Introductions

[monolith]

Hello.

Came across this forum via another forum and have been reading it for a while now.

I'm from England so I imagine the culture around sport is a bit different from America.

I personally have always been terrible at sports, however I do enjoy watching it.

I've noticed that a lot of people on here seem to have had a bad time through school due to not liking sports. As I've said, I do enjoy watching sport, however I never found that being rubbish at sports in any way hindered my academic pursuits and I was never bothered by the people who were good at sports at any of the schools that I've been to.

Anyway, there look to be some healthy (and some not so healthy) debates on here, so I've decided to sign up and join in with any discussions that I can add to.

[HugeFanOfBadReligion]

Welcome to the forum monolith!

[Earl]

Welcome to the forum, monolith. I'm always receptive to a civil exchange. I even respect heated disagreement as long as both sides are willing to listen to the other.

Participation in this forum has been low here the last several months, but perhaps that will change.

I'm not well-informed as to cultural differences between the U.S. and the U.K. regarding sports. I suspect there may even be differences between different communities in the same country. One of our formerly active members (an Englisman, by the way) attended school in London when he was a boy. He was physically bullied for not being good at sports. In one of his P.E. classes, he actually suffered a physical assault (having his nose broken with a cricket bat). This assault took place not during the game that was held in the class period, but occurred when the game had ended. I assume you didn't go to school in London. As I'm an American, I'm not familiar with British schools.

As far as any debate we would have, I think there needs to be some clarification as to what is meant by "hating" sports. I prefer to avoid being labeled as a "sports hater" because the label is nebulous and confusing. In other words, I would need to clarify my own positon.

Right now I have to reply to another member's PM, which will take some time. Then I'll have to take a brisk, nonstop, hour-long walk in the neighborhood (which is part of an exercise program of mine that includes bodybuilding). (By the way, surprise, I don't fit the sedentary stereotype.) Sorry. I'll get back to you later (probably tomorrow).

[Skul]

Welcome to the forum, monolith!

You probably don't get as much stick from your classmates because you have an interest in watching sports. You may be bad at them, like you said, but you enjoy watching them, giving you a rapport with your more sports-talented peers.

[recovering_fan]

I personally have always been terrible at sports, however I do enjoy watching it.

Fantastic.

A moderate.

You're most welcome here.

[recovering_fan]

You probably don't get as much stick from your classmates because you have an interest in watching sports. You may be bad at them, like you said, but you enjoy watching them, giving you a rapport with your more sports-talented peers.

Good point. That was most likely also the case for me in my school years.

[monolith]

Thank you for the warm welcome folks.

I will respond to you all but I'm just off to my girlfriend's parents house for the weekend so I won't be posting until Sunday.

Haven't forgotten about you all though and I will be posting more when I get back!

[roslindale]

Hello, nice to know other people aren't slavishly obsessed with sports.

I'm not an inherent sports hater. I actually played all four sports as a kid (emphasis: AS A KID). Even at 41, I keep in great shape through lifting and jogging and I value physical fitness above many things in life.

However, adult obsession with pro sports is aburd. I started to realize something was wrong with sports when my friends moved into their mid-20s and still got as riled up about "the game" as an eleven year old would.

Up here in Boston, as you can imagine, the obsession with pro sports is almost a fetish. It kills me that these franchises are making billions, YES BILLIONS, by selling overpriced tickets and merchandise. Middle-class families have been priced out of the Red Sox and Patriots, which leaves rich yuppies, i.e. grown men paying $350 to watch a game.

I could go on and on, but no one would listen.

[Skul]

Welcome to the forum, roslindale!

I could go on and on, but no one would listen.

We would. Please, continue.

[chrislind2]

As usual I posted first and came here second. I'm from Oregon and was raised by a father that was as fanatical for sports as it gets. And my mother hated sports. I tried to like sports, I really did, but I found too many reason not too.
I have two daughters and my oldest likes professional hockey because her husband does. My youngest as a passing interest in Oregon sports.
Sure nice to find this place.

