This is just me in a sorta stoner mode, so don’t get mad ok. I’m in a hippie mode. High on peace. But is competition problematic? Or can sport be more expressive or enjoyable. I mean, I’m not saying get rid of sport by the way. Not necessarily. But can it be better. Who knows eh. Am I being very futuristic here. Am I being an idiot. Possibly. Am I being ‘too modern’. Have I watched too much sci-fi series or listened to too many podcasts. Possibly.

Does it cause more problems than it offers positives. Well, there’s jobs that exist because of sport. That’s a positive. But only one team can win a league or cup competition. 9 months or so of 19 teams competing only to ‘not win’ by GW38. Even for that team that does ‘win’ by then – there’s sheer joy or relief – but how much did it drain them physically & mentally. Most matches have 3 goals or less in, so that’s 90 mins for not many joyful moments – obviously some games are high scoring – I’m just going off averages here. I mean competition can cause people to be utter bastards, it can be cut throat & arguably cause people to not feel like they can open up as much about problems in fear of coming across as ‘making excuses’. I mean, I don’t know – can we find more joy and less aggression in football or other sports – surely it’s better for our physical and/or mental health to do so. Is there too much information in football, do we know too much – is that making it less thrilling? It feels like one big matrix sometimes – for better or for worse. Or is the engagement, chats & reaction part of the enjoyment for people. Is discovering new information, putting it out & preparing our teams in FPL part of the fun for some people. Is just the idea of going the game something that gets us through the week – let alone how bad or good the game is going to be. On the flip side, competition can be brilliant for stimulating us, giving us a challenge & making us feel alive – whether we win, lose or draw. I think we need more ‘madness’ in football – less rationality, more magic & more franticiness – more drama – more excitement. Do we need to adapt more or are we better winning or losing however we want to – and enjoy the thrill of the chase more – or do we need to see it more as a game of chess. I don’t mate. You tell me. Is competition part of life? Perhaps. But because it’s been like that in the past or now doesn’t mean it has to be like that in the future.

Maybe I’m not being ‘edgy’ enough. Maybe I need more ‘edge’. Maybe my ‘edge ‘ has been softened. Maybe these times are making me annoyed again – in a good way – and are firing me up. But then sometimes I think that can be emotionally draining – and I’m like all chill now. But yeah, maybe we need more edge. I mean, this cost of living crisis is definitely making me dig deeper – the less you have the more edge you have arguably. Well, it’s got me thinking. For fun really. I think for fun. Well, can you be ruthless in a sporting sense & still be sound outside of sport – old wisdom may say no – but times are changing. But I’m thinking how perhaps how I may need to be more ‘ruthless’ in a sporting sense in some aspects of my life – or is that not very practical. It’s a horrible word that – ‘ruthless’ really. Maybe I mean have more of an edge. Is it about being calm, patient and rational or do I need to be more ‘ruthless’ in a gaming or sporting sense. Am I too calm? I definitely don’t think ‘ruthlessness’ is good in a general life sense – it can be too ‘macho’ – and that’s how wars can start. But I don’t know – is the difference sometimes like 1% or 2% from a mental point of view – or is that elitist bollocks. Perhaps in a sporting sense on the field and/or when playing games we can be ‘ruthless’ – it’s perhaps something that stats can’t quantify – but I don’t think this every man (or woman or however someone identifies as) outdated mentality should come at the cost of people being able to eat, heat and/or be in a good place mentally. Perhaps it’s possible to separate these two worlds – when in the zone – perhaps it’s not. Perhaps we don’t have to ‘win’ or ‘lose’. Perhaps it’s nuanced and not just simply black or white. But football has problems off the field, that can’t be ignored. That’s a side of it that’s difficult to like. That’s where greed comes from or where’s it at. Two sponsors on most Premier League team’s tops these days is a joke too – I’m making a declarative statement there – but feel free to disagree. I don’t know mate, I absolutely don’t have all the answers, it’s some trippy stuff to think about though eh.