By Chris Cosci

In our society there exists a power that connects with the deepest, most primal feelings inside all of us, and generates emotions unlike anything else. It can form strong bonds between complete strangers and be the root of conflict between the best of friends.

It is the power of sports. Sporting events have the ability to excite people to the highest degree and, in the same instant, make people extremely frustrated. When a football fan's favorite team scores a touchdown, there is a display of excitement that matches that of someone winning the lottery. When baseball fans see an umpire make a bad call, heated discussions are sparked that can rival the most powerful debates in politics.

For a perfect example of a strong, widespread reaction to a sporting event, one need look no further than the recent situation with the pairs ice skating results in the Winter Olympics. From the moment the scores were posted, putting the Canadians in second place behind the Russians, there was an uproar.

The audience was furious, vocalizing their disapproval with a thunderous booing of the judges. For days, people talked, argued and speculated over the controversial scoring. In the grand scheme of things, the results of this competition were hardly of any importance to the millions of viewers. In fact, the Canadian skaters, who had the most reason to be upset, accepted what happened as a misfortune.

However, there's some part of the human psyche that is controlled by sports. People develop a connection with athletes, a sort of loyalty that can sometimes seem stronger than the loyalties to their friends and families. Anything that betrays that loyalty is seen as blasphemous and worthy of scorn. In the case of the Olympics, many viewers developed this connection with the Canadian skaters. When the seemingly unfair scoring was announced, it was more than just a judgment. It was a personal affront.

What's even more interesting is that these feelings did not fade very fast. When a couple has a fight and then reconciles, there is forgiveness. Some bad feelings may linger for a while, but the problem is resolved and the air cleared.

When there's a bad call in sports, the memory can last for a long time, and in some cases, the feelings grow even stronger. The results of one game can cause a bitter rivalry between sports fans for years. A comment made by one player against another player or team can create a frenzy among sports enthusiasts.

As for the figure skating results, this one ruling has already garnered more media attention than almost any other news story in the past week. People have developed such strong feelings for people they don't even know.

What it is about sports that makes people act like this? Why do people put so much emotional stock in the outcome of a game or a competition? In the end, life goes on. The effect on us is minimal, if not non-existent. Yet most people, myself included, can't fight the feelings. It's an interesting phenomenon, and one that is unlikely to go away anytime soon.