Does the Team You Root for affect your health?

[Don]

I swear more at a sporting event than I do watching a game on TV....does that count?

I'm actually the opposite. I'm more cognizant of children of others when I'm at a game, but my own children have heard it and go through it everytime the Caps play, they just ignore me.

So, you watch your mouth around others' kids, but not your own?!

I can teach my kids the meaning of the words and that they shouldn't be said, I can't account for other parents.

"Do as I say, not as I do", huh? Aren't parents supposed to set an example, walk the walk?

We tried that logic in the "mom goes on strike thread".

I lost interest in that thread pretty quickly, so who is "we"? And what are you saying, it got shot down, or that parents can't be bothered to parent that way? It doesn't matter, you're supposed to show your kids the way, not tell them. We all know how much kids respond to, and respect "do as I say, not as I do", right?

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

[infrared41]

I lost interest in that thread pretty quickly, so who is "we"? And what are you saying, it got shot down, or that parents can't be bothered to parent that way? It doesn't matter, you're supposed to show your kids the way, not tell them. We all know how much kids respond to, and respect "do as I say, not as I do", right?

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

Is there anything that Milo is not an expert on?

[BBTV]

Am I the only one on the board that agrees with Milo >90% of the time?

[charger77]

I'm with you on that >90% BBTV.

[cameroncrazie07]

listen guys I am not trying to say that sports affects my health, I am one of the most hardcore fans that you will ever see. But in my 19 years on this earth I have had instances where I think that it changes the way I act towards loved ones. For example when my team is losing I am completley different around others then when they are winning. I think that everyone is like this, its just how we act as fans.I guess what im trying to say is that just because I wanted to see if there was any realationship between these two things, it doesnt mean that I have a problem with sports being too much of my life.

[Don]

listen guys I am not trying to say that sports affects my health, I am one of the most hardcore fans that you will ever see. But in my 19 years on this earth I have had instances where I think that it changes the way I act towards loved ones. For example when my team is losing I am completley different around others then when they are winning. I think that everyone is like this, its just how we act as fans.I guess what im trying to say is that just because I wanted to see if there was any realationship between these two things, it doesnt mean that I have a problem with sports being too much of my life.

trust me, you change. once you have other priorities in life, sports will take a backseat, you will always be a fan of your teams, but losses and wins wont affect you as much.

[capn89]

If you mean health in terms of blood pressure, sleeping, depression, etc., then I'd argue that anyone who's health is affected in those ways by sports really needs counseling. Sports is an escape from stress and/or the mundaneness (is that a word?) of life. If it's causing stress or extended anger, then there's obviously something else going on in your life that you need to deal with because you're using sports to fill too much of a void.

If you mean health in terms of weight, then I'd say yeah - there's definitely a slight correlation. Case in point - when the Phillies were going through these month-long playoff runs the last two years, I'm out for every game having some drinks and stuffing my face with disgusting food. If they sucked, I'd have been at the gym or running by the river each of those nights.

Thank you. That's where this thread should die.

[oddball]

listen guys I am not trying to say that sports affects my health, I am one of the most hardcore fans that you will ever see. But in my 19 years on this earth I have had instances where I think that it changes the way I act towards loved ones. For example when my team is losing I am completley different around others then when they are winning. I think that everyone is like this, its just how we act as fans.I guess what im trying to say is that just because I wanted to see if there was any realationship between these two things, it doesnt mean that I have a problem with sports being too much of my life.

Grow up!!! I'm serious. Sports doesn't matter. Seriously. Grow up! If your team changes the way you are, you are still an immature person. Yes, I'm happy when my teams win and down when they lose, but it doesn't change the way I treat people and act around people. If you have to ask this question, then you are immature and need to walk away from sports and go and do something with your life away from sports. You will be shocked at how insignificant sports really are, when you actually find things worthwhile to do. Turn off the tv and sports talk radio, throw all your sports gear away, and actually go get a life.

[Sport]

I root for some pretty crappy teams and my health has never been affected by their performance. I can tell that what happens with my teams can affect my mood. The last two Bengals playoff losses have put me in a funk for about a day and when the Reds lost their one game playoff in 99, I was irritable for about 3 days, but I was also 12 and had watched every broadcasted game that season. But those were important games that crammed a season's worth of watching a team into a single game. It was the emotion that affected me more than anything else. I don't take sports nearly as seriously as I did when I was a kid. I've developed some other interests since then.

Another thing is that if my team is performing poorly in a particular regular season then the last couple months of the season usually don't hold much interest for me. This is the most true in baseball. If the Reds are out of if by mid August then I'll maybe watch 5 games over the last 6 weeks.

to recap: health not affected, mood, interest, enjoyment of watching other teams is affected.

[cameroncrazie07]

listen guys I am not trying to say that sports affects my health, I am one of the most hardcore fans that you will ever see. But in my 19 years on this earth I have had instances where I think that it changes the way I act towards loved ones. For example when my team is losing I am completley different around others then when they are winning. I think that everyone is like this, its just how we act as fans.I guess what im trying to say is that just because I wanted to see if there was any realationship between these two things, it doesnt mean that I have a problem with sports being too much of my life.

