Sports are supposed to be fun, but not all the time. Unfortunately some people take some things a little bit too far and it ruins the games for the rest of us. Here are Kidzworld’s Top 10 Things Wrong With Sports.
No. 10: Bounties for Brutality
New Orleans Saints BountyCourtesy of the NFL
It’s like the Wild Wild West in New Orleans where football players have been given bounties for the heads of their opponents. Saints’ coaches were recently proven to be paying large amounts of cash to players if they were able to hurt other players on opposing teams. $500 to injure someone… $1,000 if the victim leaves the game… $1,500 for a knockout blow… it’s hard to believe!
No. 9: Too Much Mayhem
Most sports nowadays have Monster-Truck-Madness syndrome. That means when you’re at the game, there’s usually some guy on the loud speaker trying to hype up the crowd with his Monster Truck voice and other gimmicks like playing club music, blowing horns, flashing lights, blowing up fireworks, running sirens… it’s a little bit corny, don’t you think?
No. 8: Trade Talk
Lebron James announces his tradeCourtesy ESPN
It’s always exciting when a superstar gets traded but it has become a circus sideshow for most team sports and it’s annoying the players. Who cares what “could” happen “if” someone gets traded. They talk about it for months, asking players the same questions. One of the current best players in basketball, Derrick Rose, recently showed his frustrations with the media after everyone has been talking about Orlando Magic's franchise player Dwight Howard’s possibility for a trade to Chicago.
“It’s definitely getting old,” Derrick said. “We’re sick and tired of hearing it."
No. 7: Soccer Moms
Do your parents take your sport more seriously than you? The sad fact is that some parents take all the fun out of the sport by putting pressure on their kids to perform like superstars... it’s totally sick!
No. 6: Hockey Headshots
Matt Cooke elbows Marc SavardCourtesy of the NHL
Hockey headshots have got to be stopped. The NHL is losing all the best players to concussions from vicious body checks. The league has decided to change the player’s protective equipment because the elbow and shoulder pads are now considered to be lethal weapons. Players are also being given large fines and longer suspensions for any attempt to hit someone in the head.
No. 5: Ferocious Fans
Riots erupt in EgyptCourtesy of FIFA
When tens of thousands of fans get together for a sporting event, there is sometimes a danger that those fans could riot. Recently, a riot broke out during a soccer game in Egypt and many people were killed and injured. Last year, hockey fans went wild in the street of Vancouver, Canada. Is it really about the sport?
No. 4: UFC
Back in ancient Rome, gladiators used to fight each other to the death. Well someone with a little bit of common sense came along and said “Stop it you fools!” Well thousands of years later, the UFC is leading everyone right back to our barbaric ways of the past.
No. 3: Sneaky Soccer Players
Christiano Ronaldo DivingCourtesy of FIFA
It’s hard to believe that the World’s most popular sport is soccer. Every game is full of diving, acting and pretending. Most sports have an honor system where the athletes respect the rules and their opponents. Soccer promotes unsportsmanlike play because the players fake their injuries and the referees reward them for it with free kicks and penalty shots which often decide who wins or loses... it's out of control!
No. 2: Comments and Criticism
Tim Thomsas refuses the White HouseCourtesy of forums.pelicanparts.com
It never used to be so bad, but the media has become quite negative. Whether you’re watching the NFL, NHL, NBA, FIFA, MLB or whatever sport, there’s usually a bunch of reporters talking trash about the teams or players. Reporters recently bombarded Tim Thomas, the goalie of the Boston Bruins, after every game for some comments that he made on Facebook about not attending the White House with his team. It made Tim very upset that he couldn’t escape reporters trying to interview him every day.
No. 1: Steroids for Superstatus
Barry Bonds before and after steroidsCourtesy of MLB
Probably the most obvious problem in sports is when athletes use steroids to elevate their games. Here is a list of some of the greatest athletes who used steroids to rise above the competition:
- Roger Clemens (The Greatest Pitchers)
- Lance Armstrong (The Greatest Cyclist)
- Barry Bonds (The Greatest Home Run Hitter)
- Marion Jones (Female US Multi-Gold Medalist Olympian)
- Ben Johnson (Canadian Sprinter and World Record Breaker)
Have Your Say...
What do you think is the worst thing wrong with sports? Let us know in the comments below.
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