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Why does anyone care about watching sports?

Gloone

Gloone

Well-Known Member
jmvizanko said:
I like to think of myself as a person that has heavily adopted "to each their own." But I am going to step outside of that for a second to ask, how can anyone give a crap about watching sports, especially the most popular ones such as basketball, football, etc.?

Basically its a ball moving around a field. Sure there is strategy, but that strategy still boils down to how best to move a ball around a field. In what ways is this exciting or interesting at all? Oh woopy doo dah, the 20th dunk this game. Glad to see something different. I guess there is the thrill of your team winning, but...

Why do people care who wins or have any team preference whatsoever? Most players just get traded around, so to prefer the home team or the team one grew up loving is a completely arbitrary bias. I think the fact that there is a correlation between the home team doing poorly and spousal abuse in that area going up pretty much sums up the mindest of the people that care the most.

And lastly, why do people it consider it weird for somebody, especially a guy, to not be into sports? The next time somebody asks me if I saw the game, or who my favorite team is, and they display any sort of dismay when I say I don't really care at all, do I have the right to tell them just how stupid their past time is? And how I would rather be doing something intellectually stimulating and/or interactive? (Which would include actually PLAYING sports)

Like i said, "to each their own." I respect anybody's love of watching sports, but I can't help myself from thinking they must be a bit dumb for it.
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I plan on going to a few baseball games this season with some friends. The best part about going to games is when your team is doing bad you get to tell them how much they suck live instead of yelling at a T.V. Sports are just entertaining, especially if you have played them before. Like snowboarding or skating. I can watch ice skating or figure skating just because I think it is amazing how people can be so graceful and do so many tricks ice. Then when they add music to it, it makes it even more worthwhile. :)

The other sport I like is UFC. Never been to a match, but I buy them on PPV or w/e when they have good fight cards. Like tonight. UFC® 128: SHOGUN vs JONES
 
Penumbra

Penumbra

Veteran Member
Premium Member
I don't really understand the fascination with watching sports. They can be fun to play, and I understand that it takes great talent and athleticism to succeed in professional sports. So I can kind of understand why people that enjoy a particular sport may wish to watch those that are best at it.

But I don't "get" being a fan of a specific team at all. Players get traded around, coaches change, etc. And yet people get so into it. I just don't see what they see.

doppelgänger;2374095 said:
Are (1) Nationalism, (2) sports fandom and (3) religious identity just different manifestations of the same psychological impulses?
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Yes, I think they are triggered by the same related set of needs that many people have.
 
YmirGF

YmirGF

Bodhisattva in Recovery
jmvizanko said:
Like i said, "to each their own." I respect anybody's love of watching sports, but I can't help myself from thinking they must be a bit dumb for it.
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I love to play certain sports, but it would never occur to me to watch them. I would certainly never pay to watch others.
 
Vinayaka

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I watch sports on TV as relaxation. Beats a lot of other TV for me. There is no between the lines programming (violence, promiscuity, unreal portrayals of life), and everything is pretty much in the present. I'm sure that the fact I played sports as a youngster has something to do with it. The strategy of baseball makes so much more sense having been there.
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
I think some people who aren't into sports make up all sorts of negative reasons that others like sports just to justify their own position. For the most part, they're making it too complicated. People have a wide variety of reasons to like or dislike various sports - just as they have a wide variety of reasons to like or dislike certain types of music.

But some people make themselves feel better by putting others down. I think it's sad.
 
Jacksnyte

Jacksnyte

Reverend
Kathryn said:
I think some people who aren't into sports make up all sorts of negative reasons that others like sports just to justify their own position. For the most part, they're making it too complicated. People have a wide variety of reasons to like or dislike various sports - just as they have a wide variety of reasons to like or dislike certain types of music.

But some people make themselves feel better by putting others down. I think it's sad.
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I think the generalizations about what kind of people are so into sports comes from the stereotypical image of the jock. I ran track in school, but no-one would ever have called me a jock. That term was reserved first for football players, then for baseball and basketball players. A lot of the guys involved in these sports acted like uber-macho jerks to the rest of us. I suspect this was because many of them felt intellectually inadequate around those of us who actually enjoyed reading a book, or learning something non-sports. At least in the 80s in my high school, brainlessness was encouraged. I don't think I am the only one who experienced this. As to the accusation of "putting someone else down to make ourselves feel better", I think I have seen jocks do this to other people more often.
Now, I have noticed that these days, there isn't nearly as distinct a division between social groups, and I have noticed an increase in somewhat intelligent kids getting involved in sports while realizing that they will need more than athletic ability to get by once high school ends. I am encouraged to see intellect not ridiculed as much. The main groups I notice still carrying the torch for the "ignorance and stupidity is cool" camp are the wannabe gangster types. Funny thing is, most of them are rabid sports fans as well.....
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
I've seen people from every sort of group resort to ridiculing the interests of others in order to make themselves feel superior. No one group seems more guilty than any other of that sort of mindset. There are insecure people in just about every culture and subculture, including those who like sports and those who don't.

My point is that it's one thing not to care one way or another about sports - it's yet another thing to ridicule people JUST because they like sports. It's too wide a generalization. Wanna ridicule ganstas who ALSO like sports? I'm right there with you. Wanna ridicule pseudo-intellectual arrogants who ALSO dislike sports? I'm there, dude. But to draw the line of ridicule at "those who like or dislike sports" seems, well, ridiculous.
 
Jacksnyte

Jacksnyte

Reverend
Kathryn said:
I've seen people from every sort of group resort to ridiculing the interests of others in order to make themselves feel superior. No one group seems more guilty than any other of that sort of mindset. There are insecure people in just about every culture and subculture, including those who like sports and those who don't.

My point is that it's one thing not to care one way or another about sports - it's yet another thing to ridicule people JUST because they like sports. It's too wide a generalization. Wanna ridicule ganstas who ALSO like sports? I'm right there with you. Wanna ridicule pseudo-intellectual arrogants who ALSO dislike sports? I'm there, dude. But to draw the line of ridicule at "those who like or dislike sports" seems, well, ridiculous.
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Agreed
 
linwood

linwood

Well-Known Member
jmvizanko said:
Basically its a ball moving around a field. Sure there is strategy, but that strategy still boils down to how best to move a ball around a field. In what ways is this exciting or interesting at all?
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Have you ever been one of those who attempt to move that ball around the field?
Maybe you`d better understand if you had.

Using your rational no game, event, or activity is worth participating in.

Why do people dance?All it consists of are bodies moving to rhythm across the floor.
I don`t get it.

Why do people Sing?Skydive?Run?Paint? Why?
 
linwood

linwood

Well-Known Member
Father Heathen said:
Only if you have a really shallow spirituality.
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Actually there was a really good thread around here awhile back that came to the conclusion that sports fanaticism is the closest activity to religiosity.

I found the argument very persuasive.

I also agree with your statement above.

:)
 
Klaufi_Wodensson

Klaufi_Wodensson

Vinlandic Warrior
The only time I ever watch sports is the occasional soccer game, and I always watch the World Cup. That's it though.
 
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Jacksnyte

Jacksnyte

Reverend
the last time I watched most of a football game was when the Bears were playing the Patriots in the Superbowl. I slept through most of it. I was supremely bored!
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
My dogs hide behind a chair when I'm watching a Saints game!


saints-fans-2.jpg


WHO DAT NATION!!!!!!!!!!
 
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