Duking Out Our Words with Wisdom from the Sports World

Duking Out Our Words with Wisdom from the Sports World

Discourse and debate are on the decline in our country, especially on social media. We throw memes, articles, and insults at those who do not agree with us. None of those devices would win anyone a debate championship in the world of debate. As an English teacher, I have had to teach my students how to have a debate and not use any of those devices. Then, as we were reading an article in class, one which I’ve read a dozen times, I realized why so many people do not have debate skills. They do not cheer for the most hated teams in sports. 

Some of my friends are sports fans, and they defend their teams. However, defending the Los Angeles Angles is one thing. Defending Duke basketball or the New York Yankees in any sports conversation takes it to a whole other level. (By the way, from small research, the most hated team in sports is the New York Yankees and the second one is Duke basketball.)  We can learn from the discourse of those of us who must defend the dark side. 

First, we cannot just use a cliché or a meme for defense. That’s just a conversation starter. It never just makes a mic drop point for everyone to gasp and move forward. It just brings out the fodder. As sports fans, we know this. It is why sports fans use this. We see memes and clichés as fun. As a sports fan of the most hated team in college basketball, I know when I’m poking people and pushing buttons with memes and any other gimmick. Trust me. I’ve had to take it, especially this year, from North Carolina fans when Duke loses. No meme or silly cliché will rescue me. You know what rescues? Admitting that my side is wrong and flawed and that the other side has a good point. Whoa. What a concept. 

Next, throwing insults does not stop people from discourse and debate. It just makes us angry. In sports, we insult the team or player, not the person defending the team or player. If we do, it leads to a fight. Just because someone is a Houston Astros fan does not make that person a cheater. (By the way, in future polls, they may become the most hated sports team, at least in Los Angeles.) We must stop throwing insults at people because of their beliefs or how they vote. No one is going to come to your side because you insulted them. We will question your integrity, your friendship, and your character. Insulting people is the lowest form of communication. 

I’ve been on both sides of it, and it has just created loneliness for me. I may have been right, but I was not righteous. I may have been right, but I was not loving, which made me worse than the person I insulted. For those who threw insults at me, they lost my respect. I wonder why we cannot communicate well anymore. Many times, insult throwers have difficult relationships with many people. 

Along with insults comes our blindness. As a Duke basketball fan, I know that not all the players have been angels. I cannot defend a player who purposefully trips others on the court. I agree that he should have had more reprimands than he received. As a Christian, I can see the good in what others believe. That’s how we start a discourse. We find what areas we can agree. If I’m in a debate with a North Carolina fan, I must admit that they had a great run this year. I don’t have to become their fan. I don’t have to switch sides or teams. I won’t. 

All your chastising and holiness of how right you are will not lead me to your side. It just won’t. It will force me to look to see the flaws of what you are defending. I find them. When I use them against you, you fall apart and start insulting because you have no defense. It’s a vicious cycle. 

We cannot be so blind to our flaws or the flaws in our belief system that we insult people and walk away as if we are holy, good, and righteous. We’re not. We become so ugly when we insult because we are blind. 

People are more important than our rightness. I can see your point of view and even acknowledge that it is a great point. I still don’t have to switch sides or believe the same thing. Why? Because I would never do that with my favorite sports teams. I stand firm in whom I support and in what I believe. Most of us do. 

When we do change our beliefs and who we support, it is through a lot of instances, thought, research, conversations, and even counselling. It doesn’t come from your quip on social media. It is usually an event in our own lives that takes us through the change. When we do make this change, if you have been rude, we will probably never admit that you were right. At least I won’t. If you were kind and know how to have good discourse, I will acknowledge you. 

Let us strive to be kind over right. Let us defend our beliefs and whom we support with discourse and debate that is civil. People listen to civil conversations. We haven’t had those in a few years from social media, or even from our leaders. We can’t wait for others to change and make a difference. We cannot change anyone but ourselves. You will not change my beliefs. You will not change my attitude. I will do that. I cannot change you. You must do that. Change doesn’t come with peer pressure. High school is over. Most of us learned that peer pressure led us down a dark path. A path of light comes when we go through a change that is beyond those who do not know us on a deeper level. 

Sports fans of the most hated teams can take the razing when our team loses. Our team deserves the insults. As a person, we don’t. We won’t switch teams because your team won. That’s a bandwagon fan, and true sports fans don’t jump on bandwagons. We stay with our team, even if we are the only one on the wagon. Again, if we ever do change, it will be with the utmost decision making on our part that will involve an event in our lives, not a meme, anyone’s quips, or quotes, or name calling. We stand strong. 

We can learn from sports fans. Listen to our conversations. Debate and discourse can happen with civility. It starts with each one of us being civil and treating each person as they are a precious person that Jesus loves and created, because they are. Then, maybe, we can have resolutions that will bring more unity into our lives rather than hate. It all starts with how we communicate.