Politics, sports don’t differ much; they’re all about winning

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What to watch — sports or politics?

There really isn’t that much difference between them.

It’s a magical and busy time on the sports calendar, as Major League Baseball playoffs select two World Series qualifiers while the CFL, NFL, NHL and NBA seasons roll along, with players and management working towards winning league championships

And there are extra, interesting competitions this year with a provincial election coming Oct. 28, civic elections Nov. 13 and the continuing soap operas leading to the U.S. presidential election Nov. 5, where one of the teams is led by a doddering, orange-tinted quarterback who played too many games without a helmet.

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Just like pro sports pursuing championships, political parties try to assemble strong teams with good leaders to help them win elections. Americans should be concerned that nearly everyone in the highest levels of government who worked with Donald Trump during his four-year stint as president has deserted him in his re-election attempt, with former generals calling him “dangerous” to the country.

Would the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders have any success if quarterback Trevor Harris and/or defensive tackle Micah Johnson didn’t fully support head coach Corey Mace? How bad are the NFL’s New York Jets after having their head coach submarined by petulant quarterback Aaron Rodgers?

It should be disconcerting to see several Saskatchewan Party cohorts berating their former party, led by Scott Moe, and now supporting NDP leader Carla Beck.

Moe and Beck held a televised debate earlier this week, supposedly to discuss issues facing Saskatchewan’s electorate such as taxation, job creation plus the health and education systems.

Debates are like a game, although not having a scoreboard makes it tough determining a winner. Each party’s supporters generally believe their leader won the debate.

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It wasn’t a particularly strong effort from either leader, but the first thing that followed was an edict from Moe saying that upon his re-election he would make sure no biological boys would be allowed to change clothes in rooms designated for biological girls.

That was the most important issue? From a government that is already defining pronoun usage for kids?

That’s like the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers saying they need more scoring power, despite already having offensive superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their lineup. What about their defence? Goaltending?

It’s all about PR. It’s about imaging. Convincing your fans you have a winning team, because everyone wants to be associated with a winner, so “Vote for Us” equates to “Buy Our Tickets.” There are 30 teams in the NBA, 32 in the NFL. Only one wins a trophy each year. The others try to find ways to dethrone the champions.

In pro sports, success is only revealed after the final game. In politics, after an election. That explains why federal CPC leader Pierre Poilievre is pushing so hard for an election, hoping to prove his angry view of Canada is more indicative of Canadians than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “sunny ways.”

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Regina’s dysfunctional city council just held its last, interminable meeting before the civic election.

First-term Mayor Sandra Masters is facing 10 challengers, including two-term Councillor Lori Bresciani. Although everyone’s day-to-day lives are affected more by City Hall than any other level of government, civic elections draw the fewest voters. It’s like being the NHL’s Ottawa Senators or NFL’s Carolina Panthers, who don’t get much interest. Maybe it’s even the minor leagues.

Pro sports are still a diversion, though they do frequently involve politics. And while teams like the Roughriders can unite an entire province, convince its supporters to wear green and celebrate victories, their all-important wins shouldn’t affect taxes, living conditions or the safety and well-being of children.

Politics do that. And they don’t pick a new winner every single year.

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