Grow up!!! I'm serious. Sports doesn't matter. Seriously. Grow up! If your team changes the way you are, you are still an immature person. Yes, I'm happy when my teams win and down when they lose, but it doesn't change the way I treat people and act around people. If you have to ask this question, then you are immature and need to walk away from sports and go and do something with your life away from sports. You will be shocked at how insignificant sports really are, when you actually find things worthwhile to do. Turn off the tv and sports talk radio, throw all your sports gear away, and actually go get a life.

its funny how you are telling me to grow up when all I am trying to do is find an answer to something that I am curious about, while you come on and start picking on a 19 year old kid.... doesnt it phase you that nearly everyone else in this thread has thought this was a bad idea and yet none of them insulted me except for you? I think that you are the one that needs to grow up and learn some manners.

[Milo Meningocele]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Is there anything that Milo is not an expert on?

Is what I said not a pretty undeniable point, that anyone might've made?

[charger77]

While sports don't affect my health, I miss the excitement and the tension that the NHL playoffs brought me when I was a kid/teen.

[Don]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Truth is, I dont go to many games, so this is pretty easy for me. I dont respect children of others, but I respect other parents enough to watch my tone most of the time. If I saw some beligerant at a game swearing his head off at the game in front of other kids, I'd get kind of put off by that behavior. Now do I go off like a beligerant at home? No. I'm pretty tame compared to how I was in my younger days (granted I'm still only 26). Honestly, I dont really have to explain my parenting to someone I dont know but I enjoy this debate. Its not a do as I say not as I do type thing, even if I use foul language at times, would you expect to hear a 7 year old saying the same things his parent says? Maybe a teenager, but not a kid at my sons age. If he says something like that in a grocery store, would you expect a parent to say "its ok, I say it all the time!"? I think we're getting a bit off topic here but whatever.

[infrared41]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Is there anything that Milo is not an expert on?

Is what I said not a pretty undeniable point, that anyone might've made?

The point isn't my issue with it. It takes a special kind of arrogance to come on here and challenge a guy over how he raises his own kids. Especially when (I'm assuming) you don't have kids of your own. I'm not debating that you make some pretty valid points most of the time. It's how you make those points that drives me nuts. Pretentious know-it-all types drive me crazy. Don tells you he's OK with the contradiction you pointed out and you still won't leave it alone. You have the gall to tell the guy he respects other kids more than his own. The real poetry is that you're basing that assessment on the very thing you spend the majority of your time around here ridiculing; something that was written on an internet message board. That's the issue I have with your post.

[Milo Meningocele]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Truth is, I dont go to many games, so this is pretty easy for me. I dont respect children of others, but I respect other parents enough to watch my tone most of the time. If I saw some beligerant at a game swearing his head off at the game in front of other kids, I'd get kind of put off by that behavior. Now do I go off like a beligerant at home? No. I'm pretty tame compared to how I was in my younger days (granted I'm still only 26). Honestly, I dont really have to explain my parenting to someone I dont know but I enjoy this debate. Its not a do as I say not as I do type thing, even if I use foul language at times, would you expect to hear a 7 year old saying the same things his parent says? Maybe a teenager, but not a kid at my sons age. If he says something like that in a grocery store, would you expect a parent to say "its ok, I say it all the time!"? I think we're getting a bit off topic here but whatever.

1. Well, you yourself directly responded to something about swearing, and said your kids hear it every time you watch the Caps on tv. Your words, not mine.

2. Are you kidding?! Younger kids don't repeat what they hear? I'm sure many parents on the board (as well as me, with kids in my family) can chime in with their stories of kids surprising them with what they've heard and repeated.

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Is there anything that Milo is not an expert on?

Is what I said not a pretty undeniable point, that anyone might've made?

The point isn't my issue with it. It takes a special kind of arrogance to come on here and challenge a guy over how he raises his own kids. Especially when (I'm assuming) you don't have kids of your own. I'm not debating that you make some pretty valid points most of the time. It's how you make those points that drives me nuts. Pretentious know-it-all types drive me crazy. Don tells you he's OK with the contradiction you pointed out and you still won't leave it alone. You have the gall to tell the guy he respects other kids more than his own. The real poetry is that you're basing that assessment on the very thing you spend the majority of your time around here ridiculing; something that was written on an internet message board. That's the issue I have with your post.

Can we stick to the point here, instead of reputations and your personal beef with me? We've already established in other threads, that you don't have to be a parent to comment on certain issues. I feel like this is one of those times. It's rather obvious and universally known (if not adhered to), that people should watch their mouths around children (theirs or anyone else's). Was my point not correct? If so, what do you disagree with about my point?

[BBTV]

Look, I'm not going to say that there wasn't a point of my life where I destroyed a vacuum cleaner because Randall Cunningham made a bonehead throw, or I cursed out a college roommate because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Ricky Williams alligator armed a ball, or was a total wreck for a week after Tommy Hutton botched a snap on the game-winning field goal on Monday Night Football vs. the Cowboys. I'm not going to slam a 19-year old for being like I was. But I can say now that once you get real things to get upset about and worry about, you learn to take only the good out of sports, and shrug off the bad. You (or at least I) look at it more as an escape, an excuse to go out or get together with people, and not much more.

