ABSTRACT
Sports and violence are inextricably connected. The sport-as-war metaphors used by coaches, players, reporters, broadcasters, marketers, and fans all tacitly acknowledge the inherent violence: “Battle lines have been drawn.” “The team is loaded with weapons.” “Their aerial attack cannot be stopped.” “The battle was won in the trenches.” At one time, the Arena Football League even promoted itself as “The 50-Yard Indoor War.” The relationship between sports and violence can be plotted on a line of succession from Milo of Croton, the Roman gladiators and charioteers to Mike Tyson, James Harrison, Todd Bertuzzi, and (at least for one incomprehensible headbutt) Zinedine Zidane. In this chapter, we will examine sports violence in our current media environment.
