Interrogators: Sports-Gambling Doctorate(?)

Abishai100

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Sep 22, 2013
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This is a sports-culture vignette inspired by the film Blue Chips. Does sports' links to capitalism remind you of the Rapture?

Since this is a capitalism-critique, I couldn't really find a place for it in the Writing section of USMB, which is why I opted for the General Discussion board, but I hope you like it!





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As Jared Goff prepared his ambitious L.A. Rams for the 2018-2019 NFL season, sports-writers, sports-fans, and sports-gamblers began taking odds and making predictions to see who would spice up the NFL season after the Super Bowl [52] in which the Goliath-like New England Patriots lost to the upstart Philadelphia Eagles, creating new aspirations/imaginations for victory-minded teams hoping to capitalize on the Patriots' deflated ego. Sports-writers suggested that Goff's Rams were like Jeff George's Indianapolis Colts of 1990 --- full of potential and hype. Now, sports-gamblers wanted to put all their chips into the Rams basket!

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Goff was dating a beautiful Italian actress named Melina who was preparing to make a new James Bond film starring Channing Tatum and directed by Jamie Blanks. Filming was to begin in Venice (Italy) in the summer of 2018, right before the 2018-2019 NFL season. Goff was vacationing in Venice, preparing for the upcoming NFL season when he met Melina. They began dating and Goff broke up with his fiancee Theresa in America. Goff proposed to Melina and promised that he'd bring NFL fans in the 2018-2019 something they'd never seen before --- a dose of thrill that would help them completely forget about the monotonous domination of the Goliath-like New England Patriots. Melina supported her husband and read NFL headlines about the Rams' promise in the upcoming season.

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Sports-gambling was a major 'enterprise' in America and was comprised of many agents/elements/character who spiced up the odds and pools and made wagers in professional sports complement the actual nonviolent competitive play on the athletic fields/stadiums. Sports-gambling had a rich tradition and was even celebrated/romanticized in various iconic American films including The Sting (Paul Newman). Now that Goff's Rams had excited many NFL fans, and a number of other aspiring teams seeking to 'break-out' of the Patriots' looming shadow in the league (such as the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, and New Orleans Saints) were keeping pace with Goff's Rams, sports-gamblers declared the 2018-2019 season NFL playoffs to be potentially a thing of 'sparkling beauty.'

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Of course, every time sports-marketing in consumerism-consciousness creates intrigue, there is potential moral temptation. Athletes may want to take illegal/dangerous performance-enhancing steroids to increase their chances of on-field success. Sports-writers want to dramatically speculate on who might create a post-Patriots 'dynasty' in the NFL. Sports-fans want to see their aspiring teams dominate gloriously after seeing Tom Brady's Patriots dramatically demise at the hands of the Eagles(!). This sort of 'sports-culture drama' gave rise to a sports-gambling corrupt tycoon named Kingpin who was being trailed by an FBI agent named Wilson who dressed as a vigilante by night and called himself Daredevil. Kingpin/Daredevil conceived of ways Goff's Rams in the 2018-2019 NFL season would 'revolutionize' sports-audience etiquette.

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Kingpin was a legitimate businessman (imports) who decided to attend a symbolic Yale University economics conference on the value of brand globalization in the modern free market. However, Wilson/Daredevil suspected Kingpin was going to do something foul at the conference and decided to follow him there and attend the conference as well, claiming he was taking notes about the academics of economics in American universities which might draw the attention of anti-capitalist terrorists from the Middle East. As Kingpin commented on various professors'/lecturers' ideas about proactive consumerism, Wilson/Daredevil countered his comments with his own comments about teamwork-oriented economics (e.g., Teamsters). It soon became evident that Kingpin and Daredevil had created a capitalism-incendiary axis of debate.

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KINGPIN: I disagree that sports-marketing creates 'teamwork.'
DAREDEVIL: It does; fans want evidence of coordinated consumerism.
KINGPIN: Well, maybe rival athletes might endorse a brand together.
DAREDEVIL: Sure; Jared Goff and Drew Brees might make a Nike ad together!
KINGPIN: People still value the 'thrill' of individual-success based sports-profits.
DAREDEVIL: I concede that; sports-gambling is based on personal glories.
KINGPIN: Even Fantasy Football celebrates the thrill of personal premonitions.
DAREDEVIL: Perhaps consumerism creates an 'arena' for interrogation.
KINGPIN: Who are the interrogators?
DAREDEVIL: I refer to sports-writers as 'The Interrogators' (those working for ESPN).
KINGPIN: Well, ESPN sports-writers are certainly prominent in modern media...
DAREDEVIL: Their comments about the direction of sports-odds guides fan-responses.
KINGPIN: I'll make a wager, Wilson; if Goff's Rams win Super Bowl 53, I'll buy you dinner.
DAREDEVIL: Alright then; and if Brady's Patriots win Super Bowl 53, I'll buy you dinner!
KINGPIN: Agreed; we'll see how your 'Interrogators' (ESPN sports-writers) affect fanfare.
DAREDEVIL: You will see that sports-culture in America (Jerry Maguire) is energy-based!
KINGPIN: If I win my argument, I'll continue to exercise my brand of 'sports-Sophism.'


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:backpedal:
 

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