[Don]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Truth is, I dont go to many games, so this is pretty easy for me. I dont respect children of others, but I respect other parents enough to watch my tone most of the time. If I saw some beligerant at a game swearing his head off at the game in front of other kids, I'd get kind of put off by that behavior. Now do I go off like a beligerant at home? No. I'm pretty tame compared to how I was in my younger days (granted I'm still only 26). Honestly, I dont really have to explain my parenting to someone I dont know but I enjoy this debate. Its not a do as I say not as I do type thing, even if I use foul language at times, would you expect to hear a 7 year old saying the same things his parent says? Maybe a teenager, but not a kid at my sons age. If he says something like that in a grocery store, would you expect a parent to say "its ok, I say it all the time!"? I think we're getting a bit off topic here but whatever.

1. Well, you yourself directly responded to something about swearing, and said your kids hear it every time you watch the Caps on tv. Your words, not mine.

2. Are you kidding?! Younger kids don't repeat what they hear? I'm sure many parents on the board (as well as me, with kids in my family) can chime in with their stories of kids surprising them with what they've heard and repeated.

You're splitting hairs with what I said. Of course I dont go off EVERY Caps game, and honestly, so what if I do?

Of course kids repeat what they hear (unless you have a good enough kid to ask what those words mean and that they shouldn't say them, like I do), but my point was you shouldn't EXPECT a child to say those things, then a parent to turn around and justify it by saying that they say it all the time, so then its ok.

[Milo Meningocele]

if swearing is the worst things my kids do when they get to be pre-teens or teenagers I think I've done a good job thank you very much.

That's true. But the point here, is that you're saying you respect the children of others, more than your own. You specifically stated that you have the ability to turn this behavior off like a switch around other people's kids, yet you choose not to for your own.

Truth is, I dont go to many games, so this is pretty easy for me. I dont respect children of others, but I respect other parents enough to watch my tone most of the time. If I saw some beligerant at a game swearing his head off at the game in front of other kids, I'd get kind of put off by that behavior. Now do I go off like a beligerant at home? No. I'm pretty tame compared to how I was in my younger days (granted I'm still only 26). Honestly, I dont really have to explain my parenting to someone I dont know but I enjoy this debate. Its not a do as I say not as I do type thing, even if I use foul language at times, would you expect to hear a 7 year old saying the same things his parent says? Maybe a teenager, but not a kid at my sons age. If he says something like that in a grocery store, would you expect a parent to say "its ok, I say it all the time!"? I think we're getting a bit off topic here but whatever.

1. Well, you yourself directly responded to something about swearing, and said your kids hear it every time you watch the Caps on tv. Your words, not mine.

2. Are you kidding?! Younger kids don't repeat what they hear? I'm sure many parents on the board (as well as me, with kids in my family) can chime in with their stories of kids surprising them with what they've heard and repeated.

You're splitting hairs with what I said. Of course I dont go off EVERY Caps game, and honestly, so what if I do?

Of course kids repeat what they hear (unless you have a good enough kid to ask what those words mean and that they shouldn't say them, like I do), but my point was you shouldn't EXPECT a child to say those things, then a parent to turn around and justify it by saying that they say it all the time, so then its ok.

Sorry, I can only go from what you type in your own words. That's probably my fault, that I got the wrong meaning of your words, right? And I didn't really take "every time" literally. I based what I said on the assumption that it was at least frequently, and that was enough for me. Also, congratulations on your unique little snowflake of a kid, who is different from 98% of other kids in the regard you mentioned. And as for the bolded part, WTF, man?! It doesn't matter if you expect a kid to say those things. They will surprise you with them from time to time, and even if they don't repeat things, my point is that they're always listening. And I don't even know what you meant by justifying it with "I say it all the time, it's ok". Do people do that? No, they more likely just blush, and escape the situation. I'm not sure why you brought that part up.

[cameroncrazie07]

Look, I'm not going to say that there wasn't a point of my life where I destroyed a vacuum cleaner because Randall Cunningham made a bonehead throw, or I cursed out a college roommate because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Ricky Williams alligator armed a ball, or was a total wreck for a week after Tommy Hutton botched a snap on the game-winning field goal on Monday Night Football vs. the Cowboys. I'm not going to slam a 19-year old for being like I was. But I can say now that once you get real things to get upset about and worry about, you learn to take only the good out of sports, and shrug off the bad. You (or at least I) look at it more as an escape, an excuse to go out or get together with people, and not much more.

Thanks man I understand, I just dont get why some people automatically assume that im immature on certain things...I'm 19 years old I dont have bigger things to deal with right now so just because i care alot about sports doesnt mean im immature. But anyway thanks for at least giving my crazy idea a shot and understanding what I was trying to say.

[BBTV]

The more you participate on these forums, the more you'll find that I am a very understanding and thoughtful man, and I always give ideas that are presented by others the full attention and respect that they deserve.