There is a strong tie between sports and national pride. The Olympic Games perfectly demonstrate this connection as millions of people gather around their televisions to watch their country’s representatives dominate over all others, taking on a bit of a warlike significance but with much less violence, thankfully. There are always the popular sports of the Olympics, summer bringing swimming, basketball, and gymnastics while winter brings downhill skiing, jumping, and ice skating, but what is really unique are the lesser known sports. Prime time slots are not typically devoted to broadcasting the tension of the arm wrestling matches or relaying the melting of ice in high definition during a curling competition, yet both of these sports hold their places in the Olympic games and are regarded as being very important to their fans.
The Olympics also host table tennis and speed walking, which for many may seem like peculiar choices. As seemingly odd as a few of these Olympic sports appear, imagine the strangeness of sports that are not included in the Olympics yet are quite popular in many countries. While bog snorkeling and cheese rolling may never make it to big show of the Olympics, popular sports such as golf and rugby are still left out of the running as well. A lot can be learned about a country through an understanding of what sports run close to the heart of national pride. There is the interesting issue of why a majority of the world appears to be enamored with the game of football, American soccer, while the United States remains mildly interested, instead choosing to fall head over heels in love with American football. While millions of people from Europe and most of the Americas tune in to watch their favorite fútbol teams compete, Americans prefer to follow their favorite pigskin teams with options such as NFL Sunday Ticket, one of the most popular Direct TV packages.
Perhaps the United State’s lack of interest in fútbol stems from a serious desire to separate itself from Europe, or maybe we just wanted to make our own rendition of rugby, whatever the reason, there is an undeniable link between sports and national identity. The options offered by satellite television allow aficionados of all kinds to peruse the channels, checking out over the top and conventional sports of all kinds from all over the world. Whether it be praying for the soul of a Brazilian goalie who let a crucial shot get by or trying to decipher the rules of badminton, watching international sports allows people to take part in an important part of other cultures. Modern sports even provide a glimpse into the past of some countries and how their history has evolved into something shared internationally. While a lot of people simply enjoy watching very large men with straining muscles launch aogs further than the other “strong men” in HD, the very act dates back to strength competitions practiced in Scotland. While most sports focus on who is faster, stronger, or more agile, there is something deeper to be learned from sports in the bigger picture. Exposure to international sports through the many sports channels in existence on Direct TV offers people a peek into the culture of countries all over the world.
And if you want to delve deeper into the wacky world of sports online, but don't have a high-speed internet connection, I recommend Hughes Net satellite internet service. Hughes Net internet lets you connect at speeds up to 50x faster than dial-up, so you can easily and quickly watch all those great cheese-rolling videos you'll find in Google.
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