The beginning of the Radiolab podcast introduces the question of how and why games can feel “like life or death, and how are games more than just a game? The podcast then kicks off with the story of Stephen who was a fan of the Steeler’s running back, Franko Harris. After Stephens father died he had dreams every night for 3 years about playing football with Harris, who couldn’t win the game for him but was on his side. Stephen eventually meets Franko Harris in real life and receives the same message as in the dream that “no one can save you but yourself.” Stephen realized that he put too much emotion in the hands of people who have no connection to him. However, Stephen believes that sports fandom gives it an “immeasurable value.” Stephen explains that games, specifically sports, are a representation of all the emotions we desire. This story of his childhood obsession of Harris is similar to that of Rob’s essay in that they both start with a seemingly insignificant story and lead to a meaningful realization: games are more than just games.
The podcast talks about how checkers has essentially been solved, and describes how two professional checker players played an identical twenty one games out of forty. In class, we mentioned how checkers, and even chess could be solved with computers. This idea of solving the game with computers is similar to solving the game based on ones opponents’ strategy. Frederick is to blame for player’s abilities to beat the game of chess because he is the one who made the huge book of chess games available to anyone to consult and memorize. At chess tournaments, he is the man who “ruined chess.” However, this book is only limited and players can only memorize so many moves before the game is in a spot that has never occurred in the universe. It is at this profound moment that highlights why we watch sports and why we play games: to experience life from a new perspective.
I was really interested during the segment of the podcast discussing the underdog versus the overdog. It is not surprising that 80% of people root for the underdog, because I am one of those people too. The podcast talks about how we want to weak to win compared to the strong because we feel like the underdog ourselves. For example, if one feels like another will never like them. Everyone loves the story of the uncool kid getting that amazing girl. Everyone wants to be in that position and everyone has felt in a situation like this at one time or another. The story of the Chiefs victory over the Wildcats with only two players is the prime example of the underdog winning and the dream factor that comes along with it.
I did not feel like the ending connected with the rest of the podcast as I think it drifted from the meaning behind games. I think the audience of this podcast would be sports fans, and board game fans alike.
The podcast talks about how checkers has essentially been solved, and describes how two professional checker players played an identical twenty one games out of forty. In class, we mentioned how checkers, and even chess could be solved with computers. This idea of solving the game with computers is similar to solving the game based on ones opponents’ strategy. Frederick is to blame for player’s abilities to beat the game of chess because he is the one who made the huge book of chess games available to anyone to consult and memorize. At chess tournaments, he is the man who “ruined chess.” However, this book is only limited and players can only memorize so many moves before the game is in a spot that has never occurred in the universe. It is at this profound moment that highlights why we watch sports and why we play games: to experience life from a new perspective.
I was really interested during the segment of the podcast discussing the underdog versus the overdog. It is not surprising that 80% of people root for the underdog, because I am one of those people too. The podcast talks about how we want to weak to win compared to the strong because we feel like the underdog ourselves. For example, if one feels like another will never like them. Everyone loves the story of the uncool kid getting that amazing girl. Everyone wants to be in that position and everyone has felt in a situation like this at one time or another. The story of the Chiefs victory over the Wildcats with only two players is the prime example of the underdog winning and the dream factor that comes along with it.
I did not feel like the ending connected with the rest of the podcast as I think it drifted from the meaning behind games. I think the audience of this podcast would be sports fans, and board game fans alike.