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Vipul Kohli

McCain

English 3H-Period 1

16 September 2010

America’s National Sport

Swoosh! He sunk it! Waves of cheer pass through the sea of fans which withstood the glory of the glorious three-pointer. This glory started the moment James Naismith hung two peach baskets ten feet above the ground in order to create a sport that could be played as it snowed outside, an attribute absent in most other sports. With many unique aspects, like the indoor element, basketball usurps all other sports as America’s national sport.

            Agreeably, there are many recognized sports in existence; however, basketball has made the most impact upon the American population. Football originated in the United States and represents a great deal of action and receives substantial volumes of spectators at each game from pee-wee to professional leagues. The nation is always on its heel awaiting the next Super Bowl. Basketball challenges football’s rank because, unlike football, basketball is played indoors. The roof serves as an umbrella against all weather elements. In a very small number of stadiums, are such fixtures installed. While many football players retire around 40 years of age due to the intensity and pain associated with each tackle, basketball is a lifetime sport just like tennis. Adults and children, able or disabled, male or female can be have can hold a racquet in their hands. Even so, basketball surpasses tennis because tennis is in the open air and matches can be rained out and the rackets’ material wears out with dampness. Sure, the NBA Finals may not have a global scale of viewing as the FIFA World Cup. But unlike the World Cup held once every four years, the Finals is held every May of every year. The Finals jam packs its arenas so that thousands of spectators have their eyes on <repetition> every player for every basket on every second in every game. </repetition> In the Finals, each knock-out matchup requires four wins by a single team to eliminate the opponent while the World Cup is a single-elimination series. Four games bring more action to the event with it’s-not-over-until-the-fat-lady-sings suspense. With the exception of football, maybe, the popularity of basketball increased as the pubic became bored of watching baseball’s “balls” and players running around in a diamond, not to mention the time wasted with the strikes. Hockey is not as interesting because it is mainly dominated by Canadians and much time elapses between goals.

            I’ve been a fan and player for basketball for six years now. I’ve seen little boys and girls all the way from kindergarteners to high schoolers drive a basketball to the hoop. I remember the smile on my little brother’s face when he made his first shot in kindergarten.  Basketball has become the sport of our childhood. In my town, there is a not a single grade school without a basket or court. I have not heard of any school lacking either of these elements. I’ve seen the worst neighborhoods around, and even their nearby schools managed to build a basketball court and provide some balls. In parks there are concrete courts where kids are always practicing and it’s not very long before it becomes a <repetition> three-on-three matchup. Three <repetition> hours pass me by every time I take my brother there, and a good fitness exercise that becomes. <imagery> After that, sweat’s drooping from every part of my face, from my eyes, my nose, my ears, my tears. </imagery> <figurative language> It’s a dive into the Atlantic on a hot Miami day. </figurative language> <polysyndenton> The sun’s hot and the breeze is cold and my skin is salted. </poly> I think all the fat people out there, like me, could use some of that sweat, a tropical vacation right at home. Instead of picking up their <metonymy> pack of potato chips, </metonymy> if they picked up a ball . . . it will be a new day for them. It’s not hard at all for anyone to pick up the sport. My cousin and his sister came from India here having never seen a basketball in their lives. Even so, when we went to the basketball court in the park nearby, they were able to <figurative language> seek a few buckets. </figurative language> Because it’s so easy to pick up, basketball appeals to those who lack sport skill but want to pick up a sport and develop their skill. Thus basketball becomes the first sport of choice. Even those who think they have “outgrown” playing can still watch six- or seven-footers do their stuff. Almost every major city has its own National Basketball Association (NBA) team. The local NBA venue is a great place for an evening date with <allusion> Yao Ming or Dirk Nowitzki </allusion> as the entertainment. The booths are excellent seats with dinner and wine in a sound proof zone well above the heads of the screaming fans below. If that’s too expensive, then there is always TNT or ESPN with live commentary. Every U.S. citizen has to stay current with society to stay a member of society; basketball is a topic for discussion. <anaphora> Discussion about the teams’ records. Discussion about the team’s stars. Discussion about the teams’ next draft. </anaphora> NBA players come from around the world. The physics behind the basketball makes it the easiest to handle and perform amazing stunts. <imagery> One moment the orange sphere can be in front of the handler, and the next out of sight, disappeared. . . behind the handler’s back. </imagery> The ball can bounce through the legs, spin upon a finger, and twist around the waist. This is the optimum activity for one who is bored or wants to appeal to friends. Basketball, in the end, appeals to all demographics in the United States.

            Basketball is superior to all other sports since it can be played indoors, appeals to all demographics, entertains more widely than any other sport. <assonance> Naismith’s peach basket that reigned over that gym obtained a game to tame the insanity associated with the lack of appealing sports of that century. </assonance> The time has changed; let’s fund the power of the great sport of our nation, basketball.