Sports
Opinion: Football isn't just violence. It's democracy's schoolhouse
The ripple effects of the brawl that broke out between Ohio State and Michigan football players in late November are still spreading. A massive scrum ensued when celebrating Michigan players tried to plant a team flag on Ohio State’s field.
Are the fines levied on each team — $100,000 — too low for high-stakes college football? Was the police response appropriate? Should flag-planting be outlawed?
Sadly, the shoves and punches on the football field reflect a broader trend surging across America: a CEO was gunned down in the street, reporters and media personalities face increasing threats, a presidential candidate was nearly assassinated. And a staggering 23% of Americans now believe that we “may have to resort to violence in order to save our country.”
Football’s popularity, and its brutality, always takes heat for its role in the larger culture of violence. One writer condemned it as “unspeakably violent” and “wrapped up in machismo, militarism, swagger and patriotism.” Another wrote that violence and danger are “the beating heart of football.”
No doubt football is suffused with gladiatorial bravado. The growing emphasis on curbing the game’s long-term health risks, especially its connections to brain injury, will benefit players and fans alike. But as the bowl games and college playoffs roll out, we should note this as well: Too much is learned from football to cast it aside.
The football field — the baseball diamond, the basketball gym, the tennis court — is where millions of Americans learn discipline, respect for opponents and the value of coordinated action. Athletic contests are a schoolhouse of democracy that inculcates the habits of civic engagement necessary for a free people to thrive. Sports — even contact sports — are part of the solution, not the problem.
Participation in sports fosters a commitment to fair play. Fans and players understand that victory has no meaning if it’s achieved dishonestly; cheating undermines the integrity of the game. We lose respect for those who steal signs or use performance-enhancing drugs to get a leg up. The same is true in civil society — when the rules are violated, the whole system is weakened. Fair play in sports mirrors the importance of fairness in democratic society and a respect for the rules of engagement set by our political tradition.
Our government is held up not just by elected officials but by processes — the separation of powers, checks and balances, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power through free and fair elections — that are time tested. These processes are the rules of the game. Without them democracy ends.
Sports breed civility. With the handshake at the end of a hard-fought contest, players recognize the effort, skill and fair play of the other side. Fans love watching LeBron James, but it’s his teammates and opponents who most understand his greatness, having themselves spent decades in practice and the weight room. They know how much dedication his level of excellence requires and they respect him for it. The same holds true on the Little League field.
This attitude is needed in civic life, and disturbing trends of rising polarization and disrespect between political adversaries illustrate why. Gridlock flourishes and resentments brew under those conditions. Effective policymaking demands respect for different views and acknowledging that well-meaning people can disagree on first principles. Grappling with differences is the beating heart of a pluralistic society.
Lastly, sports instill an appreciation for what can be accomplished through teamwork and coordinated action. No player can succeed without the support of others. No football game has ever been won by one person alone; no gymnast has ever excelled without a coach.
In our restless world where mobility means opportunity, and the average American moves from their friends, family and local community nearly 12 times in their life, it’s easy to forget that we aren’t just wandering individuals, disconnected from a broader community. Sports, like other kinds of association, gather us together and remind us that the things worth accomplishing require collective effort. We need the games we play and watch to keep from turning further inward, deeper into the isolation and paranoia that fuel our present crisis.
When commentators say that football is irredeemable — “pure violence as entertainment,” said two sociologists in these pages — they aren’t saying the quiet part out loud, they’re forgetting the quiet part entirely: The intensity of sport belies a deeper communion, that we learn to respect each other and ourselves when we face off on the field.
Frederick J. Ryan Jr. is the director of the Ronald Reagan Center on Civility and Democracy and a USC alumnus. James Washington is the president of the Rose Bowl Institute, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a UCLA alumnus.
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After a slow first round at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Thursday, pace of play was a point of emphasis at the PGA Championship on Friday.
However, when an official approached Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley, they became animated.
Thomas, a longtime Team USA Ryder Cup member, and Bradley, last year’s United States captain, were on the fourth hole when they were approached by an official in a cart, and the conversation quickly turned into finger-pointing.
Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley watch from the tenth green during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Thomas said after the round that he, Bradley and fellow USA Ryder Cupper Cameron Young, who won the Cadillac Championship earlier this month, were put on the clock, with the official telling them to pick up the pace. However, both Bradley and Thomas appeared to point at the group in front of them.
“We just didn’t really agree with it,” Thomas said, citing course conditions, high winds and tough pins. “We were behind. That wasn’t our issue… It’s just the fact that we weren’t holding up the group behind us.”
Thomas said they were caught up with the pace on the very next hole.
Justin Thomas plays his shot on the 15th tee during the second round of the PGA Championship in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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Thomas had a lengthy conversation with the official, while Bradley appeared to make his point short and sweet — though he was definitely not happy with the call.
It is a large PGA Championship field, with 156 golfers at the course and groups even starting their rounds on the back nine. The scores have also been rather high, with just 25 players below par at the time of publishing.
