MajorMitchell wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:57 am
use their collective powers for good
Whether or not professional sport can be considered "good" in the first place is another debate entirely. Worth sharing a John Finnemore sketch that illustrates the point nicely :).
Patsy: “Hello and welcome to the interview sketch. My name is Patsy Straightwoman and I am joined today by Benji Arnborough. The athlete who set our screens alight this summer when he won two gold medals in that big international sports competition. The one which is like the Olympics but isn’t the Olympics but happened at the same time as the Olympics and also let’s say in this universe the Olympics don’t exist. Benji! Welcome.”
Ben: “Thank you.”
Patsy: “So how are you adjusting to being the nation’s hero?”
Ben: “Yeah eh people keep calling me that, I really don’t know why...”
Patsy: “Well you are the world’s fastest sprint tricyclist.”
Ben: “Yeah, I know, and I’m made up about it, I just don’t get why anyone else is pleased.”
Patsy: “Well, for a start, your achievements on the track would’ve inspired a whole generation of young people to take up the sport.”
Ben: “Oh god I hope not.”
Patsy: “But why not?”
Ben: “Well I’m not finished yet. If I’m beaten in four years time by some spotty kid who only took it up because of me I’d be really pissed off!”
Patsy: “Haha”
Ben: “Why are you laughing?”
Patsy: “Right but seriously you must realize your story is inspirational.”
Ben: “Yeah but seriously why?”
Patsy: “Well because it shows that with determination and hard work anyone can be a world champion.”
Ben: “What?! No! No that’s not what my story shows at all! Wow you really haven’t understood my story! No my story shows that with determination and hard work I can become world champion. I mean, that’s it, that’s what I spend my whole life proving.”
Patsy: “But the message applies to anyone-”
Ben: “No! No the message literally only applies to me. That is, I mean that is the whole point of making it a race! Do you think the people I beat didn’t work hard? They, they really did! I saw them. And their story shows that with determination and hard work you can come second. Or eight. Or not qualify. Or not even be selected. And there are loads and loads of people with that story and only me with mine, mine is a statistical anomaly, you should discount it.”
Patsy: “Okay, fine, but even if not everyone can medal-”
Ben: “Get a medal, yeah.”
Patsy: “Sorry?”
Ben: “You missed out the words “get a” for some reason. Carry on.”
Patsy: “Even if they don’t... get a medal...”
Ben: “Thank you.”
Patsy: “It’s a good thing to inspire children to take up the sport, surely?”
Ben: “What, encourage them to dedicate their WHOLE lives to becoming the fastest and then... they don’t get to be the fastest? That sounds miserable. Glad it didn’t happen to me.”
Patsy: “But it promotes a healthier life style?”
Ben: “No hah no no. Jogging round the park, keeps you healthy. Training the way I train basically knackers your body for the rest of your life. And that’s just physically, mentally, I didn’t go to my sister’s wedding. Cause I was training. Not racing, training.”
Patsy: “Well there you are then! It involves huge dedication and sacrifice.”
Ben: “Oh yeah, yeah, huge, huge sacrifices! I’ve sacrificed more or less everything in my life to it since I was eight! But you know the thing is all those sacrifices I made, the cause I was making them for was the cause of me being able to go faster. Nothing else. I’m not saying that makes me a bad person. But I just don’t think that makes me a good person.”
Patsy: “What does it make you?”
Ben: “A fast person.”
Patsy: “Right. Alright then, what is your message to young people?”
Ben: “Why would I have a message for young people? I haven’t been thinking about young people. I haven’t been thinking about anything for fifteen years except how I can go faster.”
Patsy: “None the less, people will look to you for a message.”
Ben: “Ok, then, my message to young people, and old people, and people in between is... I am the fastest tricyclist in the world.”
Patsy: “And you could be too!”
Ben: “No.”
Patsy: “Benji Arnborough, thank you.”