Bob Greene : What explains why Americans watch sports so intently ? He says professional athletes depress us with steroid and scandal stories . Greene : The sentence appeared in Updike 's 1960 nonfiction piece about Ted Williams 's last game for the Boston Red Sox . The most important thing to understand about the American obsession is that it's not just a matter of watching sports. He says it reflects the top-flight effort everyone can strive to contribute .
Bob Greene : What explains why Americans watch sports so intently ? He says professional athletes depress us with steroid and scandal stories . Greene : The most important thing to understand about the American obsession is that it's not just a matter of watching sports. He says it reflects the top-flight effort everyone can strive to contribute .