As we get closer to the Super Bowl, I have started to think about the impact that sports have had on my life, as well as the lives of other people. I know that not all people are athletes, and that not everybody enjoys sports, but I think that in one way or another they have had an impact on everyone. Everyone has a favorite team that they may or may not watch ever week, or they know someone who is a die hard fan. I guess what I am trying to say is that sports are important in one way or another and have an impact on the lives of many people.

I was never really big on watching the games on t.v. every week. Of course I have my favorite teams, but I never felt the need to keep up with the games weekly. The only team that I watched often when I was younger was the Chicago Bears because I saw that as a time to hang out and bond with my dad. Now I like to keep up with both baseball and football as much as I can. However, I know many people that faithfully watch their favorite team weekly. I feel like keeping up with weekly sports is a way for people to keep in touch with others and bond with people that they may not have anything in common with. They also make a good conversation starter for when there may be an awkward silence at a family get together or even just when there is nothing to talk about at dinner.

Another reason that I think sports are important is because they allow people to show pride for their favorite team(s). When people display their pride for their favorite team(s), they are able to express who they truly are without being judged or criticized for their views, because there are so many other people with the same views that they have. Although there may be some "trash" talking going on between people who may not like another person's favorite team, it is all in the fun of sports. There is still a mutual respect among all sports fans, and a little friendly rivalry is just part of loving a game and having a favorite team.

I know that everyone has different views on sports. No matter how you look at it, there are always going to be parts of a sport that someone may or may not like. But the way I look at it, sports unite people as a community, as a city, as a state, and maybe even as a country. They bring together groups of people that may have never talked before but are united by a love for their favorite team. For this reason, I think that sports have some kind of importance to all of us.