Aronimink also features a shared tee box on 1 and 10, holes 9 and 17 crossing paths, and a lengthy par-3 eighth hole that’s causing problems. Three par-3s are over 200 yards on the course, and there is also a 457-yard par 4 on the fourth.
Keegan Bradley prepares to putt on the 14th green during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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As Chris Gotterup put it on Friday, “You’re not going to get any four-and-a-half hour rounds out here.”
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The Sparks are finally in the win column, but the outcome was in doubt late Friday night.
Behind double-digit scoring from all five starters, the Sparks had by far their best offensive showing of the season, shooting 63.8% during a 99-95 win over the expansion Toronto Tempo.
The Tempo didn’t make things easy, cutting the deficit to two points late and later trailing by just three with 31 seconds remaining and possession of the ball. Marina Mabrey missed a three-point attempt before late Tempo fouls gave the Sparks enough of a cushion to win.
Kelsey Plum nearly claimed a double-double with 27 points and nine assists, while Dearica Hamby had 19 points with seven rebounds and Nneka Ogwumike scored 20 points.
Erica Wheeler, who started in place of Ariel Atkins (concussion), scored 10 points with seven assists and was a plus-16 as the primary ball handler after starting the season two for 16 from the field. That freed up Plum to be in position to score, setting up a much more efficient Sparks offense.
Toronto was shorthanded in the frontcourt without starting center Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder), and the Sparks trio of bigs had a field day with 54 points in the paint.
The Sparks came out firing on Friday, opening with a 17-2 run.
The Tempo went on a 10-0 burst heading into the second quarter but the Sparks countered to maintain momentum and led 46-38 at halftime.
A Wheeler three-pointer early in the third quarter gave the Sparks a 20-point lead. The Tempo cut it to three midway through the fourth while Brittany Sykes (27 points, seven assists) sparked Toronto’s rally. The Tempo put up more shots than the Sparks, 70-58, largely because of a 10-2 offensive-rebounding gap.
Cameron Brink’s 10 points were the only ones provided by the Sparks’ bench, while the Tempo got 42 points from reserves.
Toronto was coming off its first win in franchise history on Wednesday when it defeated Seattle but struggled against a more complete offensive team in the Sparks.
In her return to Los Angeles after winning a national championship with UCLA this spring, Tempo rookie Kiki Rice netted 11 points.
Kate Martin made her Sparks debut as a developmental player with Atkins and Sania Feagin (lower left leg) unavailable and picked up one rebound in six minutes.
The Sparks will face Toronto again on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
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The WNBA season has been in session for about a week, so it is far too early to make assumptions about teams. That doesn’t mean we won’t make them; it’s just too early to really believe it. I lost my first WNBA bet this season, so I’m hoping to avenge that loss here as the Sky take on the Mercury.
The Chicago Sky are one of the most poorly run franchises in basketball. They have had some great names on their team and only one championship to show for it.
Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner shoots over Indiana Fever guard Aerial Powers in the first half at PHX Arena. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)
There really isn’t a clear indication of what is wrong with the franchise, but they’ve never been able to retain their talent. Aside from Kamilla Cardoso, I can’t name a player on this team that they’ve actually drafted. They just seem to get good players and then show them the door.
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Even though they’ve had questionable front office decisions, they seem to have put together a solid team for this season – something I didn’t expect before the season started.
They are 2-0, which is too early to really say they are a good team. I also want to reserve judgment until they face a team with a longer history than last year. The Portland Tempo played their first-ever game against the Sky, and Golden State was good last year, but still is in just their second season of existence.
The Phoenix Mercury are actually considered one of the best franchises in the league. I’m sure there are issues that people have reported, but for the most part, they have good facilities, and people want to play for their team. They made it all the way to the WNBA Finals last season before falling to the Las Vegas Aces. This year, they are looking to restart that journey and see if they can win the last game of the year.
Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper dribbles the ball in the second half at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2025. (Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images)
It will need to come with some better play than they’ve shown through three games this year. They are just 1-2 for the year with a 0-1 home record. The lone win was a blowout victory over the Aces (a clear revenge game if we’ve ever seen one). Then they lost the next two games against Golden State and Minnesota. Losing to the Lynx wouldn’t be a problem, but they didn’t have Napheesa Collier, who still has an ankle injury.
I expect the Mercury to make some adjustments for this game. They haven’t looked very crisp to begin the year, but they’ve been strong on offense, averaging 87 points per game.
The Sky are going to keep relying on their offense to do just enough and their defense to lock in. The Sky do have an edge on the interior, so they can get buckets fairly easily down low. I like the over 166.5 in this game.
Chicago Sky guard Skylar Diggins chases the ball during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on May 13, 2026. (Bob Kupbens/Imagn Images)
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I also think it is worth betting on Kahleah Copper to go over her point total. Copper had two rough games before she broke out in the last game. Now she has the same sight lines and can attack the bigs from the Sky with her athleticism. Since going to Phoenix, she has scored 29, 7, 16, 25 and 28 points in five games against them.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
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