The late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan answered the question, “Why do sports matter so much?”
As the Longhorns embark on the national championship journey, the late Barbara Jordan reminds us there is no "I" in team. Focusing solely on oneself prevents us from recognizing the common good. The 2023 Longhorn team is a prime example of a team that prioritizes the collective over individual success.
Barbara Jordan's quote on the importance of sports is worth repeating many times. She believed that sports are vital, viable, basic, and essential. Sports are not a frivolous distraction but a universally applied equal-opportunity teacher.
Jordan saw sports as an antidote to the balkanization that occurs in society, where everyone wants their own private little piece of turf, abandoning any sense of common purpose or good. She believed that we cannot be aware of the common good if we are too focused on ourselves.
Jordan also believed that sports are essential for building self-esteem. In order to contribute to American life, each individual needs to have a high regard for themselves first. Sports can help with that. If you have never been recognized for anything before in your life but show some capability, particular tilt, and talent for a sport, it gives you self-esteem.
Finally, Jordan believed that sports can teach lessons in ethics and values for our society. It is attractive to the young and can lure them into the community of humankind. If we give our young people something to engage their energies, we can help them become valuable contributors to society.
As the Longhorns embark on the national championship journey, the late Barbara Jordan reminds us there is no "I" in team. Focusing solely on oneself prevents us from recognizing the common good. The 2023 Longhorn team is a prime example of a team that prioritizes the collective over individual success.
Barbara Jordan's quote on the importance of sports is worth repeating many times. She believed that sports are vital, viable, basic, and essential. Sports are not a frivolous distraction but a universally applied equal-opportunity teacher.
Jordan saw sports as an antidote to the balkanization that occurs in society, where everyone wants their own private little piece of turf, abandoning any sense of common purpose or good. She believed that we cannot be aware of the common good if we are too focused on ourselves.
Jordan also believed that sports are essential for building self-esteem. In order to contribute to American life, each individual needs to have a high regard for themselves first. Sports can help with that. If you have never been recognized for anything before in your life but show some capability, particular tilt, and talent for a sport, it gives you self-esteem.
Finally, Jordan believed that sports can teach lessons in ethics and values for our society. It is attractive to the young and can lure them into the community of humankind. If we give our young people something to engage their energies, we can help them become valuable contributors to society.
