This is my first post to Midwest Sports Fans, and I was having a little trouble thinking of a subject to write about. I love sports and have since I was a child, and as an adult I constantly notice that sports are not just what you see on the TV: the high paid athletes, the fancy uniforms and crazy fans; but an every day part of life that gives people the chance to test themselves against the odds and see if their effort can overcome talent, or vice-versa. The influence sports have on us come through in our personalities as we try to pump ourselves up for our upcoming office presentation, or try to encourage our co-workers with our favorite pregame cliches and motivating words of wisdom. While there are rarely fans or on-lookers in the office, the effect it has on people is easily noticed.

On the biggest stages, the athletes and teams that compete give everyone the chance to cheer on their favorite on the battlefield, whatever the sport. People sometimes love sports so much, and become so obsessed with the performance or success of their team, that their actions or antics seem outrageous to someone who is not familiar with the game. Across the world, soccer fans have been known to beat their opponent’s fans, riot, threaten referees with physical violence, and throw anything that is not bolted down onto the field in outrage or jubilance.

This passion that makes people love sports and their teams in such a zealous way is one of the reasons why sports are one of the biggest businesses in the world today. Many athletes make millions in contracts and endorsements while firemen, policemen, and teachers do the most noble of jobs but are hardly compensated to the extent of the impact they have on all of our lives. While I cannot justify that, I once argued that these brave people should be paid more, and would, if we were able to sell tickets to the next house fire, shootout, or class lecture, or if our kids were begging us to buy them the new Nike Air Professors. Call it crazy, but it is the truth.

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