Essay Three Among the Thugs and the Appeal of Being a Sports Fan
R333 Sports and Society Spring Semester 2022
Method of Submission Attached to an email or a Canvas Message
Note Because this third unit ends right as Spring Break starts, and particularly because
you are reading a full book for this paper assignment, I am giving you until the end of
Spring Break to turn this paper in so you are getting an extra week to work on it.
In this unit of the class, well consider why being sports fans is so important to so many people.
A related question is what are the social factors that play into being a sports fan. Whether it be a
nostalgic longing for a Baltimore that was gone long before the Colts left for Indianapolis,
engaging in at times criminal and violent behavior as a British football thug, or staying a fan of a
high school basketball team long after youve graduated, being part of a group of sports fans
seems to be a universal component to the human social experience.
What is the appeal of being a sports fan? Further, what are some of the social factors that play into why sports (or the various activities that surround being a fan) takes on such an importance for so many people. Thats your set of questions to discuss here. The bulk of your paper needs
to be a careful consideration of Among the Thugs. I want to see a detailed use of the book here
(in part to show me you did it), to explore the appeal of this seemingly bizarre and definitely
dangerous behavior. Using the concepts we have developed for this unit of the class (i.e. an
effective discussion of the book will require this), how can we explain, from a sociological
perspective, why these men are football thugs?
In a supporting role in your paper, I want you to bring in some of the other film and course
material/discussions weve had on the appeal of being a sports fan, to further develop your discussion.
