The familiar sound of the “National Anthem” rings through the stadium before the start of the game. Once it’s over there is excitement amidst the crowd as their sporting event will soon begin. The smell of overly-priced fattening food and buttery popcorn in the air is tempting to those in attendance who are going to witness something truly American. Watching a sporting event is something that all Americans experience whether you are watching it live or off of your television. All sports are an important part of the typical American life due to the excitement that they bring to those who watch them and how they bring strangers together.

Sports play an important part in the typical American life in different ways. Many people play sports, coach sports or support their favorite team by watching them. No matter which, there is a familiar feeling of nerves and anxiousness before the games. Holding their breath in excitement, feeling their heartbeat in their ears and having their stomach in their throat are only just a few feelings that a fan, player or coach might feel when they are attending, playing or even coaching a sport. There are many well known sporting events that really get people interested and excited to watch. Some in particular are the Super Bowl for football, the World Cup for soccer, the World Series for baseball, and of course, the Olympics, and those few major sporting events are only the tip of the iceberg. The excitement of sports games is consistent, no matter the level of competition. The same feeling a fan has could be during a world cup soccer game or even just a high school soccer game.  Some games in particular could be more stimulating than others. Rivalry games, for example, especially contribute to the exciting feeling of games. The overwhelming sound of the crowd chanting at the top of their lungs fills the air during rivalry games. Crowds repeat incantations as if they were battling against one another to see who has the better insults. These games in particular can really get hectic when fans truly show their love for the sport and their opposition to their rival team or school. No matter the sporting event, rivalry or not, they are all exciting and are a significant part of something typically American.

Whether it was the winning homerun in a baseball game, a touchdown in football that leads the team to victory or a goal in lacrosse that ties up the game, the proud feeling of a fan is something that can’t be compared to anything else. A fan group of a particular team comes together through what they wear, what they chant, and what they do. There is no better feeling than supporting your sports team and blending in with the familiar colors of the crowd. Many people participate in the wave which can ripple throughout the stadium like a wave over the ocean. You could be hosting a party to watch a game that brings you closer to those in attendance or even going to a sporting event and meeting someone new who shares the same passion that you have for your sport or team. The connection between fans is important because complete strangers could be sitting next to each other in the beginning, but at the end they could be high fiving and hugging when their team scores like people who have known each other for a lifetime. Not many other things can bring people together like that, which is why sports are so important.

There are many things that can be described as typically American. Sports is definitely one of those things because of the excitement that it brings those who watch and how those events have the ability to bring complete strangers together. No matter the sport, any typical American can relate to the connection that they have with fans and the excitement that they feel inside themselves when they enter a stadium to watch a game or the stimulating feeling that comes with the start of a game on TV. That’s why sports are an excellent example of something typical in the lives of American people.