Arguably, a sports team can be considered as an example, if not a part of governmentality.
As an example, a sports team can demonstrate how coaches, and sports agencies, train/turn out the best athletes. To do this, they use training and conditioning programs, regulating food, possibly entertainment, daily schedules and instilling values into the players themselves so they behave as the model athletes they do. Some athletes even get certain public relations training to deal with the press and to present themselves as model athletes, hence this is a good example or analogy of governmentality.
As a part of governmentality, a sports team can help instill positive or desirable values in citizens. They encourage citizens to not only participate in healthy sports, but encourage competition and community between various geographic sections of a nation. So yes, a sports team is a part of governmentality as it helps the government to create values beneficial to the government and educate its citizens.
A sports team could be considered part of governmentality. Sports reflect many of the things that governments want their citizens to be good at. Sports are usually regulated by an unquestionable set of rules that everyone must follow or else face punishment. These rules are enforced by a group of people or a person who’s sole job is to ensure that the rules are being followed. This is like laws in society and the police who’s job it is to enforce them. If you do not follow the laws you will face punishment. Sports also enforce ideas of the state as the games are usually highly regulated by time, just as a workplace is. Sports also emphasize the idea of sticking together as a team and not letting you team down with your actions. This promotes a society where everyone looks out for everyone else and doesn’t try to stray from the pack by doing something like revolting or questioning authority too much. Most importantly, sports reinforces the idea of obeying a higher power. In sports you have to listen to your coaches and do what they say or else you will not get to play or get kicked off the team. Sports is part of governmentality as it helps to instill values that a government likes to see in its citizens.
Team sports could be considered governmentality because both are a means to an end. Just as the government hopes that the citizens will respond to the policies that they have laid out, sports teams hope that players will respond to the challenges that they raise. As well, organization is a big part of successful governance and therefore governmentality. If a government is unorganized and not set in their vision, then they will have a difficult time achieving the goals they have set out. This is the same in team sports; if a coach does not tell his players what way to play or what the strategy for the game is, then the team will have a tougher time pulling out the win. Let’s take an example, of a government with an agenda of garnering allegiance to a new flag with schoolchildren and a football team trying to win a BCS National Championship. Both goals will require a plan, leadership and above all execution of the plan. If the Prime Minister decides to change the flag that the students are supposed to be learning to respect or the football coach decides to change his defensive system mid-system, then the subjects trying to follow this new agenda will be confused and won’t achieve the goal. Organization and consistency in the system are key pillars to governmentality.
Yes, sports can be considered part of governmentality in the way in which sports teams are an example of governmentality while also influencing people(sometimes in the way the government wants them to). Sporting events have become a part of the world and some of its affairs which involve the government. Many sports are made into global events and spectacles and most of the time they tend to involve countries playing against each other. Events like the Olympics and many others are made as involving the world. Governmentality has affected the ruling of schools and in most sports the kids learn from the schools teams. It is through teams that the government affects how things are ruled. The way in which players are expected to behave themselves is like governmentality. In some teams players are expected to act in accordance with whatever the coach, manager or owner decides and act in a certain way. This is similar to how the government tends to act and rule. Most sports athletes are expected and tend to respect each other and act in ways that the government would like. However, now because of rivalries and other things like that many players act outside of what some governments want to see and it is at this point that they can be considered to no longer be an example of governmentality. The government tries to oversee sports in minors and not so much in the pros(because there are usually a Board of Governors each sport and league) and it is in this sense that the government usually tries to use governmentality when influencing minors in sports.
Yes, we can consider sports teams’ part of governemntality, because the similarities in structure between the government and sports teams. Govermentality is defined as the way governments try to produce the citizen best suited to fulfill the governments’ policies, and the organized practices through which subjects are governed. That strongly resembles the structure of a sports team, the coaching staff set out guidelines for the players in hopes they will reach and surpass to find success. Both organizations have authorities which administer these rules, police officers and coaches. If the rules are broken in society, punishment can be dished out such as fines, jail time or community service. While if the rules are broken in a sports organization, the coach can dish out punishment by cutting their playing time, not letting them play in games or adding additional, harder team practices. To sum up, sports teams can be considered to be a part of governmentality, because both organizations have the same goal, to produce the best citizen/player by following certain rules and policies.
Yes, we can consider sports teams to be a part of governmentality. Governmentality is when the government tries to “produce” citizens that completely follow their rules and policies to make the perfect person. In a sports team, there are certain rules that everyone must follow in order to have a “civilized” game. These rules are usually enforced by a group of people, not unlike the government or police. If you do not follow the rules, then people will face some sort of punishment. Team sports highlight the fact that we should be supportive and encouraging to one another rather than trying to bring them down. In society, people do look out for the rest of the population to make sure no one does anything “wrong” or hurt others. Like my classmates have stated before, the sports team show that you must obey the higher powers or else there will be consequences. In society, this might be the government while for the sports teams, you are looking up to your coach for direction.
