Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

The Crowd Loves Blood

I worked at the Indianapolis 500 when I was teaching and coaching in Indiana. People used to clamor for seats on the south turn. They would pay a premium to sit there. Why? That’s where most of the accidents were. No accidents? Dull race.

People go to a boxing match and the bout is beautifully and scientifically fought but there’s no knockout. No blood. Afterward, fans will tell you it was a dull fight.

Athletes increasingly play to this crowd instinct with hotdogging and showmanship. It’s unnecessary and it loses the spirit of the game.