The Sports Thread

[Mr Real Nice]

I think I read somewhere that there is more domestic violence on superbowl sunday than other days on average...

Brian

That's because wives just don't shut up.

Seriously though, watching/rooting for sports is no different than watching your favorite musician perform. There's no connection to the performer either, yet I bet all of you anti-sports snobs go to shows, and cheer in your fanboy ways.
I've played baseball and hockey fairly extensively on an organized amateur basis, in my adult years as well. I enjoy watching someone do something I can't-hit a ball 500 feet, or score on a breakaway. And what of it?
Sports=warlike society? Give me a break. Prove it. If anything, sports can bring people together, at least distract them from their differences.

Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as a snob.  I was just trying to  say that I didn't understand it is all.  I think sports are completely different from the way I get into music.  With music, there's the feeling involved that is caused by the sound of the notes being played or sung.  If you can get something like that from people playing sports, then that's cool, I guess.  I just don't get it, but I'm not trying to say I'm better than anyone because I don't feel that way. 

Also, sports can bring people together.  As long as they're rooting for the same team.  Otherwise, you could end up like this...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPu8gpur10[/youtube]

 

[Mor Paul]

:tard: I must be some kind of loser. When I was at my VH show (only rock concert I've ever been to) I just sat there. Smiled occasionally. Listened to the music.

 

[Shmoopie]

In the words of the great Peter Griffin: "Jets suck, Nicks suck, Yankees suck,........                    Krypton sucks."

 

[GoDrex]

I've got nothing against playing sports or watching sports. I was commenting on the fanatical allegiance to professional (or college which is basically the same thing anyway) franchises - which are businesses designed to make money. I enjoy watching football, baseball and basketball - also tennis. Hockey is also a lot of fun to watch live - not as much on TV. I just don't give a shit about which team wins.  It has no effect on me. Sure, I usually root for one of the teams over the other based on whatever reason - it's usually arbitrary - or because one team is the underdog, or their uniform is cooler. I find it kind of ridiculous. But loyalty to a certain franchise and hatred of another is just too goofy for me. Sorry bout that but if you thought about it for a second you might see it that way. I grew up liking the Yankees - mainly because my dad liked the Yankees. Now that I'm older I don't give a shit about the Yankees, but I love to tell people I'm a Yankee fan if they ask, because most of the time they have such a negative reaction. I find it funny. Obviously this sort of thing taps into something deeper than just enjoying sports for the sake of the sport itself.

I also have enjoyed playing sports my entire life, so you can call me an anti-sport snob all you want, but it just shows that you haven't got a clue about what you're talking about.

Anyone that doesn't think certain sports and their fans are a kind of tribalism, isn't familiar with Football fans (not american football - real football). There's nothing wrong with it (until they start rioting and beating the crap out of people) but it doesn't appeal to me.

 

[dbw]

:tard: I must be some kind of loser. When I was at my VH show (only rock concert I've ever been to) I just sat there. Smiled occasionally. Listened to the music.

Yep, you're a loser!  If you go to a rock show and you don't have a sore neck the next day, you were not headbanging enough.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

I just do not see the difference in labeling a sports fan into tribalism and music fans into tribalism.  Things go wrong all the time at music shows.  Metallica and G'n'R in Montreal?  The tired arguments of which band is a sell out and which is for the cause?  The exploitation of fan money for shirts that promote the band?  To paraphrase your words, all for fandom of a couple of people that the fans have never met, probably never will, and just because of a couple of notes that they play as a professional band.  Depending on how close you wish to examine the situation, I do not see the difference.  When you say that most of the time people have a negative reaction to you saying that you are a Yankees fan, geography has a lot to do with it.  In Boston, Yankees fans are are not held in the highest regard.  But the Yankees have the largest fan base of any baseball team.  They get the fairweather fans and new fans because of their history and marketing.  So statistically you should get the best reaction for saying that.  But, I am not a Yankees fan, so it doesn't surprise me.  The using the statement "Real" football is another baited line used for starting an argument.  They are two different sports with similar names, and that argument is designed to divide fans into two groups.  And on the topic of Football, it is always impressive for me to see the world come as close as it gets to stopping to watch the world cup.  By in large not much violence happens except for some idiots, which is another group that cause trouble at music shows.  I suppose in a round about way, I do not see the difference between music fans and sports fans other than the topic that they choose follow.
Patrick

 

[Mr Real Nice]

I just do not see the difference in labeling a sports fan into tribalism and music fans into tribalism.  Things go wrong all the time at music shows.  Metallica and G'n'R in Montreal?  The tired arguments of which band is a sell out and which is for the cause?  The exploitation of fan money for shirts that promote the band?  To paraphrase your words, all for fandom of a couple of people that the fans have never met, probably never will, and just because of a couple of notes that they play as a professional band.  Depending on how close you wish to examine the situation, I do not see the difference.  When you say that most of the time people have a negative reaction to you saying that you are a Yankees fan, geography has a lot to do with it.  In Boston, Yankees fans are are not held in the highest regard.  But the Yankees have the largest fan base of any baseball team.  They get the fairweather fans and new fans because of their history and marketing.  So statistically you should get the best reaction for saying that.  But, I am not a Yankees fan, so it doesn't surprise me.  The using the statement "Real" football is another baited line used for starting an argument.  They are two different sports with similar names, and that argument is designed to divide fans into two groups.  And on the topic of Football, it is always impressive for me to see the world come as close as it gets to stopping to watch the world cup.  By in large not much violence happens except for some idiots, which is another group that cause trouble at music shows.  I suppose in a round about way, I do not see the difference between music fans and sports fans other than the topic that they choose follow.
Patrick

I'd say there are similarities, but to say that you can't see a difference is sort of strange to me.  By and large, there is more rivalry in sports than there is in music.  I mean, that's the way it's set up: 2 teams duke it out to see who wins.  I guess you could say there are battle of the band competitions, but in the grand scheme of things, music isn't a competitive model.  Obviously, there are sales statistics, so in that sense, they "compete" for most albums sold, but that's not really a valid argument and I can't think of one that would make that idea true.

