International I Hate Sports Club

I realize this may be slanted toward our American members, but I understand the Super Bowl is televised in many other countries too, sometimes to a fair amount of publicity.

I haven't yet selected an option because I'm not yet sure what I'm going to be doing during the Super Bowl. I didn't even know the Super Bowl was happening until I saw this thread, but I'm sure I'll hear people talking about it in the next couple days, as well as after it occurs. I sure as hell won't be going to a Super Bowl party or watching it on my own, but I may hang out with some friends, maybe see a movie or eat at some restaurant (but definitely not a sports restaurant!), or if I'm not hanging out with anyone that day, then I'll probably just stay at home and surf the web or do homework. So I'll probably vote on the poll the day of the Super Bowl when I know what I'm going to do.

I dated a guy a few years ago who was a huge Packers fan. Every time there was a Superbowl he'd invite all his obnoxious friends over to get drunk and watch. Needless to say it was awful for me. I would sit there amongst the screaming - bored out of my mind, being hit on by his drunk friends while he screamed at the tv. Classy.

Anyway, these days I've learned to date guys that rather wine and dine me, then try to get in my pants after they are wasted and turned on by Brett Farve's last touch down.

Sports suck!

Welcome to the forum, Nicole. May I say how nice it is to see a new member who ISN'T a spammer for once. Yeah, despite the fact that all these sports fans and players seem to be massively popular with the ladies, they really honestly don't have much regard for the feelings of their ladies, do they? Over the past year I've read scores of stories in the papers of top-league footballers in our countries cheating on their wives and girlfriends and most of them are getting away with it. People like Wayne Rooney really don't deserve the women they have! If you read my posts, you will see that my problem with the sports culture is with two main aspects of it: the immense amount of hype that is generated over it in the media, and the bullying that mandatory sports-based PE in schools causes, under which I had to suffer for many years. I'm glad that you were finally able to drop that obnoxious sports freak you mentioned in your post. Sad to say, but people like that just don't make good life-long partners if they're going to put their stupid televised games before caring for their women. Even I, as somewhat of a loser in love, understand this. Anyway, welcome to the forum. Hope to see you around.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

I'll most likely do whatever I usually do during a regular day. Completing weekend homework, reading some novels, surfing the web, playing some video games, and some other stuff. Just with the added chaotic elements of my father screaming at the TV... Though I'm quite glad he doesn't invite friends over.

Hi gang!

I haven't responded to my own poll yet as I also am unsure of what I'll be doing. Last year, my wife and I went to her sister and BIL's house for a Super Bowl Party, but I don't recall anyone paying that much attention to the actual game. It was more about eating (my SIL is always a great cook) and talking. Even my obnoxious BIL (who is the kind of guy who walks into a room and immediately switches the TV to a sporting event, usually at full volume, then yells profanity-laced tirades at whatever is happening on-screen) seemed more interested in the Super Bowl commercials that the game itself. Not sure what their plans are this year; we may end up doing that again.

Also, welcome to Nicole! It's seems like male sports nuts aren't as macho and attractive to the ladies as they let themselves believe, perhaps? I wish more men who are sports fans could see themselves through the eyes of others and realize what jackasses they make themselves out to be.

Myself, I've decided to "divorce" myself from televised sports in the last few months, because I realized how much time it was taking away from my marriage, my friends, and other interests in life. It's amazing how much better my relationship with my wife has been, and how much time and energy I have for other things. I realized sports-watching was a crutch for me, so I could feel "manly" (at least that's what I told myself) and to avoid dealing with real people and things in my life.

I live in PA so when I go out to dinner during the Super Bore game with the Steelers playing I KNOW the people around me are not sports fans, much better company.

One thing some of you might want to think about is this: I'm not sure about the Super Bowl itself, but I do now from talking to folks who have worked in/managed restaurants that the owners of these establishments have to pay a licensing fee to the National Football League to show the games live (it's a much higher fee than normal home cable/satellite subscribers would pay, since it's for a business and it's being viewed in a public place). The owners hope to make up for this cost and turn a profit through alcohol sales, since football fans seem to drink more than the average patron, and during a three- or four-hour game, a lot of drinks are purchased!

