Ps there’s a case making its way up which is the inverse of this which is even more fascinating. In recent years, bevcart girls have become a phenomena. Bevcart girls typically sell alcohol at private clubs to older men making their way around the course. These bevcart girls generally make excellent money in tips and are routinely young, beautiful, bubbly and more often than not blonde. Discrimination claims have been filed by older women and men saying they have been discriminated from these “lucrative” roles (though we know they probably won’t pull in as much by tips as the bev cart girls). So the main purpose of the lawsuits is basically to just shut the practice down. The legal question turns on what exactly the bev cart girls are selling: are they selling the experience of flirtation and a fun time on the course (often times the carts are decorated in girly colors for example) or are they just mobile bartenders. What is the purpose, or telos, of the bev cart girls? I fear, at least in the U.S., the bev cart girls are not long for this world.Like it
I note the Rawlsian second level objection is that even “hard work” has a genetic component. As a classical liberal myself, I’ve never been able to answer that objection to my own satisfaction
I further note however few are willing to admit the role luck plays so I give you kudos for being so forthright and a good faith player. It undermines the notion that there is virtue to sports. That athletics is about merit.
As illustration the pga case is commonly used in philosophy and jurisprudence courses. The question went to scotus over whether the pga should be forced to provide a golfer with walking disabilities a golf cart. The pga argued part of the game of golf is walking and carrying your clubs. The golfer argued no golf is about wacking the ball (which the pga took exception to because it weakened the case golf is even a sport). So scotus was forced to weigh in on what is the nature, or telos, of golf.
Here the difference is we have different ideas on what is sports. Most people are either hard core merit or hard core luck. Your position is much more nuanced which is fascinating.