[JimmyJohns]

Sup I come to challenge your views.

And if you refuse to hear me, it speaks volumes on your intellect.

[Earl]

Sup I come to challenge your views.

You're certainly welcome to do that. That's one of the reasons why this forum exists. If everyone agrees with one another, then boredom sets in. I'm wondering, is your challenge addressed to us as a group; or is it addressed to particular individuals? Since we don't all view the sports culture from the same perspective, you need to find out what views each of us have as individuals. We're not a collective. Those of us who support this website are capable of disagreeing even amongst ourselves. (By the way, I hate to sound ignorant; but what does "Sup" stand for?)

And if you refuse to hear me, it speaks volumes on your intellect.

Go right ahead. I'm not stopping you. As the sole currently active moderator of this forum, all I request is that you read the "Forum Rules" and abide by them, of course.

But really, in the scheme of things, what does all this matter? Does this website have any influence or power over anyone? Does it present any sort of a threat to the dominant sports establishment? No, of course not. No one forces sports fans to come here; so, I see no reason why any of them would waste their time (except to give us a hard time ).

So, in the context of my comments above, I do hereby declare that I won't refuse to hear you (except when I don't have time to post, as I do have a life away from the keyboard). I'm all ears.

[Fat Man]

Sup I come to challenge your views.

. . . . . We're not a collective. Those of us who support this website are capable of disagreeing even amongst ourselves. (By the way, I hate to sound ignorant; but what does "Sup" stand for?)

Well "sup" that's short for, what's up?

The word is supposed to be followed my a question mark.

Anyway, that's sort of like trashy street lingo. When someone asks "sup?" it just means . . . "what's up?"

Now that I've seen him use street lingo, it just confirms what a low-class shit-bag he really is!

And if you refuse to hear me, it speaks volumes on your intellect.

And being a slack-jawed loud mouth lout also speak volumes on your intellect, or lack, thereof!

How can we NOT hear you?

Empty vessels do make the loudest noise!

NOTE: I changed you user name to Sports Bore Pink because you may soon be given the rank of Sports Bore and I think you'll look pretty in pink!

Of course, only Skul has the authority to cause your user name to turn pink in the forum index.

And who knows!

You might even have bestowed upon you, the coveted Jersey Of Shame!



If so, then wear it with pride!

[JimmyJohns]

Sup I come to challenge your views.

. . . . . We're not a collective. Those of us who support this website are capable of disagreeing even amongst ourselves. (By the way, I hate to sound ignorant; but what does "Sup" stand for?)

Well "sup" that's short for, what's up?

The word is supposed to be followed my a question mark.

Anyway, that's sort of like trashy street lingo. When someone asks "sup?" it just means . . . "what's up?"

Now that I've seen him use street lingo, it just confirms what a low-class shit-bag he really is!

And if you refuse to hear me, it speaks volumes on your intellect.

And being a slack-jawed loud mouth lout also speak volumes on your intellect, or lack, thereof!

How can we NOT hear you?

Empty vessels do make the loudest noise!

NOTE: I changed you user name to Sports Bore Pink because you may soon be given the rank of Sports Bore and I think you'll look pretty in pink!

Of course, only Skul has the authority to cause your user name to turn pink in the forum index.

And who knows!

You might even have bestowed upon you, the coveted Jersey Of Shame!



If so, then wear it with pride!

When a man refuses to hear the words of another, and meets them with nothing but criticism and insults, that man has a closed mind, and refuses to educate himself.

[Earl]

When a man refuses to hear the words of another, and meets them with nothing but criticism and insults, that man has a closed mind, and refuses to educate himself.

That is true. But it is also true that when a man (or, for that matter, a boy in high school or junior high) in his very first post calls a complete stranger on the Internet a bad name -- specifically, (sic) "leach" -- stuff is likely to happen.