Are there any sports you simply don't "get?"

[Matthew24]

30 minutes ago, Ice_Cap said:

Hunting is fun. It's not a spectator thing though.

It sound fun but I have issue with myself using guns, personal issues. Except in video games where it okay!

[BBTV]

So I looked up that JD McDuffie crash, and found this video.  I have to admit - the way you can see all the figures - gear, RPM, MPH, etc. live on the screen is pretty cool, and I could totally see where if I was a "car guy", I'd enjoy watching this (if that kind of stuff was on the screen all the time.)  The first minute or so shows what I'm talking about (the crash isn't for a little while.)

 

 

Why is NASCAR such an inherently southern thing?  Like is there something in the water that just makes you a fan if you are from there and less likely to be a fan if you're from other areas?  It's become a stereotype... but it's true.  Why?

[Seadragon76]

1 hour ago, BringBackTheVet said:

Why is NASCAR such an inherently southern thing?  Like is there something in the water that just makes you a fan if you are from there and less likely to be a fan if you're from other areas?  It's become a stereotype... but it's true.  Why?

 

Because that's where it all began for it. You go back to the days of the Prohibition Era and the moonshine runners who would outrun the cops in souped up cars. It's how it began.

[MilSox]

3 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

So I looked up that JD McDuffie crash, and found this video.  I have to admit - the way you can see all the figures - gear, RPM, MPH, etc. live on the screen is pretty cool, and I could totally see where if I was a "car guy", I'd enjoy watching this (if that kind of stuff was on the screen all the time.)  The first minute or so shows what I'm talking about (the crash isn't for a little while.)

 

 

Why is NASCAR such an inherently southern thing?  Like is there something in the water that just makes you a fan if you are from there and less likely to be a fan if you're from other areas?  It's become a stereotype... but it's true.  Why?

 

Well, for one, those of us in the Midwest grew up with open wheel racing. And the fact that "race cars" has become synonymous with NASCAR is a sore issue. 

[_DietDrPepper_]

WWE, WWF, whatever it is, wrestling, or atleast the professional one with the goofy characters, seems like just a sweaty, nasty, annoying mess. Why, and I mean why would anyone want to fake fight, and not just that, work out, and hurt yourself, for fake fighting. It’s not necessarily acting, not necessarily wrestling, I have friends who do school wrestling, it’s much more interesting than any WWE thing I’ve ever seen. Seems like to much of a testosterone filled fiasco for me, I’ll never understand it

[mjrbaseball]

3 hours ago, BellaSpurs said:

WWE, WWF, whatever it is, wrestling, or atleast the professional one with the goofy characters, seems like just a sweaty, nasty, annoying mess. Why, and I mean why would anyone want to fake fight, and not just that, work out, and hurt yourself, for fake fighting. It’s not necessarily acting, not necessarily wrestling, I have friends who do school wrestling, it’s much more interesting than any WWE thing I’ve ever seen. Seems like to much of a testosterone filled fiasco for me, I’ll never understand it

 

Why couldn't real wrestling, on mats instead of in a ring, work as a professional sport? (Let's call it "freestyle wrestling" as the Olympics do, to avoid confusion with the fake kind.) If marketed properly, could professional freestyle wresting find an audience? There are plenty of college wrestlers who have no sports outlet after they graduate, and there are plenty of TV sports channel looking for programming. Plus it is an inexpensive sport to produce, with no extensive equipment or facilities needed. Maybe it might work on a regional basis; I don't know how popular freestyle wrestling is nationwide. I know there are regions such as Iowa and Pennsylvania where it is extremely popular.

[Matthew24]

3 hours ago, BellaSpurs said:

WWE, WWF, whatever it is, wrestling, or atleast the professional one with the goofy characters, seems like just a sweaty, nasty, annoying mess. Why, and I mean why would anyone want to fake fight, and not just that, work out, and hurt yourself, for fake fighting. It’s not necessarily acting, not necessarily wrestling, I have friends who do school wrestling, it’s much more interesting than any WWE thing I’ve ever seen. Seems like to much of a testosterone filled fiasco for me, I’ll never understand it

Then watch AEW or New Japan.

 

But to be honest, WWE and wrestling as a whole isn't a sport in general. It entertainment to say at least. It was created to bring people in who didnt want to watch a long a amateur wrestling match. People wanted excitement, so the gold dust trio (look them up) help made wrestling as it is today. 

 

Also I'm adding amateur to the list of sports that I get but don't care for. 

[Cosmic]

11 hours ago, BringBackTheVet said:

So I looked up that JD McDuffie crash, and found this video.  I have to admit - the way you can see all the figures - gear, RPM, MPH, etc. live on the screen is pretty cool, and I could totally see where if I was a "car guy", I'd enjoy watching this (if that kind of stuff was on the screen all the time.)  The first minute or so shows what I'm talking about (the crash isn't for a little while.)

