Men who don't get sports

[Guest]

So . . . I am apparently proof that there is at least one heterosexual man out there who doesn't "get" sports.  I don't watch sports and I don't play them, despite being a rather large guy.  No interest whatsoever, either now or in the past.  This goes double for football.  I have no idea who played the last superbowl, the superbowl before that, or the superbowl before that.  I don't even watch the superbowl for the ads.  I have tried sitting through football games at various points in the past and found them hopelessly boring.

I find that, due to my decidedly unusual position, I occasionally have trouble relating to other men, particularly when they just assume I am some kind of expert on sports because I happen to be male.  I have to smile and nod while they talk for ten minutes about LeBron or whoever, while I have no idea what they are talking about.

So, I am curious.  Am I alone?  Am I some kind of freak?  If there are any other like-minded men out there, do you find it difficult to relate to other men because you do not have a working knowledge of sports?

 

[NightSG]

Not a big fan of watching most televised sports.  I do enjoy seeing some sports live or participating, though.

What I don't get, though, is the guys who say social dancing isn't manly, then go watch a bunch of guys on TV in shiny capris pat each other's butts for a few hours before they head off to shower together.  Feels much more manly to me to have a woman in my arms.

[LeSellers]

4 hours ago, DoctorLemon said:

Am I alone?  Am I some kind of freak?  If there are any other like-minded men out there, do you find it difficult to relate to other men because you do not have a working knowledge of sports?

Not alone, but we are a decided minority.

I simply can't figure out why anyone cares: nothing on the field or the court will change anything at all of significance in the world, nor in my (or anyone's) life (except the players who get paid more for one night's activity than most of us make in a lifetime).

Add to this the fact that, since Joe Namath in any case, the "role model" aspect is 99.9% negative, and contributes to the general destruction of society, and we have a serious problem with "sport".

Lehi

[NeedleinA]

@DoctorLemon I'm in the same boat, fear not Brother, you are not alone! My total sports viewing in the past year has been:
1x - BYU football game vs. National Team (with Members of the Ward)
1x - Super Bowl (with Members of the Ward)
1x - NCAA Basketball Championship (Watched to keep my wife company)

We do have a minor league baseball team in our city. We see them once or twice a year. Every time we leave early and say "why do we come, none of us like baseball?"

That was it, 3 TV games total!  I never watched sports growing up, so in like turn I have had zero desire now as an adult. I'm sure my kids will be the same. We always find something else more creative/meaningful/significant/interesting to do like: watch water boil or paint dry! 

Edited May 29, 2016 by NeedleinA

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

I'm a woman (just so no one is confused..LOL), but DoctorLemon your post reminded me of the movie Concussion, starring Will Smith.  The main character in that movie (a male) didn't get sports either.  And he discovered a link between serious brain damage (often misdiagnosed as Alzeheimers, or causing insanity, and suicide in NFL football players).  If you haven't seen it, you should check it out. 

[estradling75]

Add me to the list of those that don't 'get it' and don't care to....  I always figured it as due to me falling nearer the Nerd/Greek end of the male spectrum then the Jock end of it

 

 

[zil]

You can add my dad and brothers to the list.

[David13]

I am similar.  I do not believe, no, I know that watching tv is not sport.  It is couch potato.

However, bring over a football and I will throw and catch it with you til we are tired.  Or a baseball, or if you get a draw on an elk, I'm there with you.

dc

[Sunday21]

Am female, must not watch soccer! Heart flutters! Cute men running around in shorts! Not enough close ups in that game. Zero in on the cutest players!

[Guest MormonGator]

7 hours ago, estradling75 said:

Add me to the list of those that don't 'get it' and don't care to....  I always figured it as due to me falling nearer the Nerd/Greek end of the male spectrum then the Jock end of it

 

 

I'm a huge nerd/geek and I love sports. In fact, I see a lot of people (not here, in pop culture) looking down on sports fans as "idiots, couch potatoes, joe schmos, wanna be jocks". 

I get more comments about my masculinity because I'm not into cars, camping, handiwork around the house, etc. So ironically, I know what you men are talking about getting your masculinity questioned because you don't like sports. 

I can go to art galleries, expensive restaurants and dungeons and dragons games one day and Gators football games the next. 

Edited May 29, 2016 by MormonGator

[prisonchaplain]

I'm not a big sports fan, at all. The games I watch, is mainly so my children can make their own decisions.  Part of my problem is that, despite my size, I was never good at any of them.  Even golf, which I took up only in the last three years, is a game where I am still trying for a lower score than I get on the bowling alley. 

Having said all that, I do get why many many people like to watch them.  I do not begrudge them at all.  I might even join in watching--especially if the snacks are good.

[NightSG]

21 minutes ago, prisonchaplain said:

I'm not a big sports fan, at all.

Maybe you're not watching the right sports.  Some of our local Pentecostals treat these the way most people treat the Super Bowl, complete with annual pilgrimage to various ones.

[Guest MormonGator]

5 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

 Heart flutters! 

It's okay Sunday. I have that effect on women. Just takes a few minutes. 

:: throws hair back and flashes his gorgeous blue eyes :: 

 

[beefche]

My husband doesn't like sports. I love them. I make him watch the Superbowl (I bribe him with snacks) and the NCAA basketball championship. Otherwise, I let him live in his boring-without-sports world.

[Guest MormonGator]

3 minutes ago, beefche said:

My husband doesn't like sports. I love them. I make him watch the Superbowl (I bribe him with snacks) and the NCAA basketball championship. Otherwise, I let him live in his boring-without-sports world.