I believe sports teams can be considered a part of governmentality. Both the government and sports are regulated by senior officials (coaching staff and trainers for sports teams, government officials and head of state for government) and lay down a set of rules their people (athletes or citizens) must follow. The coaching staff for a sports team wants their team’s players to succeed, while a government wants their citizens to be happy (in Western worlds) and to stick to the rules. Sports teams provide a good example for many people of a young age of how to follow rules and regulations, much like laws in real life.
Yes, sports teams can be considered a part of governmentality. Governmentality is the way in which governments try to produce the citizen best suited to fulfill government policies. This is very similar to sports. Coaches, who can be seen as the leader in government, will try to produce the best player, and this is done by skills training and by implementing rules within practice that must be followed during the game. The rules and regulations within the game itself are put in place so the players play fairly and play way it is meant to be played, civilly. This is like government because there are policies in which politicians must follow so that government remains civil. The referee within the game can be seen as the speaker, who gives speaking rights between the government and opposition while remaining neutral. Then there are caches that can be seen as the party whip, because they ensure that all players have a common goal and that they play to achieve that goal or otherwise they will be benched.
Yes we can consider sports team to be a part of governmentality because the overall goal of the organizations is the same: follow the rules and work as one to benefit the whole. Participating in sports teams allows children to learn the life skills of listening to those in power, coach, and following the rules set out with officials regulating the efficiency of the rules. An example in Canadian government would be the Speaker of the Senate who’s role it is to regulate and inform senators of the rules, and to officiate the proceedings according to the rules, to make sure all are following the rules. The coach in sports teams is like the Prime Minister in Government who is in charge of choosing people to fill roles on the team, or in government that would best fit them and the team or country.
Organized sports teams are an extension of our government loyalties, value and beliefs. Each team represents a particular geographic area or country for that matter. Our teams represent us much like our Provincial Government represents us in the Federal system. We’ll often stand behind our team during good times and bad and support them with un bias devotion. Our leaders (coaches) pick the best from our ranks to best represent our values moving forward into a competition (election). We trust our leaders organise our team that best represents out way of thinking. Each team has an agenda (policy) that governs how it operates with a league of teams (parties).
GENERAL COMMENTS: Great job everyone. Most of you made very insightful links between team sports and governmentality. The public education system, police, and penitentiaries all were concerned to enforce certain values and morals and in the case of schools and prisons, to build character. Some of the most important values were deference to authority and industriousness (instead of idleness). These are what team sports do: they discipline their participants and create responsible people in the same way that education, policing, and the penitentiary did.
richardj, 
eself, and 8 others are discussing.
Vincent Yam 11:05 pm on November 7, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Arguably, a sports team can be considered as an example, if not a part of governmentality.
As an example, a sports team can demonstrate how coaches, and sports agencies, train/turn out the best athletes. To do this, they use training and conditioning programs, regulating food, possibly entertainment, daily schedules and instilling values into the players themselves so they behave as the model athletes they do. Some athletes even get certain public relations training to deal with the press and to present themselves as model athletes, hence this is a good example or analogy of governmentality.
As a part of governmentality, a sports team can help instill positive or desirable values in citizens. They encourage citizens to not only participate in healthy sports, but encourage competition and community between various geographic sections of a nation. So yes, a sports team is a part of governmentality as it helps the government to create values beneficial to the government and educate its citizens.
maxgardiner 12:48 am on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
A sports team could be considered part of governmentality. Sports reflect many of the things that governments want their citizens to be good at. Sports are usually regulated by an unquestionable set of rules that everyone must follow or else face punishment. These rules are enforced by a group of people or a person who’s sole job is to ensure that the rules are being followed. This is like laws in society and the police who’s job it is to enforce them. If you do not follow the laws you will face punishment. Sports also enforce ideas of the state as the games are usually highly regulated by time, just as a workplace is. Sports also emphasize the idea of sticking together as a team and not letting you team down with your actions. This promotes a society where everyone looks out for everyone else and doesn’t try to stray from the pack by doing something like revolting or questioning authority too much. Most importantly, sports reinforces the idea of obeying a higher power. In sports you have to listen to your coaches and do what they say or else you will not get to play or get kicked off the team. Sports is part of governmentality as it helps to instill values that a government likes to see in its citizens.
Tyler Cole 11:41 am on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Team sports could be considered governmentality because both are a means to an end. Just as the government hopes that the citizens will respond to the policies that they have laid out, sports teams hope that players will respond to the challenges that they raise. As well, organization is a big part of successful governance and therefore governmentality. If a government is unorganized and not set in their vision, then they will have a difficult time achieving the goals they have set out. This is the same in team sports; if a coach does not tell his players what way to play or what the strategy for the game is, then the team will have a tougher time pulling out the win. Let’s take an example, of a government with an agenda of garnering allegiance to a new flag with schoolchildren and a football team trying to win a BCS National Championship. Both goals will require a plan, leadership and above all execution of the plan. If the Prime Minister decides to change the flag that the students are supposed to be learning to respect or the football coach decides to change his defensive system mid-system, then the subjects trying to follow this new agenda will be confused and won’t achieve the goal. Organization and consistency in the system are key pillars to governmentality.
