Building character, learning sportsmanship, etc. have real-life applications. They teach people to do things the right way. The "simply win games" approach teaches kids lessons such as, the end justifies the means. And in later life, it leads to behavior of the sort that caused the current banking crisis.
You’re exactly right. How many people are decrying the greedy people who didn’t need zillions more dollars but just continued raking in whatever they could at any cost (to other people)?
I am tired of living in a nation where most people don’t even know what a sense of honor is.