Introductions

Welcome, Mates! Post here for General Discussions on how thoroughly sports suck. In general.
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

Post by ChrisOH »

Hello Stardust! Thanks for the interesting comments! Your story parallels my own in many ways.
Stardust wrote:
It started as a few things about watching sports annoying me, the more I watched the more my dislike grew until I'm where I am now..I won't watch sports unless I'm forced to, which usually means if I'm at someone's house or at the laundrymat..
Same here...sometimes you can't get away from it very easily, such as when you're visiting someone who has sports on, or in a restaurant (even non-sports-themed restaurants seem to have a TV tuned to sports now, ever notice that?). At someone's house, I try to engage in non-sports conversation with someone, or at a restaurant, to sit turned away from the TV, if possible, so that I won't be tempted to distraction by what's on the screen.
I think my reasons for turning away from sports can be summed up as..

Announcers - I don't need some ex jock telling me what I just saw!! Hello, I sitting here watching what just happened! Towards the end of my sports watching days I would mute the sound and put some music on..
I've never been to a live professional football game, but have gone to high school games with my wife (she was in marching band in school and likes to go for the band reunions and performances at homecoming). It can be quite tedious to follow a game when you don't have the announcers "pumping it up" ("Ahhhh..what an incredible catch he just made down at the 20 yard line!") and the endless replays from every possible angle to fill the downtime between plays when they're huddling up, walking down the field, etc. I'm sure all that is intentional, to create the illusion that what's happening is much more exciting than it is.

Couple pet peeves here:

When they have to put the words "reverse angle" on the screen during a replay -- couldn't someone figure out by looking at it that they're seeing it from the opposite direction?

The inane interviews before and after games, and at halftime with coaches or players -- "So, what do you need to better in the second half, coach?" Um, maybe score more points than the other team? What insightful answer do they expect?
Hype - This one is probably self explanatory..But the hype over a big game like losing was the end of the world or something..Come on, wake up, it's only a stupid game..How long is the pre-game for the Super Bowl? Give me a break!!
Ah yes...here in Cleveland they still talk about Browns games they lost 25 years ago as though it happened yesterday, and that it ruined the lives of everyone involved or who saw it. Also, one of my big reasons for souring on sports in the past year was the whole LeBron James situation in basketball. When he announced he was leaving Cleveland, all the local stations broke into programming to report live on iit, and get "fan reaction." The next day, one station took up an entire hour newscast reporting on it, and taking calls from fans, etc. This was a regular newscast on a regular TV station, not ESPN or another sports-only channel. They acted like it was a war breaking out or a presidential assassination or something, the amount of coverage they gave to it! This was right at the time when the BP oil well was still spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, putting the environment and people's livelihoods in severe jeopardy -- and a basketball player changing teams warranted this kind of coverage?
Overpaid athletes - I really have no desire to watch a bunch of millionaires chasing each around like idiots..millionaires paid big money to play a game..
Yes, and a big reason they make so much money is because of TV deals and endorsements, so watching it just perpetuates that cycle. Also, merchandising is a big cash cow for the sports industry, so I've tried to make a point of not wearing sports apparel when I go out. (The clothing I still have with sports logos on it, I just wear around the house or use for yardwork, etc.) I actually kind of get some satisfaction when there's a "big game" and I go out and see people decked out in "their" team's gear, and I'm just wearing my normal clothes!
Boredom - and this is a big one..I came to realize that there are much more interesting things for me to watch on my tv than sports..and less time consuming too..I used to be one of those guys who would watch game after game after game on the weekends..I wouldn't even venture outside..What a waste!
Yes -- like you mentioned earlier, there's a whole world out there to enjoy and explore. Following four sports (or even one or two, for that matter) takes up a huge amount of time if you're going to be a "serious" fan. Just the sheer volume of it got to be too much for me, even aside from all the other factors we just covered! :|

Thanks again for your insights, Stardust...hope you'll keep them coming! :)
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

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Skul wrote: And let me just add to all ex-fans reading this now as we struggle out the shadow of our malefactors: Welcome back to the light!

Cookie for anyone who gets where that paraphrased sentence is from (distinct advantage if you're an avid gamer). I'm not sure what kind of cookie, but... yeah.