 

 

Why is NASCAR such an inherently southern thing?  Like is there something in the water that just makes you a fan if you are from there and less likely to be a fan if you're from other areas?  It's become a stereotype... but it's true.  Why?

I can’t argue with the stereotype, but that clip you posted is from the Finger Lakes.  It’s not literally just a Southern thing.

[wildwing64]

Speaking of motorsports, one I don't really 'get' is motorcycle speedway.

 

It was apparently a big-ish deal back in the 60's and 70's, but the only reason I even know it exists is because my boss is a big fan.

[MilSox]

8 hours ago, BellaSpurs said:

WWE, WWF, whatever it is, wrestling, or atleast the professional one with the goofy characters, seems like just a sweaty, nasty, annoying mess. Why, and I mean why would anyone want to fake fight, and not just that, work out, and hurt yourself, for fake fighting. It’s not necessarily acting, not necessarily wrestling, I have friends who do school wrestling, it’s much more interesting than any WWE thing I’ve ever seen. Seems like to much of a testosterone filled fiasco for me, I’ll never understand it

 

Simulated combat. It's on par with stunt shows or fight scenes in action flicks. We know those are "fake" too, but they take tremendous skill to excecute and they're genuinely entertaining when you give them a chance.

[Red Wolf]

9 hours ago, BellaSpurs said:

WWE, WWF, whatever it is, wrestling, or atleast the professional one with the goofy characters, seems like just a sweaty, nasty, annoying mess. Why, and I mean why would anyone want to fake fight, and not just that, work out, and hurt yourself, for fake fighting. It’s not necessarily acting, not necessarily wrestling, I have friends who do school wrestling, it’s much more interesting than any WWE thing I’ve ever seen. Seems like to much of a testosterone filled fiasco for me, I’ll never understand it

 

 

On 4/8/2019 at 12:41 AM, Red Wolf said:

 

Sorry, this thread is about sports, not sports entertainment aka the truest form of art.

 

[Seadragon76]

Since yesterday was the 4th of July and you had the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island... how is competitive eating a sport?

[IceCap]

4 hours ago, Seadragon76 said:

Since yesterday was the 4th of July and you had the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island... how is competitive eating a sport?

Because people are willing to watch it on tv. 

[Seadragon76]

4 hours ago, Ice_Cap said:

Because people are willing to watch it on tv. 

 

Well, since I asked a stupid question... I was bound to get a stupid answer.

[Quillz]

10 hours ago, Seadragon76 said:

how is competitive eating a sport?

Wouldn't "competitive x" imply a sport? You may not be working up a sweat but you still have to find a way to beat your opponent. Lots of people consider video gaming an "e-sport."

[sky1324]

You can put me with the people who don't understand golf or wrestling (both pro and amateur). Never cared for them, never will. I used to be very confused by soccer (hockey is superior), but I'm hoping to see a live game one of these days and hopefully I'll "get" it.

 

As someone from Charlotte, NASCAR is impossible to avoid down here, and it's fun to go see a race, even though I haven't seriously followed since Jeff Gordon retired (about 4 years ago). The NASCAR Hall of Fame is also neat, even if you don't seriously enjoy the sport.

 

The amount of people here just dumping on eSports is ridiculous. It may not be a sport in the traditional sense, but it still utilizes many skills and is physically demanding. It's much more of a mental game than other physical sports, and appeals to a very different group of people. (I agree that the Fusion arena thing is stupid, but whatever.) I love watching professionals play, although your enjoyment of the game being played can affect that. Fighting games require intense execution skills and mindgames, especially games like Street Fighter, and other games like DoTA or League of Legends require excellent teamwork as well as button execution. eSports are much more of a club-based sport than a location-based one, since usually fans will follow their favorite players or whatever team they're on. Additionally, eSports are huge in East Asia, especially Korea and China. Major corporations like Samsung will sponsor teams, and sometimes eSports are considered more respectable than "traditional" sports like baseball or soccer, especially in Korea. 

 

I understand that this topic in general implies something of a negative connotation, but the amount of people simply saying "oh the only people that watch eSports are sweaty neckbeards with no friends", when that is simply not true, and honestly an outdated stereotype, is honestly embarrassing. Just because eSports are fundamentally different from sports like football or basketball, that doesn't make it any less of a respected and popular sport. If there was no value in eSports, would major brands like Coke, Honda, Samsung, Red Bull, and many, many others sink their vast piles of money into it? To suggest otherwise is an ill-informed, outdate opinion.

[Bowski]

On 4/1/2019 at 8:15 AM, VDizzle12 said:

 

This...and the fact that people now get paid or scholarships for it is mind blowing. We watch real sports because almost all of us will never be able to experience what it is like to be in the NFL or NBA. Just like watching someone bowl on TV. I can drive a few blocks and throw a ball down an alley. If I can experience the same thing, why watch someone else do it? Anyone with a couple hundred bucks can go out an buy a video game system and play madden or NBA 2k.

