[minus_273]

hahah, lets forget the fact that the government didn't manufacture sports to distract people. Socialized sports: no competition... the tickets are free too!

[John Valentine]

Chomsky is an overeducated idiot. He knows how to use words, but he hasn't got a single useful thing to say.

[injin]

somebody needs to play football with Noam Chomsky

[ArmyBratproud]

If they ran out of things to protest, liberals would protest protesting.

[Richard Kimball]

Reading Noam Chomsky is like watching a car wreck. You don't want to look, but you really can't help yourself. Hint to Noam, the guys that actually had dates in high school were the ones that played sports. You were the guy visiting with your invisible friend and the only member of the Esperanto club.

[wolfman]

Football good. Chomsky dumb.

[Dekan]

You know, I remember in high school, already I was pretty old. I suddenly asked myself at one point, why do I care if my high school team wins the football game? [laughter] I mean, I don't know anybody on the team, you know?

That explains so much.

[RussP]

Chomsky is right in a sense, but in another sense he completely misses the point. Yes, it is true that sports really don't matter. They are entertainment. Are movies a distraction too? Does Chomsky consider people stupid for getting emotionally involved in a fictional movie? I hope not.

Sports are a unique form of entertainment in that nobody knows in advance who will actually win. In a movie, the plot is whatever the writer and director decided it would be, but nobody arbitrarily decides the outcome of a football game.

Having said that, I do think that some people get too wrapped up in sports and lose sight of more important things.

[MarineBrat]

A bunch of linked together blather. Basically a word salad.

[bahblahbah]

ROFL, what a nerd. Give him a swirly.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Noam Chomsky is a cunning linguist.

Noam Chomsky pontificating about sport is like the Pope talking about Peruvian Basket Weaving.

[RightField]

#7 - This is the academic equivalent to being the world's tallest midget.
#10 - A bunch of linked together blather. Basically a word salad.

Well, Chomsky's article might be drivel, but I've picked up two new phrases to work into my vernacular - especially useful when I need to talk to my son's high school English teacher!

[spinestein]

I took a journalism course in college (yes, I'm sorry, too) and I wrote a paper for an assignment on persuasive writing, in which I championed the cause of football and other "manly" contact sports at the expense of "less manly" pursuits like bowling and the hop, skip, and jump.

I was thoroughly criticized for the concept by the teacher, who argued against me using some of the same ideas found here in this Chomsky prattle.

[MattAMiller]

What he's trying to say is that he throws like a girl.

[Jaysun]

(sports)...it offers people something to pay attention to that's of no importance. That keeps them from worrying about -- [applause] keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And the press undoubtedly does a lot with this.

I don't have to point out to anyone here that Chomsky is a crackpot, but look what he's saying here. He's saying that the purpose of sports is to divert the attention of the masses away from what "others" are secretly doing to their lives. Never mind that those involved in sports have no idea that they're supposedly doing this. Never mind that it's entertaining, and never mind that it sells (hence the media's involvement in the plot).

Who supposedly orchestrates, and benefits, from this "diversion"?

This guy is a certified kook. According to his way of thinking, just about EVERYTHING is a conspiracy to "divert attention" - opera, ballet, arts, etc.

[PGalt]

Chomsky fumbles! Americans recover.

[nuke rocketeer]

Give me a six pack or two to numb my mind so I will not think about pressing social(ist) concerns as I sit down to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday with my beer gut hanging down over the dirty sweat pants and drool sliding out the corners of my mouth.

[Pat79thST]

Noam Chomsky: This semiotic totalitarian and his village fascists deconstruct the very pillars of language in order to bring the temple down, as the temple brings the benighted together in an agreement of post-nihilistic idolaltry. The dutiful unwashed acolytes of corporate despotism signify their willingness to flay the flesh of freedom in exchange for the chains of commerce, that were forged by blood of oppressed peoples eveywhere.

But, hey the Pats look to be 61/2 point favorites over the Chunky Soup shills and I intend to bask in the glow of capitalist excess with a big steaming bowl chili -a potage of lintels and scrap meats - and a frosty malted grain beverage.

Noam- you gotta love the Pats!

[Smartaleck]

General George Patton responds...

"MEN, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshi*. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All REAL Americans love the sting and clash of battle. ...

Third, you are here because you are real MEN and all real MEN like to fight. When you, here, everyone of you, were kids, you all admired the champion marble player, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, and the All-American football players.

Americans love a winner.

Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American."

[x]

Chomsky on Lord of the Rings is funny too.