In terms of fans, you're going to have rivalry there, but it's really not even close to being as widespread or intense as something like pro sports fans.  I think the bulk of the rivalry is between 12-14 year-old girls over *nsync and backstreet boys.  Just because there are fights over who sold out or whatever, that doesn't validate the argument that states music fans are just as rowdy/violent as sports fans.

I'm telling you, after experiencing the Celtics win here in Boston firsthand, I can safely say that pro sports fans can be out of their freaking minds.  I've never seen that kind of rejoicing in my life.  Except after Saddam was taken out of power, I saw some videos of people in the streets of Iraq acting like they had just been liberated.  Of course, the difference was...they kind of were.  It just blows my mind how anyone can have such a huge vested interest in something they A) have no control over, B) have no real reason for liking (usually it's because they were brought up that way), and C) is completely arbitrary anyway -- there's nothing to be had from any team winning over another one.  Who wins?  They players and their wallets.  What do fans win?  The camaraderie between fellow fans is nice, but that's still just a bunch of people that care about something that is inconsequential to their lives in any actual way.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

This thread has become way "deeper" than I'd have ever imagined. :icon_scratch: :laughing11:

 

[NeilStryker]

Nice thread, very thought provoking- To touch on the idea of sports promoting a warlike society: In ancient times, ie Greece, Rome, etc, sports competitions were designed to keep their warriors in battle ready condition, to determine the strongest, fastest, most agile warriors.  Sports were practice and training for battle, and Greek City states would compete amongst themselves in these games for bragging rights of who would theoretically win in battle based on who was strongest, fastest, most threatening.  This was enjoyable in times when they didnt feel like throwing an actually war.  In modern times we do the same thing- the modern Olympic games.  The cold war games are a great example of how we would duke it out with the USSR, (also think Rocky IV) since a war would have been quite messy.  A successful national Olympic team requires loads of money and facilities, which reflects the affluence of their respective countries.  If we can spend loads of money to win gold medals in the Olympics, then we can also spend loads of money to defeat you militarily if the time comes.  Poor countries are always at a disadvantage in both wars and the Olympics.  It's hard to justify millions for the Olympic team when your people are starving and dying of disease.  Hitler's mad scientists helped develop anabolic steroids and metamphetamines and used them on their athletes in the Olympics to assert his power, he also used these drugs on his blitzkreig soldiers too.  China is using this Olympics to assert themselves as a viable member of the world power structure militarily and economically, spending on athletics and their militarily have increased in tandem.  Winning the bid to host the Olympics is also a big deal politically, economically, and militarily.  So the old myth that the Olympics are devoid of politics may be true to some of the athletes, but not to the countries they represent. 

 

[NeilStryker]

This thread has become way "deeper" than I'd have ever imagined. :icon_scratch: :laughing11:

ya think?  haha... slow day at work.

 

[Mor Paul]

But China can only get 13 year old girls :tard:

 

[NeilStryker]

All I know is that I felt the global balance of power shift when China's doubles ping pong team took to the floor!    Someone could lose an eye!  :icon_tongue:

 

[ildar]

isn't familiar with Football fans (not american football - real football).

Yeah, you're not a snob.  :toothy12:

 

[GoDrex]

isn't familiar with Football fans (not american football - real football).

Yeah, you're not a snob.   :toothy12:

well I only said that because if I say "soccer" then I get flack from everyone that says that it's football. So uh... blow me. :laughing7:

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Bah, it's soccer.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Bah, it's soccer.

ONLY in USA... in the REST OF THE WORLD it's football... If you know what I mean....





Hey Rich! Massa kicked the british @rse!!! Wasn't a good result, but a damn funny race!  :evil4:
As guy here says: "he drove with a knife on his teeth"... The "brazilians countrishied-Motörhead" to be the sound track, with the song called "feet on the door and punch on the face":
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=uUUZQlSdIdw

 

[Kostas]

Bah, it's soccer.

ONLY in USA... in the REST OF THE WORLD it's football... If you know what I mean....

FOOTBALL: A sport played with feet!
Soccer: What does this mean :icon_scratch:

 

[Nando Vallart]

FOOTBALL: A sport played with feet!
Soccer: What does this mean :icon_scratch:

No idea  :laughing7:

 

[kreig]

This thread has become way "deeper" than I'd have ever imagined. :icon_scratch: :laughing11:

quote author=Max link=topic=4604.msg52031#msg52031 date=1219258652]
I don't care for sports at all, myself.
[/quote]

I really couldn't care less about a bunch of guys I don't even know playing a game.  Not that it's not fun to watch once in a while, but fans confuse the hell out of me.

+1 . . . Be a player , not a watcher . . . i'm going to take a Power Nap

 

[TexxasJam]

The Dallas Cowboys are on a downhill slide (so far) this year. Today's game vs. the Cardinals was a travesty. :-\