Guest post COW: Jon on loving “minor” sports (really!)
Posted on May 28th, 2009 – 2:28 PMBy Michael Rand
You love his Weekend Links. You throw rotten vegetables when we don’t post them soon enough. So now: bonus Jon, in the form of a Commenter Of the Week guest post!
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Those who read the Weekend Links or participate in the comments section know that I’m well-known for being a fan of just about every sport under the sun. Seldom does a reference to hockey pass without at least one snide comment in my direction; rarely is soccer, or any number of other sports, mentioned without a joking reference about my interest.
Really, though, here’s what I can’t understand: how are you people NOT interested in these sports? In my town growing up, you pretty much had to stick to football, basketball, baseball, and golf; there weren’t really any other offerings at school, unless you enjoyed running track or cross country, and I did not.
I was in college before I attended a hockey game, or played soccer, or held a cricket bat. This is one of the most common excuses I hear from people who don’t like what they consider “minor” sports; they say, “Oh, I never played hockey, so I don’t understand it,” or “I just don’t get soccer, and I guess that’s why I don’t like it.”
To me, that just makes me more interested. I’m captivated by sports that I don’t understand. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed learning hockey; what once was a whirl of color, two teams chasing a blurry puck, now makes sense to me. I’m excited when I happen upon, say, sevens rugby on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, precisely because I get to learn something new.
And this is why I’m confused by those of you who look down on “minor” sports with disdain. Are your lives so wild that you can’t bear the slight mystery of a sport you don’t get? How can these sports not fascinate you?
I love watching baseball, football, and basketball; I understand them innately. They’re comfortable, like a favorite pair of sweatpants. But the charge I get from watching something new, from another different way to savor that sporting exuberance … I can’t understand why all sports fans aren’t drawn to that.
23 Responses to "Guest post COW: Jon on loving “minor” sports (really!)"
That picture confused me, and so I did not read this post. How are the Twins doing?
Who didn’t play at least one year of soccer before the age of ten? The people you should be mad at are Mama & Papa John.
Rand - how is your RandBall image a reference to early 90s rap, as stated a few posts back? That’s my genre, but I’m failing to make the connection and its p1ssing me off.
by the way, minor sports are fun to play, but about as entertaining to watch as The View.
One more thought - Playoff Hockey may be the greatest thing ever.
I’m not the sports savant that Jon is, but I completely agree with his love for all sports shown on The Ocho. I’ve never played proper soc-cer but I often watch Premier League games. I’ve never played beach volleyball but I’ll watch NBC’s coverage for the love of the sport’s natural beauty (snarf). And if you’ve never checked out an Australian Rules Football game, well, it’s your loss.
robdog — that was just a bit of humor at my own expense, seeing as how one probably wouldn’t look at my sweater and weird collared shirt and think “90s rap.”
ah, clever sarcasm. I was ignoring your chosen wardrobe and focusing on the pose. true story about minor sports - i went to an australian rules football game about 6 years ago in Melbourne, drank a lot of VB beer, screamed when everyone else did, and was really happy when the team in red (randomly chosen) won. So it can be entertaining.
My name’s newbie and I like NASCAR!
I have also enjoyed curling during the Olympics and have tried to convince some friends who joined a club to include me.
Maybe that is why people don’t follow “minor” sports as much, it seems you have to “get” obscure references, and “be” part of a clique.*
Although, Jon does seem to do a good job of trying to include everyone.
*(Not sure I’m using quotes correctly today)
In case it’s not apparent, I only mock Jon’s love of niche sports, not the sports themselves. This is because I am a terrible human being.
Hmm, actually Rand, I thought you wished you were a little bit taller, wished you were a baller, wished you had a girl who looked good, you would call her. Wished you had a rabbit in a hat with a bat and 6-4 Impala.
Oh, and non-revenue sports are awesome. I love them. Especially if they appear on Dhani Tackles the Globe.
Remember the basketball game played with the trampolines? what was it called? Jamball? That was awesome.
Does anyone else wish there was a pro broomball league?
When Moxie and I were in New Zeleand last year on our honeymoon I found myself watching a ton of rugby, I have since become fascinated with the All Blacks.
I hate all exercise, and I never liked playing football. So I decided to try out for soccer one year to force me to “get in shape for hockey season”. I lasted one practice and the running was too much, so I tried out for goalie. The following is pulled from the 1988 Scott Highlands Middle School 7th Grade A Socccer Team Media Guide:
Clarence Swamptown #22 G
Games: 14
Shots: 127
Goals Allowed: 57
Save %: 55%
“Clarence was named starting goaltender due to lack of depth at the position. Showed an alarming lack of comprehension of the rules of soccer. Somehow acquired 98 penalty minutes during the season. Not expected to return next year.”
I don’t hate soccer. But I was not blessed with an infinite capacity for finding things interesting. I like beer, food, baseball, hockey, and the Vikings. Anything new will have to replace something on that list.
This post sadly reminds me of the people who react to you not liking their favorite band by saying, “yeah, that’s because you don’t GET them, man.”
Which is also the exact same thing I say to defend baseball, so maybe this is a universal thing.
I went to quite a few girls soc-cer games in high school, but my interest in the sport has diminished significantly since then.
Truth be told, I’m just plain lazy. I understand the major sports, so they’re easy to follow. I’d kinda like to learn what cricket is all about, but don’t have the energy….to…. *yawn*………..
“This post sadly reminds me of the people who react to you not liking their favorite band by saying, ‘yeah, that’s because you don’t GET them, man.’”
You have no idea how many times I’ve used that defense when promoting Sigur Ros.
People who don’t already like the same things I like tend to be wrong. I avoid them.
mixmasterb,
It was called Slamball, and it was awesome while it lasted. Just a cluster[redacted] of action going on, though.
This post sadly reminds me of the people who react to you not liking their favorite band by saying, “yeah, that’s because you don’t GET them, man.”
Just to clarify: Except for hockey and perhaps soccer, I don’t particularly understand most minor sports. I just really enjoy *trying* to understand them. And I don’t know why people won’t give some of them a chance.
I tried rugby on a whim in high school and ended up liking it more than football. Yeah, it will always be a niche sport in the U.S.; but you never know if a sport is something you might like until you try playing it or watching it.*
*That being said I still have no idea how (redacted) cricket works.
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