I give up, Skul...I don't know where the quote is from, but can I have a chocolate chip cookie if there's any left over? :wink:
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Re: Introductions

Post by abitagirl »

ChrisOH wrote:Ah yes...here in Cleveland they still talk about Browns games they lost 25 years ago as though it happened yesterday, and that it ruined the lives of everyone involved or who saw it. Also, one of my big reasons for souring on sports in the past year was the whole LeBron James situation in basketball. When he announced he was leaving Cleveland, all the local stations broke into programming to report live on iit, and get "fan reaction." The next day, one station took up an entire hour newscast reporting on it, and taking calls from fans, etc. This was a regular newscast on a regular TV station, not ESPN or another sports-only channel. They acted like it was a war breaking out or a presidential assassination or something, the amount of coverage they gave to it! This was right at the time when the BP oil well was still spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, putting the environment and people's livelihoods in severe jeopardy -- and a basketball player changing teams warranted this kind of coverage?

This didn't get the same type of coverage, I don't think, but not long ago the coach of the Saints announced he was moving to Dallas...not leaving the team, just moving to another city, and I kept hearing how upset and betrayed the fans felt. And he wasn't even leaving the team! Just imagine if he ever decided to do that. Yikes.

Hello Stardust! :D
Yes, it really is JUST A GAME.
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

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abitagirl wrote:
This didn't get the same type of coverage, I don't think, but not long ago the coach of the Saints announced he was moving to Dallas...not leaving the team, just moving to another city, and I kept hearing how upset and betrayed the fans felt. And he wasn't even leaving the team! Just imagine if he ever decided to do that. Yikes.
Hello Abitagirl!

It's frustrating to me that stuff like that even passes for "news" these days -- and a big reason I hardly ever watch TV news anymore. I remember being a child when Elvis Presley died, and I read years later about how one of the major networks (I think CBS) refused to lead with the Elvis story on the nightly news, as it was considered entertainment and not "hard news." How far we've fallen... :|

Ironically, the last time I watched TV news was when I was interviewed by the local NBC affiliate about the Book Club for Men. I'm just glad the local football coach didn't fired that day; then, the book club piece (as well as all other stories) would have probably been cut entirely! :roll:
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Re: Introductions

Post by Skul »

ChrisOH wrote:
Skul wrote: And let me just add to all ex-fans reading this now as we struggle out the shadow of our malefactors: Welcome back to the light!

Cookie for anyone who gets where that paraphrased sentence is from (distinct advantage if you're an avid gamer). I'm not sure what kind of cookie, but... yeah.

I give up, Skul...I don't know where the quote is from, but can I have a chocolate chip cookie if there's any left over? :wink:
I almost forgot about this. Anyway, the quote is paraphrased from Half-Life 2: Episode One, the first "Kleinercast".

View it here. (The line is at 5:52)
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Fat Man
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Re: Introductions

Post by Fat Man »

I would like to welcome our newest member pettejohns who incidentally happens to be a sports fan.

No, he is not exactly a rude sports bore or anything like that. He's polite enough, but he's rather dull and boring, spouting off the same tired ol' standard clichés about how sports is the best exercise there is for the body and fitness, and like sports is all that really matters, as if there is nothing else.

So, I have been having a little fun with him.

Hope to see his responses soon enough.
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All I want to hear from an ex-jock is "Will that be paper or plastic?" After that he can shut the fuck up!
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abitagirl
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Re: Introductions

Post by abitagirl »

Anybody else notice this new guy has a link in his sig line? Could he maybe be....A SPAMMER? :twisted:
Yes, it really is JUST A GAME.
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

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abitagirl wrote:Anybody else notice this new guy has a link in his sig line? Could he maybe be....A SPAMMER? :twisted:
I'm wondering the same thing myself, given his trite generalities and poor punctuation/grammar that seems common among spammers. :(

I guess we'll just have to see if he responds to any of us or not. :|
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i_like_1981
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Re: Introductions

Post by i_like_1981 »

I've seen this guy's posts and finally it seems like we have a spammer who is able to (sort of) integrate themselves into the discussions of this forum! This is a major development in the world of spammers. Give the little guys a year or so and soon we'll have regular members who are completely inconspicuous who will suddenly strike with their links right when we least expect it! Nonetheless, I advise that we just get rid of this guy. Anybody who puts a completely irrelevant link in their post is suspicious in my eyes.

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Re: Introductions

Post by Fat Man »

ChrisOH wrote:
abitagirl wrote:Anybody else notice this new guy has a link in his sig line? Could he maybe be....A SPAMMER? :twisted:
I'm wondering the same thing myself, given his trite generalities and poor punctuation/grammar that seems common among spammers. :(

I guess we'll just have to see if he responds to any of us or not. :|
Yeah! That is what is known as Spammer Grammar!!!
ImageI'm fat and sassy! I love to sing & dance & stomp my feet & really rock your world!

