War and Sports

In one of the last classes we had we talked about how sometimes in sports it can seem like a war or battle and how the aspects of sports are related to war. While I do see the similarities with sports and battle, I still think they are very different. Some of the similarities that were pointed out were factors like how when you are battling you are on a side that you are loyal to and you fight against an opponent and the idea of battling and persevering to win. However, I think it is a little rash to make them seem “really” similar. Sports are very limited and have certain regulations to follow. In war, there are no rules that all soldiers must abide by, except for the orders they are given from their superiors. There are no referees out on a battlefield throwing flags or blowing a whistle because someone made a foul. In the Civil War, all the men knew was that there was an enemy they were facing and their main goal was to defeat them, which mostly meant killing or capturing them. War is a harsh thing to endure for anyone because in an instant you could be killed because you are fighting for what you believe in, whether it is good or bad. In sports, players only play because of the passion they have for the game and it is their choice of whether to play or not. In war, you fight for the side you are loyal to and because you have a duty. So, to me, sports and war aren’t that similar but still share some of the same basic concepts.