Lads who are not interested in sport

smash

Has this now turned into a debate about what a 'real' supporter is?

awec

This post has been deleted.

smash

awec wrote: »

Looks like it. I think people are trying to say that unless you physically attend sporting events that you aren't a sports fan. Or that this is somehow weird.

I think it's weird that people in general judge other based on whether they're involved with sports or not. Although in saying that, I do slag people that refer to UK soccer teams as 'us' or 'we'.

Star Lord

The majority of sports, I have no interest in at all. There are a few exceptions, such as the winter sports, and I would watch some of the Olympic events if they happened to be on anyway, and I did specifically watch Katie Taylor in the Olympics. Football, GAA etc... no interest whatsoever.

Had to listen to my mum telling my multiple times recently how I should be supporting Donegal when they were in the GAA final (or she was just trying to wind me up, that's just as likely!) when I didn't care if they won or lost, I just had zero interest either way.

old hippy

sharper wrote: »

One thing that's always fascinated me is how emotionally invested get watching a game of sport on TV. I've known people that could turn a sports channel, watch two random teams play some random sport and end up shouting at the TV and jumping up and down.

I just don't know how to get there! Books, movies and TV can tweak my emotions by drawing me in and getting invested. But a sports game? Even one where you have no connection to the team?

But when you get that connection..! I generally don't get all the passion and that but occasionally, when I do - it's great (and bewildering). When I saw Japan play the US at Wembley for the women's Olympic football finals, I was caught up in the atmosphere

Doctor DooM

awec wrote: »

Looks like it. I think people are trying to say that unless you physically attend sporting events that you aren't a sports fan. Or that this is somehow weird.

Actually, that's twisting the point.

My point was that I get judged- twice in this thread, alone- as "sad" for not supporting whatever flavour of the day is occuring.

When I try to nail down why I am sad it appears that I am because I don't "support" the teams/ players/ whatever by watching some match, even though I have zero interest in doing so.

This just seems silly to me. I have pass times and hobbies which, when it comes down to it, are just as non sensical when placed under the microscope. It's just I don't mind what other people do with their time. Yet for some reason, with sport it seems to be acceptable.

sharper

awec wrote: »

You don't have to be on the team to use "we".

Sure and that's exactly why it's a usage of "we" that's so jarring. You would typically expect "we" to be a fairly well defined group of self identifying active participants in something, not a loosely defined group of passive non-participants.

It's effectively a usage of "we" that's useless except for the likely positive feeling of belonging it bestows on the speaker. If you're coming at it from a non-sporting perspective it just seems like another emotional link that's hard to understand.

Sleepy

I think it also jars because in the vast majority of cases, the 11 men on the field wouldn't deign to even look at the speaker, never mind consider them part of any group to which they belong.

BopNiblets

Trust and sport are not related in my books, unless it's "Do I trust this person to play sports that I picked for my sports team"!

I can understand sports for a bit of fitness, but being introverted I'd prefer to do a few pushups in my bedroom instead, have no interest in following strangers who do it (and who see if they can do it better than some other strangers).

krudler

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Actually, that's twisting the point.

My point was that I get judged- twice in this thread, alone- as "sad" for not supporting whatever flavour of the day is occuring.

When I try to nail down why I am sad it appears that I am because I don't "support" the teams/ players/ whatever by watching some match, even though I have zero interest in doing so.

This just seems silly to me. I have pass times and hobbies which, when it comes down to it, are just as non sensical when placed under the microscope. It's just I don't mind what other people do with their time. Yet for some reason, with sport it seems to be acceptable.

Ages back there was a big Munster game on, I live in Limerick so the bandwagon was in full charge back then, and I got asked how come I wasnt wearing a jersey at work, number one I'm at work, number two I dont own a jersey nor would I buy one for a team I don't follow, and number three, does it really matter? its not like players know I'm doing it. "letting the side down" someone said to me? side? what side?

The Black Oil

I run a little, but I'm generally not too bothered about sport. By that I mean I don't actively follow a team, I don't read the sports section in a newspaper or read autobiographies and things like that. Admittedly, I do occasionally check one or two sports forums on here, mainly for the colour of the banter, but that's pretty infrequent. The main turn off for me is probably the TV based side of things, the hype and sometimes the jingoism. I go to the odd football game with the auld fella as I find that's more enjoyable than watching it on the TV.

I watched all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights, but the main 'hook' of that show, imo, is the characters and the stories. Having watched I still know little about American Football. :pac: Also went to a baseball game on holidays, for the experience, again despite having no day to day interest in it.

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

I don't think your sad, I think it IS sad that people aren't happy of Irish achievements, be they on the sporting field or scientific of of charitable nature.

