Jocks vs. PukesRobert Lipsyte27 July 2011 The Nation
Main Idea:
Understanding differences/commonalities might provide understanding the myths of masculinity and power that pervade sports and why these myths are inescapable in everyday life.
Interview of 1968Columbia University crew coach, Bill Stowe.
According to Stowe, there are two kinds of men
Jocks Brave Manly Ambitious Focused Patriotic Goal-driven
Pukes. Woolly Distractible Girlish Handicapped by lack of certainty that nothing matters as much as winning. “cruddy weirdo slobs” Hippies Pot smokers Protesters English majors.
Stowe = “affable ur-Jock, 28 years old, funny and articulate” Olympic gold medal winner Former Navy officer Spent Vietnam deployment Rowing Saigon River Running an officers’ club Didn’t last at Columbia Helped police “roust” antiwar and antiracism demonstrators.
As a 30-year-old New York Times sports columnist, Lipsyte “not handicapped by as much lack of certainty about all things as I am now.”
Bill Stowe = “dumb jock” Not stupid Ignorant Narrow Misguided by values of Jock Culture,
World may be divided into Jocks and Pukes.
Boys (+girls) accept Jock Culture often flourish in competitive sports environment Submission to authority Winning by any means necessary Group cohesion.
Tend to be leaders Political Military Financial
Pukes Turned off or away from competitive sports (or settle for XC) More likely to question authority Seek ways of individual expression.
Mental conditioning of Jocks possible because of joy of sports. Best way to pleasure one’s body in public. Entertaining Healthful Filled with honest, sustaining sentiment with others Simplest form = playing catch at lake with friends.
Jock Culture is a distortion of sports. Physically and mentally unhealthy, driving people apart instead of together Fueled by greed and desperate competition Most grotesque= killer dodgeball for prize money (Super Bowl).
Clash between sports Jock Culture is virtually ideological (metaphorical) De-emphasizing early competition and redistributing athletic resources means everyone, throughout their lives, has access to sports.(Quixotic)
Kids initiated into Jock Culture channeled into pressurized arenas of elite athletes travel teams driven by ambitious parents coaches.
Possibility of learning Bravery Cooperation Respect
Becomes cockpit of Bullying Violence Win-at-all-costs attitude Can kill a soul. Or a brain. EX: Pee Wee football = “put a hat on him” Head first, not wrapping up ball carrier Helmet-to-helmet hits start the trauma cycle early. Current concussion discussion launched by discovering dementia and morbidity among former pro players.
No escape from Jock Culture.
One may be willing to describe oneself as a Puke, “cut” from the team to discover true identity billionaire geek Grammy-winning band fag wonkish pundit
Jock Culture attitudes and codes endure. One must compete with them winners and losers, shame and intimidation for short term results Big business Medicine Law But also Symphony orchestras University philosophy departments Liberal magazines.
Jock Culture applies rules of competitive sports to everything. Boystaught to be Tough Stoical Aggressive Play hurt Hit hard Take risks to win in every aspect of their lives. To dominate.
Re: 9/11, Lipstyte considers why disproportionate number of athletic women men killed. Brief New York Times memorials: Most former high school and college players avid weekend recreationists passionate sports fans. Executives from WTC stock-trading companies recruited athletes Came to work when sick Worked well in groups Rebounded quickly from setbacks Pushed envelope to reach the goal Never quit until the job was done. Didn’t have to be star jocks, Trained in codes of Jock Culture Most important: willingness to submit to authority.
Sense of belonging with winning teamreflects Jock Culture’s grip on male (and female) psycheathlete coach parent cheerleader booster fan
Men traditionally urged pursue jock dreams no matter cost: physical emotional financial
Those who realize dreams made rich and famous (or waved through “tollbooths of ordinary life”). Treated as celebrity at 12 freed from normal boundaries excused from taking out the garbage reating siblings, friends, girls responsibly
This is no preparation for a fully realized life. Result: Many abusive athletes emotionally stunted ex-athletes resentful onlookers.
As masculinity is redefined, or re-examined, sports become more important economically culturally emotionally
More at service to the empire.More dangerous to the common good.
Games= main form of mass entertainmentWinners become examples of impermissible behavior cheating sexual crimes dog torturing.
What is ultimate result? Not difficult to connect the moral dots from field house to White House.
Emergence of girls as competitors raises ante.
Boys traditionally manipulated by fear of being labeled a girl. coaches drillsergeants sales managers
Words like “sissy” and “faggot” have less to do with homophobia than misogyny
There are numerous ways males can identify as “real men” size sexuality power money fame
Nothing as indelible as mark made in childhood when good bodies are separated from bad bodies, i.e., team from the spectators
Designated athletes rewarded love attention perks
Leftovers struggle with resentments and search for identity.
However, final score not always a sure thing sensitive linebackers and CEOs, domineering shrinks and violinists. Facebook Puke Mark Zuckerbergprevailed over Olympic rowing Jocks Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss?
Bill Stowe today is 71 (retired crew coachfundraiser for Coast Guard Academy “I don’t follow that stuff these days.” “I have to tell you, I don’t remember separating the world into Jocks and Pukes, although it sounds good. I liked good brains in my boats, as long as they were willing to concentrate and pay the price.” “It’s time to give up the torch [of politics] […] People are still living in ignorance, but I’m not running it up the flagpole anymore. Life’s too short to fight.” “The big-league thing, that’s a circus. I don’t understand how anyone could look up to those guys. But the real issue is with the kids. Did you read where they’re building a $60 million football stadium for a high school in Texas? Just for the Jocks. Have you got any idea how much good you could do, even just in athletics, for all the other kids with that much money?”
Lipsyte: Writing this down “doesn’t at all seem Puke-ish now. We’re on the same page […] There’s hope.