In case you haven't noticed, there has been a lot of rugby on recently.
I must be in the tiny minority of people who work somewhere that noone mentions it. Well, someone said something nice about the Welsh, but that's been it for the last month.
It has reminded me of the anti-rugby feeling I keep running into with my friends. Yes, rugby in New Zealand is a little like eating McDonald's or drinking Coca Cola, the sort of thing you do without thinking because it was put in front of you a long time ago and you've never properly reviewed your options. But I quite enjoy it and I was wondering why.
I have noticed that sport is partly about sport - the techniques, strategies, uniforms, physical prowess. But it is also about the stories about the people involved, and the stories about the teams (with nations or provinces attached). I have a private theory that a number of people watch for the stories - not the sport. A case in point was the Welsh halfback on Sunday. Poor bastard had spent the last 8 years or so getting back into the team after a nasty injury playing the All Blacks, and was badly injured again within minutes of taking the field.
The interesting thing about sport as a good drama, is that you don't necessarily know what the story will be this week. Winners can turn into loosers within moments, and months or even years of hard work can be lost. In much the same way that the All Blacks lost to France last world cup.
I have to admit, I'm now on the lookout for the main genres of sport stories, and this is what I've thought of so far:
* triumph over adversity (there are so many variants on this one it is quite boggling)
* we are the champions
* thriller (or who is winning now?)
* the unexpected ending
* the underdog wins (finally!) and the corrolary: my, how the mighty have fallen
* [enter sport here] was the winner on the day (whatever that is supposed to mean)
* the heartbreaking loss (whether or not they were the underdogs to start with)
* injury (and its unfortunate companion: playing through the pain)
* streakers (he, he, he!)
* important details (this is less of a story, and more of a history lesson)
* unjustice (variations on: they only won because they bowled underarm)
* important relationships (either on the same team or, even better, opposing - think Williams sisters here people)
* behind every successful sports person... (or I just want to decidate this medal to my mother)
All of which makes me think that sports viewing is more about drama than anything else.
Posted by carla at November 4, 2003 09:54 PM