It similarly, doesn't take much time if you were to read in the papers that an Irish scientist found a cure for a particular disease, that you would be happy (and before you start, of course you'd be happy regardless of whether their Irish or not, but nonetheless it is a great achievement for an Irishman/woman).

Why, though? It comes across that you believe we should be obliged to be proud of what they've achieved. What if, due to a lack of interest, it simply doesn't register on certain peoples' radar?

jaffacakesyum

Doctor DooM wrote: »

Here's the point.

Would you consider someone who didn't sad? Would you go on a forum and call people that?

I bet not, but you did so for sport. Why is it acceptable?

For the last time I didn't call you sad. I don't think I've ever called someone sad without it being for a serious cause. An example where I would think someone is sad is this: "I think you are a sad individual if you believe that men are somehow less manly if they don't follow football". Do you see the difference now?

I think it IS sad when people don't support their fellow countrymen in achievements. Why are you getting so hung up on a single word? I could just as easily use the word 'disappoining' or 'unfortunate' or something

And as for your above question, yes I do believe it is sad/disappointing/whatever in that instance. That's why I gave that non-sporting example.

Jimmy Iovine

I like sport. I love some of them.

Most of them I prefer playing them. Doesn't matter which one.

Why some people have no interest at all in sport puzzles me at times.

I could talk all day long about football or golf. That doesn't mean that my only topic of conversation is sport.

If I'm being really honest talking to the majority of people about football pains me. They haven't a clue what they are talking about. People go into auto-pilot, I find, when talking about football and it makes for a really tedious and irritating conversation.

Some times you can get talking to someone who knows what they are on about and it ends up being a really good conversation but that is quite rare.

I have a big interest in music, just not the type of (crap) music that every one of my friends enjoys. I end up tuning out because I don't know what they are talking about.

I'm not sure if a girl knowing a lot about sport would be one of my 'requirements' in a relationship. Mainly because I've yet to be with a girl that would be like that. The last girl I was with hadn't a notion, but she tried at least. It only ever extended as far as "I see United won the match" and that was it. But at least it was something.

I'm just as happy talking about the U.S. Presidential election/Hurricane Sandy/films/books/television shows as I am about football. There are a few people who I only talk about football with and that's because it's the easiest thing to talk about when making small talk or I don't know what their other interests are, if they even have any.

I think a large part of the problem lies in the fact that we are poor listeners and this makes for pretty rubbish conversations. I'm guilty of it myself. If everyone listened attentively and didn't just say what they wanted to say then we'd all get on a lot better .

Please Kill Me

I don't see what the big deal is. It's only sport, it's not life and death! I'm 42 and I've never kicked a ball or watched a football match in my life, nor do I intend to! In fact I feel the same about golf, rugby, snooker, darts....pretty much everything. I hate sport (apart from MotoGP), I've never been interested in it and I have a pretty normal life. If my kids get into it, leave 'em at it. If they don't, they don't. So what.

What I find funny is that most (if not all) of my mates are into soccer. Even when/if Ireland are playing, they'd say to me "but Ireland are playing". So f**king what?? It doesn't make a dull, boring game more interesting to me!!

walshb

Just to add: I would argue that a lot of males are into soccer and soccer alone, and not even the sport or skill aspect, it's the whole "following their teams for a year" malarky. It's no different than watching a reality tv show or soap. I do not consider these people as sports fans. They know nothing apart form the odd thing or two about their team.

As for the female soccer fans. Almost all of these couldn't give a toss about the sport of soccer. It's just fashionable for them to support a soccer team.

jaffacakesyum

walshb wrote: »

Just to add: I would argue that a lot of males are into soccer and soccer alone, and not even the sport or skill aspect, it's the whole "following their teams for a year" malarky. It's no different than watching a reality tv show or soap. I do not consider these people as sports fans. They know nothing apart form the odd thing or two about their team.

As for the female soccer fans. Almost all of these couldn't give a toss about the sport of soccer. It's just fashionable for them to support a soccer team.

What a load of sexist crap.

doctorwhogirl

walshb wrote: »

Just to add: I would argue that a lot of males are into soccer and soccer alone, and not even the sport or skill aspect, it's the whole "following their teams for a year" malarky. It's no different than watching a reality tv show or soap. I do not consider these people as sports fans. They know nothing apart form the odd thing or two about their team.

As for the female soccer fans. Almost all of these couldn't give a toss about the sport of soccer. It's just fashionable for them to support a soccer team.

Would you like some additional tar to help tar all women with the same brush?

Personally, liking sport doesn't indicate any level of masculinity. I think that's a remnant from the "good old days".

walshb

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

Would you like some additional tar to help tar all women with the same brush?

Personally, liking sport doesn't indicate any level of masculinity. I think that's a remnant from the "good old days".

No, I would not like any tar. I know some females who are generally into sport, but let's not kid ourselves.

walshb

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

What a load of sexist crap.

How?