Connor Munro 1:08 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, sports can be considered part of governmentality in the way in which sports teams are an example of governmentality while also influencing people(sometimes in the way the government wants them to). Sporting events have become a part of the world and some of its affairs which involve the government. Many sports are made into global events and spectacles and most of the time they tend to involve countries playing against each other. Events like the Olympics and many others are made as involving the world. Governmentality has affected the ruling of schools and in most sports the kids learn from the schools teams. It is through teams that the government affects how things are ruled. The way in which players are expected to behave themselves is like governmentality. In some teams players are expected to act in accordance with whatever the coach, manager or owner decides and act in a certain way. This is similar to how the government tends to act and rule. Most sports athletes are expected and tend to respect each other and act in ways that the government would like. However, now because of rivalries and other things like that many players act outside of what some governments want to see and it is at this point that they can be considered to no longer be an example of governmentality. The government tries to oversee sports in minors and not so much in the pros(because there are usually a Board of Governors each sport and league) and it is in this sense that the government usually tries to use governmentality when influencing minors in sports.
bedard 2:44 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, we can consider sports teams’ part of governemntality, because the similarities in structure between the government and sports teams. Govermentality is defined as the way governments try to produce the citizen best suited to fulfill the governments’ policies, and the organized practices through which subjects are governed. That strongly resembles the structure of a sports team, the coaching staff set out guidelines for the players in hopes they will reach and surpass to find success. Both organizations have authorities which administer these rules, police officers and coaches. If the rules are broken in society, punishment can be dished out such as fines, jail time or community service. While if the rules are broken in a sports organization, the coach can dish out punishment by cutting their playing time, not letting them play in games or adding additional, harder team practices. To sum up, sports teams can be considered to be a part of governmentality, because both organizations have the same goal, to produce the best citizen/player by following certain rules and policies.
Tamara Ling 3:14 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, we can consider sports teams to be a part of governmentality. Governmentality is when the government tries to “produce” citizens that completely follow their rules and policies to make the perfect person. In a sports team, there are certain rules that everyone must follow in order to have a “civilized” game. These rules are usually enforced by a group of people, not unlike the government or police. If you do not follow the rules, then people will face some sort of punishment. Team sports highlight the fact that we should be supportive and encouraging to one another rather than trying to bring them down. In society, people do look out for the rest of the population to make sure no one does anything “wrong” or hurt others. Like my classmates have stated before, the sports team show that you must obey the higher powers or else there will be consequences. In society, this might be the government while for the sports teams, you are looking up to your coach for direction.
jamesrm 3:59 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I believe sports teams can be considered a part of governmentality. Both the government and sports are regulated by senior officials (coaching staff and trainers for sports teams, government officials and head of state for government) and lay down a set of rules their people (athletes or citizens) must follow. The coaching staff for a sports team wants their team’s players to succeed, while a government wants their citizens to be happy (in Western worlds) and to stick to the rules. Sports teams provide a good example for many people of a young age of how to follow rules and regulations, much like laws in real life.
slali 4:55 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes, sports teams can be considered a part of governmentality. Governmentality is the way in which governments try to produce the citizen best suited to fulfill government policies. This is very similar to sports. Coaches, who can be seen as the leader in government, will try to produce the best player, and this is done by skills training and by implementing rules within practice that must be followed during the game. The rules and regulations within the game itself are put in place so the players play fairly and play way it is meant to be played, civilly. This is like government because there are policies in which politicians must follow so that government remains civil. The referee within the game can be seen as the speaker, who gives speaking rights between the government and opposition while remaining neutral. Then there are caches that can be seen as the party whip, because they ensure that all players have a common goal and that they play to achieve that goal or otherwise they will be benched.
eself 5:01 pm on November 8, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Yes we can consider sports team to be a part of governmentality because the overall goal of the organizations is the same: follow the rules and work as one to benefit the whole. Participating in sports teams allows children to learn the life skills of listening to those in power, coach, and following the rules set out with officials regulating the efficiency of the rules. An example in Canadian government would be the Speaker of the Senate who’s role it is to regulate and inform senators of the rules, and to officiate the proceedings according to the rules, to make sure all are following the rules. The coach in sports teams is like the Prime Minister in Government who is in charge of choosing people to fill roles on the team, or in government that would best fit them and the team or country.
richardj 4:37 pm on November 10, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Organized sports teams are an extension of our government loyalties, value and beliefs. Each team represents a particular geographic area or country for that matter. Our teams represent us much like our Provincial Government represents us in the Federal system. We’ll often stand behind our team during good times and bad and support them with un bias devotion. Our leaders (coaches) pick the best from our ranks to best represent our values moving forward into a competition (election). We trust our leaders organise our team that best represents out way of thinking. Each team has an agenda (policy) that governs how it operates with a league of teams (parties).
Tina Loo 3:31 pm on November 22, 2013 Permalink | Log in to Reply
GENERAL COMMENTS: Great job everyone. Most of you made very insightful links between team sports and governmentality. The public education system, police, and penitentiaries all were concerned to enforce certain values and morals and in the case of schools and prisons, to build character. Some of the most important values were deference to authority and industriousness (instead of idleness). These are what team sports do: they discipline their participants and create responsible people in the same way that education, policing, and the penitentiary did.