tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060841334850880231.post6306706200726986793..comments2024-03-13T02:15:59.397-07:00Comments on Philosophy of Sport: Not quite the trolley problem . . . Mike Austinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02489700864050607425noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3060841334850880231.post-10151314939249147742012-12-06T07:59:44.262-08:002012-12-06T07:59:44.262-08:00I know little about basketball but hey, don't ...I know little about basketball but hey, don't you already get a rest every 20 minutes during the game, plus several time-outs. These players should try playing three games of 80 minute rugby over ten days against the world champions, New Zealand, whilst not being paid professionals; which is what many of the England women's rugby team have just done.<br /><br />These professional basketball stars don't know they've been born. And they certainly don't know what hard work is.<br /><br />However, on a more serious note, I think most ethical issues in professional sport centre around the competing interests of that sport in being a commercially viable enterprise as well as being a sport for its own sake. So decisions made often in the short or long term (depending on the context) are for commercial reasons (i.e. ensuring relegation is avoided as well as financial implications following from, contracts are renewed, etc.). This therefore means that the 'purer' values of traditional / amateur sport are not going to be the same.<br /><br />So yes, Popovich, if it turns out that resting his best players means longer term succes, made the right choice.Emily Ryallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05777545000076878270noreply@blogger.com