Are you saying that in general males and females are equal in terms of their passion or liking for sport? They are not. Same way males and females aren't the same when it comes to their liking of romcoms or knitting!

jaffacakesyum

walshb wrote: »

No, I would not like any tar. I know some females who are generally into sport, but let's not kid ourselves.

How is life living in the 1950s?

jaffacakesyum

walshb wrote: »

How?

Are you saying that in general males and females are equal in terms of their passion or lilking for sport? They are not. Same way males and females aren't the same when it comes to their liking of romcoms or knitting!

I don't think males and females are equal in liking for sport. There's a BIG difference between that statement and what you said

walshb wrote: »

J
As for the female soccer fans. Almost all of these couldn't give a toss about the sport of soccer. It's just fashionable for them to support a soccer team.

That's like me saying almost all men who are into cooking don't have a clue what they're doing.

Grow up.

walshb

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

How is life living in the 1950s?

Not sure what the 50s has to do with men and women and their liking of sport. Are you saying that my view that males have a greater liking or interest for sport is incorrect?

Edit: Point proven.

I never ever said that women cannot or do not like sport.

old hippy

walshb wrote: »

No, I would not like any tar. I know some females who are generally into sport, but let's not kid ourselves.

The only one kidding themselves here would be your good self. The women's football Olympic final (record attendence for women's soccer at Wembley) had as many female as male supporters.And it's not just football, it's tennis, athletics, swimming, boxing, judo etc etc.Many, many women excel in and enjoy sport immensely.

walshb

old hippy wrote: »

The only one kidding themselves here would be your good self. The women's football Olympic final (record attendence for women's soccer at Wembley) had as many female as male supporters.And it's not just football, it's tennis, athletics, swimming, boxing, judo etc etc.Many, many women excel in and enjoy sport immensely.

Who said women don't excel in sport, or enjoy sport, or participate in sport?

old hippy

walshb wrote: »

Who said women don't excel in sport, or enjoy sport, or participate in sport?

Dunno but some pumpkin made out that women aren't into football.

walshb

old hippy wrote: »

Dunno but some pumpkin made out that women aren't into football.

I know of one female that is genuinely into soccer/sport. I know many others who say they are, but just saying it doesn't make it so. See, I know this because I have listened to them, monitored them etc. They are into the whole, "Oh, I follow a soccer team and I go to the pub to cheer my team." Apart from this they couldn't at all comment. They are not into the actual sport.

I know a whole lot more males that are into sport in general. That is juts my world. But, I am betting that in general men have a far greater interest and liking for sport.

Another big one is the sudden increase in females supporting rugby. Yes, some are genuinely inot the sport, but many are juts on the bandwagon. Men too.

old hippy

walshb wrote: »

I know of one female that is genuinely into soccer/sport. I know many others who say they are, but just sayingt it doesn't make it so. See, I know this because I have listened to them, monitored them etc. They are into the whole, "Oh, I follow a soccer team and I go to the pub to cheer my team." Apart from this they couldn't at all comment. They are not into the actual sport.

I know a whole lot more males that are into sport in general. That is juts my world. But, I am betting that in general men have a far greater interest and liking for sport.

Another big one is the sudden increase in females supporting rugby. Yes, some are genuinely inot the sport, but many are juts on the bandwagon. Men too.

LOL, whatever, mate. You know best.

jaffacakesyum

walshb wrote: »

Not sure what the 50s has to do with men and women and their liking of sport. Are you saying that my view that males have a greater liking or interest for sport is incorrect?

Edit: Point proven.

I never ever said that women cannot or do not like sport.

You said almost all females into soccer aren't actually into soccer.

Explain how this is the same as "more men in general are into sport than women"

I agree with the latter statement. The former is just stupid, sexist and ignorant.

jaffacakesyum

walshb wrote: »

I know of one female that is genuinely into soccer/sport. I know many others who say they are, but just saying it doesn't make it so. See, I know this because I have listened to them, monitored them etc. They are into the whole, "Oh, I follow a soccer team and I go to the pub to cheer my team." Apart from this they couldn't at all comment. They are not into the actual sport.

I know a whole lot more males that are into sport in general. That is juts my world. But, I am betting that in general men have a far greater interest and liking for sport.

Another big one is the sudden increase in females supporting rugby. Yes, some are genuinely inot the sport, but many are juts on the bandwagon. Men too.

Just because that is your experience doesn't mean that almost all women who say they like football aren't genuinely into football.

I know tons of men who like football. I know tons of women who like football. I know tons of women who know more about football than men.

walshb

jaffacakesyum wrote: »

I know tons of men who like football. I know tons of women who like football. I know tons of women who know more about football than men.

I don't believe you. Sorry. In my world the statistics are very much different. For every woman I know that says she likes soccer/sport I know ten men who say the same thing.