All I want to hear from an ex-jock is "Will that be paper or plastic?" After that he can shut the fuck up!
Heah comes da judge! Heah comes da judge! Order in da court 'cuz heah comes da judge!
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Stardust
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Re: Introductions

Post by Stardust »

Just thought I'd pop in and say hey to my like minded un sports friends..Things are getting pretty bad up here..Both the Bruins and Celtics are winning their playoff games and most everybody is going nuts..It's all the hype that I don't like..People at my work just won't shut up about it..Oh well, I'll survive..I always do..
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

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Stardust wrote:Just thought I'd pop in and say hey to my like minded un sports friends..Things are getting pretty bad up here..Both the Bruins and Celtics are winning their playoff games and most everybody is going nuts..It's all the hype that I don't like..People at my work just won't shut up about it..Oh well, I'll survive..I always do..
Hello Stardust!

Yes, I know the feeling -- here in Cleveland, apparently the Indians baseball team is winning this season (I've sort of imposed a blackout of sports for myself, but one can't seem to help seeing "teaser" headlines in the paper, local news websites, etc.) and all the people who just a few weeks ago were complaining how "terrible" they were are now on the bandwagon, and it seems like I see Indians caps, shirts, yard flags, etc., everywhere. So fickle, sports fans can be -- I'm sure they'll hate their beloved team once again after they lose a few games! :roll:

Hang in there and thanks for writing! :)
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Re: Introductions

Post by abitagirl »

Yes, you'll survive, but it won't be easy, I'm afraid. I am sure you are aware of that though. Take it from someone whose local team won the Super Bore a couple of years back, and with a "feel good" story attached no less. :roll: (In other words, you MUST root for said team and if you don't, you're evil and probably kick puppies for fun.) We're talking national hype here. No escape at all (except here, of course!). Even after things died down around here, I still had to hear about the awesome "miracle" for the next year. For a while I was embarrassingly grateful to Seahawks for knocking them out of the playoffs last season (although not enough to become a drooling fan, so don't kick me off the board. :P )

Fortunately the Hornets are out of the playoffs now...yaaay! Hopefully "your" teams will suffer the same fate soon, Stardust.
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Re: Introductions

Post by i_like_1981 »

Stardust wrote:Just thought I'd pop in and say hey to my like minded un sports friends..Things are getting pretty bad up here..Both the Bruins and Celtics are winning their playoff games and most everybody is going nuts..It's all the hype that I don't like..People at my work just won't shut up about it..Oh well, I'll survive..I always do..
Sorry to hear about the sports mania that is sweeping your area... it always gets worse when the teams are on a winning streak. I should know, because when England succeeded in beating Slovenia (a country with about one-fifteenth the population of the UK) 1-0 after a spate of disappointing draws in the World Cup last year, everyone was treating that as if it was some big deal, and then England soundly lost to Germany in the next match and that pretty much killed everyone's respect for the team. Just cling onto the hopes that your local teams will suffer humiliating defeats after a while and then you'll be able to watch these sports fans wander round like a herd of lost, abandoned sheep who have nothing to live for anymore (at least not until their next chance to win something). Sometimes you can't help but feel smug knowing you've not been dragged into all this.

Best regards,
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ChrisOH
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Re: Introductions

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abitagirl wrote:Yes, you'll survive, but it won't be easy, I'm afraid. I am sure you are aware of that though. Take it from someone whose local team won the Super Bore a couple of years back, and with a "feel good" story attached no less. :roll: (In other words, you MUST root for said team and if you don't, you're evil and probably kick puppies for fun.) We're talking national hype here. No escape at all (except here, of course!).
Hello Abitagirl!

I remember seeing an article in "The Onion" last year (I tried to find it again, but can't locate it in their archive ) satirizing how winning the Super Bowl solved all the problems New Orleans had after Katrina -- like sports teams winning games does anything practical for a city or its people!
Even after things died down around here, I still had to hear about the awesome "miracle" for the next year. For a while I was embarrassingly grateful to Seahawks for knocking them out of the playoffs last season (although not enough to become a drooling fan, so don't kick me off the board. :P )
The enemy of your enemy is your friend, perhaps? :P

As far as getting kicked off the board, just remember that Earl is a moderator, and that guy's as mean and tough and they come, so be careful -- he might act like a sissy Sunday school teacher, but word has it he can morph himself into Samdaman's little brother in an instant! :lol: :twisted:
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