Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Connection of Sports

As I was cramming for finals I took note of the Trobriand Cricket movie we needed to watch and study for the final exam.  This video was full of information regarding the diffusion of sports between two different cultures.  It also got me thinking of a show that I love to watch (when its available) called "Dhani Tackles the Globe" on the Travel Channel.  I have watched this show for two seasons( not sure if there is going to be a third) because of the amazing stories, cultural explorations and respectful connections it displays. 
The premise of the show is that an american professional football player Dhani Jones,who plays for the Cinci Bengals, uses his off-season time to learn about compete in numerous international country's sport of choice. For instance, he took a week to prepare for English Rugby in the UK and though it is not far from football, he found it extremely difficult and challenging to make the transition.  The bowtie-sporting athlete Dhani also takes time from practice to immerse himself in the history, cuisine, and libations of the local culture and this is where the show becomes really interesting.  My favorite parts are when he finds time to break away from the sport practice and a local takes him around to sample local cuisine and drinks.  The destinations included in this series are incredible too.  Like any other Travel Channel show, you are given a visual journey to places like Croatia, South Africa, Jamaica (where he played cricket), France, and Australia.
This show really impressed me with the amount of acceptance and generosity of international countries.  It seemed that Dhani was sent to learn and compete in cultural events and his efforts were respected and reciprocated by others.  I really hope that students can find time to catch this program in the future.  I have already marked half of the places Dhani went to put on my list of PLACES TO TRAVEL. 
Cheers, Brian R

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