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Elizabeth
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Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: June 17 2006 at 8:23am | IP Logged
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At first glance, this is going to seem like a trivial request; please bear with me.
In this household, we were bursting with excitement over the World Cup. It was important because of Bobby and because my children are soccer players themselves. But there was another reason. Many years ago, my husband produced the first televised college soccer game in the US. It was the beginning of a career with soccer television as its anchor. A few days before the World Cup began, he produced a Major League Soccer game that got the highest rankings ever for soccer on ESPN. Seemed like all was well in the sports world.
But what the fans and the non-fans don't realize when they watch seemingly meaningless games on television is that sports are an industry and winning and losing affect commerce. The US loss in the first gameof World Cup will have real financial impact on many, many people, from the players, to the coaching staff, to the folks who put it on television, to the sales people, as Rebecca well knows.
When the commentators bash soccer in the US and talk about how it will never be a real sport here, they do more than hurt our feelings, they affect our livelihood.Advertisers don't want to buy into a "fake" sport and so there goes the revenue for teleivsion production. If it's not on TV (or if you're losing), you don't build a fan base, so it is much harder to sell live tickets. There go the sales jobs. On the other hand, when the team wins, when they make the whole country proud, people want to see more. And people wanting to see more soccer would be a very good thing for the family that lives in my house.
So...it's not just a game, it's a job. Would you please pray for my Mike and Rebecca's Mike and all those earnest people for whom "playing games" is real work? And then, just a little whisper for a win or a tie for the US National Team in Germany today?
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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amyable
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| Posted: June 17 2006 at 9:33am | IP Logged
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Praying, Elizabeth! Thank you for sharing that - even though my brother is in sports (as a journalist) I didn't realize much of what you wrote.
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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Cay Gibson
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Joined: July 16 2005
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| Posted: June 17 2006 at 8:53pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth,
People honestly don't realize this.
I didn't. 
Though my children play ball and love it (and we all love watching them play), no one in my family has ever made a career out of sports...unless you count my first cousin who lives and breathes sports and has become a high school coach.
We are the family who sits around the holiday dinner table belching (excuse the pun) over the $$$$ professional athletes make. Part of the argument is: why do Americans pay so much for entertainment? Our culture is obsessed with entertainment. Is that a good obsession? Is it unhealthy?
Then, this week, my immediate family's whole outlook changed. While on vacation, we went to Ameriquest Field where the Texas Rangers play.
It was impressive. We were all impressed. The children were very impressed. We were lucky enough to get a private tour (after missing the schedule tour) because of a very nice tour guide that came along and said he'd take us. We were toured over the whole stadium and got to sit inside the Rangers' dugout. We were even allowed inside the owner's private viewing room and inside the press room.
My 13 yr old son (who doesn't care to read or write) but has sport statistics and knowledge brain filed away in perfect order was majorly impressed. I've hinted to him about a job in sports newscasting. (How hard is that market to break into anyway? Does anyone know?)
I'm not saying he'll go into the sports field but I could see the interest and the prospects. I began thinking of Rebecca's dh and his being out of work for so long.
I saw all jobs that stem off of this "entertainment", including the behind-the-scene work at the stadium: the cleaning up, polishing the diamond, giving tours, mowing the grass, covering the game for the news, etc.
And I realized that, while the professional players are making big bucks to play, a lot of other talented people are given jobs as well. This isn't entertainment to them. It's a job. It's work...work they love, but still...it's work. Work they take pride and satisfaction in. Work they do so they can provide for their families and bring enjoyment to the country.
It's a community of sorts...like we all are here.
I'm in a whole different mindframe...full of admiration for the men and women who work this field for our benefit and our enjoyment. 
And Garrett, dh and I watched the game today while I fought off a headache. The U.S. tied. So how will things look now for the industry? And I've lost my headache while typing all this. 
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Rebecca
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| Posted: June 17 2006 at 11:11pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for posting this, Elizabeth. You know that I will continue to pray. I am grateful for the prayers of this board, as well.
God Bless,
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Dawn
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| Posted: June 18 2006 at 5:22am | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
| When the commentators bash soccer in the US and talk about how it will never be a real sport here, they do more than hurt our feelings, they affect our livelihood. |
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Thank you for this reminder, Elizabeth. My husband (who played in HS and college) is a huge soccer fan and goes nuts over the lack of respect shown this sport here.
For all affected by the ups and downs of the sports industry (especially our friends here), we are praying. 
__________________
Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
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Elizabeth
Founder
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| Posted: June 18 2006 at 5:35am | IP Logged
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A tie is better than a loss and the press was much kinder, so that's good. And the National Team still could advance if Italy wins and the US beats Ghana on Thursday. The other game that mattered in our immediate situation yesterday was an MLS match in Houston. That one didn't end so well. God has a plan...
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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4Real Forums : We Pray to the Lord
Topic: World Cup Prayer Request
