Thread: Profesional sports, why do people get so excited?

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I remember when the Columbian team lost the world cup, or whatever it was, and the goalie who allowed the other team to score was murdered when the team got to the airport in Columbia. Never could figure that out. In the UK, and elsewhere, the soccer fans had some serious riots over win/lose situations. When it comes to sports I rarely even know who is playing since Ted Williams retired.

Let's get the facts straight

He was a defender who scored on his own net in the World Cup and was killed in his home town, ten days after arriving home.

As for why people get so passionate about sport, it comes from many things and is a very interesting question. The soccer fanaticism runs very deep and is a part of the culture of many places. The teams represent your city or your neighbourhood, to which people feel fiercely loyal. When your team wins, it is a source of civic pride, or national pride in the case of World Cups and the like. The same holds true in other sports, though it has been commercialized to the point where the common fan can scarcely afford to support a "big name" team anymore. The roots are still there, but the owners have their heads in the clouds. There are still quite a few soccer clubs around the world that are owned by the local people, or the fans. It really gives a sense of involvement. For example, in Turkey, Galatasary, one of the biggest clubs in the country, was in dire financial trouble. The largest supporters association has built up a thriving business of its own through merchandise and the like. They saved their club financially. Fans feel a sense of ownership, belonging and community around their teams. They have many tiers of leagues and a very real risk of going down to a lower level. Can you imagine the last place teams in MLB being relegated to Tripe A?

In North America, this is something that would likely never happen, as sports teams are owned by corporations or single entities. Still, there is a lot of passion in baseball, football and other team sports in North America, which is to be commended. What's wrong with coming together as a community to support your team and get behind them? I realize the pampered millionaire athletes are a bit much, but there is still something that draws people in. Players, owners, managers, coaches all come and go, but the team and the city will still be there. The memories and the joy of victory, the crush of losing, all these things are quite evocative and that is what makes one enjoy sport. The intensity of two groups of the best at what they do trying their hardest to beat one another is the type of drama that you can't see through acting, no matter how hard you try. They aren't acting.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Because people are stupid.

I enjoy sports and can be very passionate about my local teams. Violence is stupid in all its forms, but it has very little to do with sport and a lot to do with alcohol consumption and a simple lack of respect in society.

Am I stupid for loving sports?

Medicevans....Great pics of the kids! That young man needs to be bringing home dinner. excelent group at 50!

I think organized sports in the US are pretty lame for the most part. Driven by greed and drugs. Striking over not making gazillions of dollars? That's what it's all about huh? Lame. I can't see getting all stirred up and screaming at a tv over someone else who could care less about me or anyone I know. The "heros" our kids look up to are deified and it's pretty pathetic. One neck or knee injury and they are yesterday' heros. My kids play sports and I stand behind them one hundred %. It was their choice to play. I am not a parent who is living vicariously through my child (trust me there are tons of them that do). And the violence and the hothead issue is rampant in all sports. A local high school FB team just attacked the other team's coach and beat his face in with a FB helmet. Nice. He is in intensive care right now getting reconstrucive surgery to his face which was crushed from the blows. An incident that happened with me last year on the soccer field (pitch) was when a parent who was a giant of a man jumped in my face and started to question my daughter's team's win/loss record. He jumped up, got in my face, backing me against a chainlink fence. He started to ask me how many games did our team win. I told him all of them. He was not happy (roid rage). I had my hand on my pistol when he was in my face. I thought he was about to "earn" another bellybutton. Talked to the coach afterward and found out he is known as a local hothead and can't control himself......I almost had to control him that day. Through out the entire game this same "parent" was berating his daughter who was the goalie. Pathetic loser. I started to cheer for his daughter after he finally sat down after he confronted me. Everytime I would cheer her on he would snap his head around giving me dirty looks. I asked everyone around me after all this took place and was curious if I over reacted or if I took it out of context. The general consensus was that he was acting very aggressively and was way in the wrong.

Originally Posted by jdto

Am I stupid for loving sports?

No.

but if 'loving sports' for someone meant keying cars of supporters of the other team, beating up people for wearing the wrong color, vandalizing the home town of another team, etc... then I would call that stupid.

It is ok to love sports. I love sports myself. Not the same as you do (I don't really like sports involving a ball), but others.
Loving sports is fine. Stupid is what I call people who cross over into obsession and treat their interest as a 'battle' with other teams and let their affiliation color how they interact with other people.

EMC, I've been working 48 HR shifts since bow season started, but only two more shifts to go and I'm getting him out in the woods. He is a natural. He's an athletic kid, so I just taught him to harness that "in the moment" feeling he gets when he's defending the football field. He's damn good at rifle too. 8" plate all day long on iron sighted .22 standing position from 100 yards and prone at 125. He wants to become a Marine, a decision his mother hates and I whole heartedly stand behind.

Last picture I promise!

This was at 110, and was just a posed shot. He can't hit the broad side of a barn with a scoped rifle. Zoom in to see the plate.

I do the same thing you do at my girls ball games. They're 8 and 9. I cheer or both teams. When I coach third base, I compliment the fielders as well a my girls. They are still little girls, regardless what colors they wear. Some parents forget and start being idiots. My wife hates it, but I don't have a problem calling other parents out on it. I won't let a parent berate my kids, their teammates or the other team. It's a game people! Let's teach civility and sportsmanship. My parents didn't stand up for me very much as a kid, but I'm sure as hell going to stand up for mine.

Idiots are idiots, no matter where you go. Sports gives them an outlet, but so do other things, like sitting at a bar, posting on a forum, getting behind the wheel or standing on a street corner.

I agree 100% about idolizing the players. They're just guys who put on their pants one leg at a time and have to sit on the toilet to shit, just like me. I cheer for the ideal, for the team and for fun. Yes there are some violent incidents at sports, but I would hazard to say that, on any given Saturday night in any city or town there are just as many, if not more, alcohol-related incidents in the "club area" or at bars and such. You get large numbers of people together, give them booze and get them pumped up...stuff happens. It's not unique to sports, though sporting events do tend to be a venue that lends itself to these things.

That said, generalizing all sports fanatics as morons or idiots would be like saying all men who take care of their skin and own a bunch of shaving products are girlymen.

Now rugby I enjoy. Kick each others butts on the pitch, then go drink and toast each other afterwards. Go Flatlanders!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTpXy...e_gdata_player