I can think of many, many women who envy you right now. 

[prisonchaplain]

4 hours ago, NightSG said:

Maybe you're not watching the right sports.  Some of our local Pentecostals treat these the way most people treat the Super Bowl, complete with annual pilgrimage to various ones.

 

MEH...Tastes like chicken!

[kapikui]

Count me in as a man who doesn't "get" sports. I can't stand most team spectator sports.  Car racing's ok, as long as I'm not required to stay awake, I saw some jousting a while ago that was pretty cool, I like shooting, but it's boring to watch.  Football is awful, I can't begin to fathom how or why it is popular.   The truth is that most sports wouldn't be so bad if one didn't have to deal with sports fans. 

[Windseeker]

I consider myself pretty athletic, my junior year of High School I beat out all the seniors and was first string wide receiver on a football team in a triple A school. I remember wanting number 99 on my jersey because it was the largest number you could get and hearing my peers comment about how it's so'n'so's number. I had no idea who they were talking about because the concept of watching sports for fun made no sense when you could play them. I had no idea who were the good or bad football teams or who the star players were. I just never got into it. 

So even though I've played team sports I don't really get the hype of watching them. I prefer solo sports like kite-boarding, surfing and really anything. I do watch gymnastics, snowboarding and downhill skiing and track when I get a chance during the Olympics but I hardly follow them. I also enjoy MMA but during the earlier years, now I think it's overproduced and too much emphasis on drama.

I know what it feels like to be on the outside when it comes to team sports. It got even more uncomfortable during the years I worked for the airlines, being a minority straight male flight attendant hanging out in the back while all the female and gay attendants having a lively conversation about this team or that team and then all of them looking at me expectantly for some testosterone fueled insight into the latest and getting nothing but crickets was awkward to say the least.

 

Edited May 30, 2016 by Windseeker

[Guest MormonGator]

55 minutes ago, Windseeker said:

 

I know what it feels like to be on the outside when it comes to team sports. It got even more uncomfortable during the years I worked for the airlines, being a minority straight male flight attendant hanging out in the back while all the female and gay attendants having a lively conversation about this team or that team and then all of them looking at me expectantly for some testosterone fueled insight into the latest and getting nothing but crickets was awkward to say the least.

 

I worked for an upscale womens clothing company in college. It was at their call center. I was one of the only heterosexual men who worked there and everyone who didn't work there assumed I was gay. 

I always thought "I'm surrounded by beautiful women and I'm one of about three guys here. The number of dates I've gotten from co-eds is in the triple digits. Others can call me gay anytime they want." 
 

[NeuroTypical]

I totally get sports!  What's not to get?

 

[JonnieZ]

I get, and enjoy baseball. I have learned to appreciate soccer, and dig the World Cup. But, I can be just as happy watching a game of chess on Chess TV or sitting in a music hall listening to a symphony. One of the happiest moments of my life was my twins telling me in 9th grade they hated softball and wanted to play the cello and viola. I almost cried tears of joy.

Truthfully, I think American football will fade away. Fewer parents will not want to risk their child's long-term and short term health.

Who knows, maybe Nerf basketball will make a comeback?

[SpiritDragon]

I'd have to say that I tend to relate well to the non-sport getters here. But I do actually enjoy sports - I've traditionally preferred to play then watch, but I do not mind watching now and again. My biggest thing is that I just don't care about any teams or players in professional sports as a general rule. I mean the last time I followed Hockey (as a Canadian this is telling) Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers. I'd find the whole thing more interesting if they actually relied on local talent to pit city against city rather than trading players from all over the world to any given team that has enough money get good players and to keep them around.

So while I wouldn't mind indulging in some sporting events, I just don't care who wins or loses which takes all of the fun out of it. This is why I typically now only care about the Olympics because I have a vested interest in seeing my statesmen do well. However even my Olympic enjoyment is waning - there are just too many other important things in life. I've been contemplating not paying any attention to Rio at all. But I'll likely watch a few soccer games and random events I've never heard of but will suddenly care about because my national team is in it. For me watching sports really comes down to having a vested interest in the outcome and since I really just don't 99% of the time it's not only not worth watching the games, but not even worth getting the score or hi-lights.

[Guest]

What's football? A-HEM!

No, I don't find it difficult to relate to other men.  I just smile and nod while they talk about it and enjoy watching people get excited about moving an object of various sizes to various locations and the crowd cheering when they do.

Physical competition has always been and will always be a part of human culture.  There's something primal about it that we can't really get rid of as a society.  It doesn't mean we need to obsess over it.  But some do.  And it's almost as much fun watching the obsessing as it is to watch the sport.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Guest

[Guest MormonGator]

10 hours ago, Carborendum said:

 And it's almost as much fun watching the obsessing as it is to watch the sport.

Last Sunday my family and I went out to a very nice restaurant in Sarasota. It was my Aunt, My Memere and wife number 1 (sorry @zil. Next time don't miss your flight).  The beautiful LadyGator does like baseball a great deal, but my aunt and Memere have absolutely zero interest in sports. The waiter found out I was a baseball fan and for about 5 minutes we traded stats, favorite players, everything. After he left my aunt turned to LadyGator and just said "Poor thing." 

[zil]

4 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

 (sorry @zil. Next time don't miss your flight). 

I tried not to, but @mirkwood pulled me over for speeding before I ever got out of the neighborhood! I'm pretty sure he set a new record for "longest traffic stop that didn't involve weapons"!