 

Why watch any sport then? You can experience playing football, basketball, baseball, etc. as well, but you pay to go see people who are way better then you play that sport because it's more entertaining. Same concept, different game, and don't ever forget; sports are all just games at the end of the day. Putting sports on pedestal above video games doesn't change that they both fundamentally accomplish the same thing, entertainment

 

The argument of few will experience the feeling of the NFL or NBA is also negated by the fact that also very few will ever compete at the pro-level of gaming

 

Also, I can guarantee every single sport that is cherished in today's world started off in an infancy that folks that didn't understand what it was or what would be become of it, and you can bet they probably mocked it because they didn't understand it. You think people 150 years ago thought football would become a game that millions love and that generates billions of dollars every year? Hell no!

 

So skeptics, truly ask yourself, do you really think it's gonna fail or do you just not understand it thus you mock it?

 

 

 

That being said, I don't volleyball, like I don't really understand how people play it, why is it entertaining, really anything about it; but if someone could explain it to me, I'd gladly absorb that knowledge.

[Sport]

I went to the Indy 500 this year and was fortunate enough to have really good seats right down the straightaway and in front of pit row. I totally get it now. It's an unreal experience in person. I don't know if I'd watch many races on TV, but I'd definitely go to another one if the chance presents itself again. 

 

Also I've just now learned about Gaelic Football and I need to watch a whole game somewhere. 

[sc49erfan15]

On 7/3/2019 at 8:56 PM, BringBackTheVet said:

Why is NASCAR such an inherently southern thing?  Like is there something in the water that just makes you a fan if you are from there and less likely to be a fan if you're from other areas?  It's become a stereotype... but it's true.  Why?

 

That's the thing - NASCAR simultaneously is and isn't a "Southern Thing." It definitely has roots in the South due to its origin, but it's had popularity in quite a few regions.

 

Just for :censored:s:

 

1972, considered to be the first year of NASCAR's "modern era" - 8 of 31 races held outside the South: California x3, Delaware x2, Michigan x2, New Jersey. All but 3 of the 25ish drivers competing in over 20 races were from the "South," notable exceptions being Dave Marcis (Winconson Wisconsin), Ed Negre (Washington), and Ron Keselowski (Michigan).

 

1992, a time by which NASCAR had gained significant popularity but before the mid/late '90s "boom" - 9 of 29 races held outside the "South": Delaware x2, Pennsylvania x2, Michigan x2, New York, Arizona, California. Many more non-Southern drivers by this time: Ken Schrader (Missouri - debatably Southern, whether you consider suburban St. Louis "the South" or not), Greg Sacks, Geoff and Brett Bodine (New York), Dave Marcis, Jim Sauter, Dick Trickle (RIP), and 1992 Champion Alan Kulwicki (all from Wisconsin), Ernie Irvan (California), Derrike Cope and Chad Little (Washington), Jimmy Spencer (Pennsylvania), Ted Musgrave (Illinois), Bobby Hillin Jr. (West Texas), Wally Dallenbach (Colorado). Granted, all but a few of these guys were kinda run-of-the-mill drivers, but it definitely shows many more drivers from outside the South were running full NASCAR schedules.

 

2012, post-"boom" - 18 of 36 races held outside the South: Arizona x2, Delaware x2, California x2, Pennsylvania x2, Michigan x2, New Hampshire x2, Kansas x2, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, New York. Many, many non-Southern (and even non-American) drivers running a full or near-full schedule: Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia), Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Regan Smith (New York), Kurt and Kyle Busch (Nevada), Kasey Kahne and Greg Biffle (Washington), Jeff Gordon, David Stremme, Ryan Newman, and Tony Stewart (Indiana), Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, A.J. Allmendinger, David Gilliland, Casey Mears (California), Matt Kenseth, Paul Menard, and Travis Kvapil (Wisconsin), Danica Patrick (Illinois), Brad Keselowski (Michigan), Sam Hornish Jr. (Ohio), Michael McDowell (Arizona), Joey Logano (Connecticut), Clint Bowyer (Kansas), Martin Truex Jr. (New Jersey). Even to a non-NASCAR fan, you'll notice some familiar names.

 

I realize that's a long list, but my point is that Southern drivers aren't as ubiquitous as they used to be. This is a point of contention for some old-school NASCAR fans - I'm not one of those people. You actually have to go back to 1999 (or 2000, depending on whether Corpus Christi, TX is "Southern") to find the last "true" Southern champion in NASCAR's highest series - North Carolina's Dale Jarrett.

[Seadragon76]

11 hours ago, Bowski said:

That being said, I don't volleyball, like I don't really understand how people play it, why is it entertaining, really anything about it; but if someone could explain it to me, I'd gladly absorb that knowledge.

 

It depends on which sex is playing. I can tell you right now, most guys who watch women's volleyball aren't watching for fundamentals.