“By providing ... examples of the spirit to win and excel, sport makes a real contribution to our world.” —David Holmquist, Biola University basketball coach

“Perhaps sports were never anything more than a dreamland for the fan.”

—Robert Lipsyte, New York Times columnist

Every January, jokes are made about the Super Bowl becoming an unofficial national holiday. Over 133 million Americans watched the 1998 Super Bowl broadcast, providing an example of the popularity of sports in today’s world. Millions of people are not just sports fans but participants as well, including 35 million Americans between the ages of six and twenty-one. Although most of these athletes will never gain much recognition or wealth for their efforts, some are among the richest and most famous people in society. Sports have an important place in society, but the question remains as to whether sports and athletes can...