So...if you want to cut down on your favorite restaurant's incentive to show football, you could actually go *during* the game, order a meal but *no alcohol*. That way you're taking up space from potential football viewers (albeit as a paying customer, so nothing unethical there), and cutting into the profits they make from the games by passing on the alcoholic drinks, which the football fans would likely buy. (Of course, you'd have to endure a fair share of screaming, drunk bozos while you were eating, but if you feel in a protesting mood.... )

I'm not quite sure about the Super Bowl game itself, as the NFL trademarked the term "Super Bowl" and jealously guards it (which is why you see all those commercials advertising products related to "The Big Game" but never saying the name -- they're not licensed to use it for their business), so I don't know if licensing fees are higher to show the SB for bars/restaurants, and if some of them might opt not to show it because of this.

Just a thought....

This year's Super Bowl doesn't look like it'll be that interesting, but I'll probably watch it anyways because it's the Super Bowl.

Safety wrote:This year's Super Bowl doesn't look like it'll be that interesting, but I'll probably watch it anyways because it's the Super Bowl.

Actually, even from my days as a sports fan, I don't remember many Super Bowls that were very interesting. Not that it's surprising -- how could it possibly live up to the hype the sports media (and often even mainstream news media) give it?

That's one thing that's very telling to me about sports -- the championship game of supposedly the most popular sport in America has to be endlessly hyped for two weeks, then after all that, it's the *commercials* that most people admit to being the main reason they watch? If the game were so interesting and exciting, shouldn't it be able to stand on its own merit?

What other TV program do you know of that people mainly watch for the *commercials*? I mean, come on....

ChrisOH wrote:Actually, even from my days as a sports fan, I don't remember many Super Bowls that were very interesting. Not that it's surprising -- how could it possibly live up to the hype the sports media (and often even mainstream news media) give it?

Well, back in my days as a sports fan, they were mainly an excuse to get black-out drunk. The action in the third and fourth quarters really sped up as my brain slowed down.

Most years the Super Bowl proved an anticlimax. When you think about it, it's hardly surprising. During the year you have 16 games to choose from every week, including one featuring your own team. On Super Bowl Sunday, there's only one game, and if it's a blow-out you're completely out of luck. On average, it's unlikely your favourite team will even be involved.

Read a book, surf the net...stuff like that. That is most likely what I will be doing. Or maybe listen to music or watch a movie if I'm in the mood. Last year, when "my team" was in it, I wanted to go somewhere, but I live in a small town and the only place nearby that I could think of that would be open at that time was a restaurant...with a bar...with a TV...which was likely showing you-know-what. I could have gone somewhere less nearby, but I wasn't that comfortable driving at night unless it was somewhere familiar. Still not, actually.

Good evening Nicole and welcome to our anti-sports forum.

And a good evening to everybody else here.

During the Sunday Stupor Bore game, I'm going to see if I can either find a good science fiction movie on TV, or if there is some good educational programming on the National Geographic Channel, or the History Channel.

But if TV sucks, I'll just be sitting on my fat ass in front of my computer as usual, and downloading some more YouTube videos on science, either Astronomy, or more videos on evolution, or something, or some good music videos.

Anything but watching the Stupor Bore game!

ChrisOH wrote:...I understand the Super Bowl is televised in many other countries too, sometimes to a fair amount of publicity.

I never heard anything about it over here in the British media. I never heard anything about the Super Bowl until you started this thread, but I can remember it being around this time of year. It was around this time last year when the 4channers raided our forum. In fact, it was one year ago today when that "John" let loose with his flaming posts which were, of course, fake. Several references to the Super Bowl were made during their raids on this forum. I do believe they even started a thread about it on here.

Best regards,
i_like_1981

Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't been posting much - I recently was bombarded with work. Such is the life of the grad student. Although my friends are planning to spend their Sunday at a bar watch the Super Bowl, the guy I am seeing has suggested we go for dinner and a show instead. He seems like a keeper so far! Has anyone else made plans?