I Have a Sports Question
Hey there all you sports fans. I don't like to watch sports. I keep trying to tell myself, "sports are just like politics. You like to watch politics. People who like sports are just like that, only with big men instead of old men."
I'm not sure that's a good comparison though. People care about the outcome of football games. They genuinely want their teams to win, and feel bad if they don't, right? I know other people care about the outcome of political matches. Most people do, even, but I don't. So I really don't have a frame of reference for what it feels like to watch a game. That feeling of investment in strangers' performance, especially when it can't possibly affect you? Nope.
My question is, what do you look for when you sit down to watch (say) a football game? Are you just hoping that your team wins? I doubt that's all people hope for. That's why they replay exciting moments of the game later on, after it's over. But then, some of it is hoping that your team wins. In one way, this is more complicated than politics. If you're a Republican, you tend to hope that Republicans win, and not much else. If it's not close, or tense or exciting -- so much the better. So much the better if Republicans win by 40 points. It gives them a mandate, or something.
But what is the balance of sports' fans' priorities? When you watch soccer, would you rather see a boring game in which the score is 1-0 (your team), or a 9-8 (enemy team) loss? Assuming the high-scoring game has lots of interesting moments? As far as I can tell, all sucessful defensive plays are equally boring, but I could be wrong. I certainly know which one I'd rather watch, but what does that count for.
I'm not sure that's a good comparison though. People care about the outcome of football games. They genuinely want their teams to win, and feel bad if they don't, right? I know other people care about the outcome of political matches. Most people do, even, but I don't. So I really don't have a frame of reference for what it feels like to watch a game. That feeling of investment in strangers' performance, especially when it can't possibly affect you? Nope.
My question is, what do you look for when you sit down to watch (say) a football game? Are you just hoping that your team wins? I doubt that's all people hope for. That's why they replay exciting moments of the game later on, after it's over. But then, some of it is hoping that your team wins. In one way, this is more complicated than politics. If you're a Republican, you tend to hope that Republicans win, and not much else. If it's not close, or tense or exciting -- so much the better. So much the better if Republicans win by 40 points. It gives them a mandate, or something.
But what is the balance of sports' fans' priorities? When you watch soccer, would you rather see a boring game in which the score is 1-0 (your team), or a 9-8 (enemy team) loss? Assuming the high-scoring game has lots of interesting moments? As far as I can tell, all sucessful defensive plays are equally boring, but I could be wrong. I certainly know which one I'd rather watch, but what does that count for.
posted by apk01004 at 11:11 AM
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