Back in December, Carly S. sent in an ESPN video about NFL player Bart Scott, nicknamed the “Mad Backer.” The video illustrates a number of noteworthy themes:
- The glorification of violence, with Scott reveling in the chance to dish it out.
- Equating being able to play through pain caused by this violence as proof of masculinity — particularly disturbing given concerns about the long-term effects the physical punishment players take has on their health.
- Through the “Mad Backer” persona and the presence of a straight jacket and stretcher, Scott associates mental illness with violence and danger as a way to prove his own superiority on the field. Not only is he “mad,” he depicts himself as a villain who enjoys brutality.
See for yourself:
Comments 12
:] — April 29, 2011
I'm pretty sure most sports glorify violence one way or another, this advertisement doesn't seem to doing anything special, save for putting an artistic spin on Football.
Personally, I'm not a fan of football. But, I found this video fairly interesting.
Alix — April 29, 2011
I used to work on a psych floor at the hospital. I am really, really tired of seeing violence depicted as the realm of the mentally ill. It was rare to have to put someone in restraints, and even then they'd often go willingly. I see more non-mentally-ill people who are violent and aggressive.
CatBallou — April 30, 2011
I don't agree that most sports glorify violence. I don't think you'd see this ad for a baseball player, or even a basketball player. Same with tennis, golf, swimming--countless other televised sports. Hockey and soccer and rugby, yes.
Also, I hate to do this but it's a compulsion: the term is "strait" (i.e., tight) jacket.
miga — April 30, 2011
The commercial right before the clip added another layer: Shouting, happy white men (with obligatory female) are the audience for all this. An announcer says "you, the (white) fans can watch everything that goes on here!" And everything that goes on is a muscled black man beating against a chain link fence, who enjoys bringing pain, can take physical punishment, and calls himself mentally ill and a villain.
Everything about this video gives me bad feelings.
Sports Narratives: Glorifying Mental Disorders « What We Hunger For — May 13, 2011
[...] January 21st, 2011 § Leave a Comment Update: One of my favorite blogs, Sociological Images, used the submission I sent them about this topic. Check it out: Glorifying Violence in American Sports [...]
49ers Tickets — May 22, 2011
For me I'd rather say no to violence. Sports should be fun and pleasurable and not to promote violence...
Rosa jackson — July 26, 2011
There is a designated hitter in the American League and all the south teams are the National League. All the north teams are the American Football Leaguese. For example the Tampa Devil Rays which is in the north of Florida is the American league and the Marlins are the National League which is in the south.
Delostudebaker — January 21, 2012
Football is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical, He's just getting his psyche on.
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