This report explores the connection between sports, historical trauma, and regional identity in the United States. It focuses specifically on the American West as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.

本報告探討了美國的運動、歷史創傷與區域認同之間的聯繫。在美國接近 250 週年之際，本報告特別關注美國西部。

The history of American connectivity is well-represented by the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. While official records highlight the success of leaders like Charles Crocker, the actual work was done by Chinese and Irish laborers whose efforts were often ignored. Similarly, the Intermountain Indian School used sports as a way to force indigenous students to adopt Western culture and stop speaking their own languages.

美國交通連接的歷史，在 1869 年橫貫大陸鐵路完工時得到了充分體現。雖然官方記錄強調如 Charles Crocker 等領導者的成功，但實際工作是由經常被忽視的中國與愛爾蘭勞工完成的。同樣地，Intermountain 印度學校利用運動作為強迫原住民學生接納西方文化並停止使用母語的手段。

Today, there are efforts to restore both nature and culture in the region. For example, the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone is removing invasive plants at Wuda Ogwa, the site of the 1863 Bear River massacre, to reclaim their ancestral land. In a similar way, the Navajo Nation's Nash Center shows how basketball has changed from a tool used by colonists to a way for the community to stay connected.

今日，該地區正努力恢復自然與文化。例如，Northwestern Band of the Shoshone 正在 1863 年熊河大屠殺地點 Wuda Ogwa 清除入侵植物，以奪回祖先的土地。同樣地，納瓦霍民族的 Nash 中心展示了籃球如何從殖民者的工具轉變為社區維持聯繫的方式。

In Salt Lake City, sports create a strong emotional bond among fans, such as those attending Utah Mammoth NHL games. However, this loyalty can be unstable, as seen with athlete AJ Dybantsa, whose professional goals were more important than his loyalty to Brigham Young University. Meanwhile, the region faces a serious environmental crisis because the Great Salt Lake is shrinking, which threatens the area despite government promises to fix it before the 2034 Winter Games.

在鹽湖城，運動在球迷之間創造了強烈的情感紐帶，例如觀看 Utah Mammoth NHL 賽事的球迷。然而，這種忠誠度可能並不穩定，正如運動員 AJ Dybantsa 所示，他的職業目標比對 Brigham Young 大學的忠誠度更重要。同時，由於大鹽湖正在萎縮，該地區面臨嚴重的環境危機，儘管政府承諾在 2034 年冬季奧運前解決，但仍對該地區構成威脅。

In summary, American sports currently show a conflict between commercial success and the more difficult struggle for cultural and environmental survival.

總結來說，美國運動目前顯示出商業成功與文化及環境生存之間較艱辛的掙扎與衝突。