is doing well, it is one of the great reasons sports brings people together. You may not know someone you are sitting next to at a game, but if they are wearing the same colors you are, more times than not you’ll have just found someone you can talk to during the game. You can see someone at a restaurant, on the street, in a store, if they are wearing your teams jersey, I bet you are saying something to them. It’s just the beauty of sports.

google.com/CubsFansHugging

Cubs fans after winning the World Series in 2016. Pure joy.

You may think I’m crazy by thinking that sports actually unite people together. But I promise without sports, things would be uglier than they already are and that you can’t argue with. I’m not saying everyone gets along that is non-sense, of course there is always some debating and bickering about sports, that is just a part of it. Everyone has their opinions about what a team should be doing, why they aren’t doing well, etc.… But at the end of the day, if you are rooting for the same team, that will always trump everything else. Back in 2011, at a Philadelphia Phillies Baseball game, the same day Osama Bin Laden was killed, everyone in the stadium started a loud chant, “USA, USA, USA.” It was so loud, it could be heard watching the TV. Now I know that everyone may not always agree on everything, but I think everyone can agree that was a great day to be an American. That is what it’s all about. They do say that sports save, and I would have to agree. If people did not have their favorite team to root for, what would people do all the time?

Google.com/sportsfans

You just gotta love the guys with the foam fingers in the backI mean come on, who doesn’t love a great foam finger.

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#1 Sports Let Us Believe in The Impossible._________________________________If there is one thing I know about sports, it’s the line I’m sure you’ve heard a million and 7 times, “it’s not over, till it’s over.” That has never been more true in sports. A game, a series, a career, is not over, until it is over. I could probably talk for a whole day about that. The 2006 Boston Red Sox, overcoming a 3 games to 0 deficit to beat their rivals the New York Yankees to go on to win the World Series. Or last year, the Cleveland Cavaliers coming back from 3 games to 1 and winning an NBA title. The list goes on and on. There is just something about that whole “David beating Goliath” thing in sports that just gets people excited. Expect the unexpected. A great way to describe being a sports fan. You just really never know what can happen, ever. Sports will surprise you on a daily basis, I mean it. There is something that will happen in a game that will make you say, “wow I have never seen that before.” That is just the power of sports.

Google.com/sportsupsets

Don’t Stop Believing….

Do you believe in Miracles? Some may say yes, and some may say no, and that is completely fine. But you cannot deny the type of magic that you feel in sports. As I said earlier about the Cubs World Series being a “Hollywood ending” sometimes in sports, the greatest moments are some that even could not be scripted in a Hollywood movie scene. Take the Miracle Olympic Hockey team for example. Playing the Soviet Union in the semi-final game. Winner playing for the Gold Medal. The Soviets had not been beaten in a ridiculous amount of games in a row, and a USA amateur hockey team full of college athletes beat arguably one of the greatest teams in sports history. Capped off by the announcer screaming, “Do you believe in miracles? YES!” If that does not give you goosebumps, then I do not know what would. Actually I do. You see videos/stories all the time of a child with a disability being able to play in a sports game while

everyone cheers for them to do well. In that moment, that child feels like the greatest player in the world. I mean come on, that is just cool. Sports are truly just special that way. Nothing else in the world could have that type of platform for a child like that and it being something that everyone still enjoys. Sports magic is undeniably there, you just have to go and find it. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. Sports. Are. AWESOME.

Google.com/miracleonnice

So… Do you believe in Miracles?