I will never understand sports
Can someone explain to me how someone can hate (”hate”?) people for wearing different coloured outfits. Rivalry I can understand but reading this from SuicideFan makes me realise how little about sport I really get
As a Red Sox fan, I hate the Yankees. As a Ravens fan, I hate the Steelers. As a Maryland basketball fan, I hate Duke and as an Alabama Football fan, I hate Auburn. Rivalries like this keep sports alive and competitive but they can also ruin Christmas.
Clares parents hate anything to do with Manchester United. Seems like they don’t have any specific grievance or root cause, they just hate them. I presume it is a “severe dislike” rather than actual “hate”, right?
But … Why?
It seems that sports fans continue to hate on teams even when they are losing so it’s not about hating winners. People are transferred in or out of the team but people seem divided on whether you are supposed to continue hating the individual players or not (eg. David Beckham gets hated on even when he isn’t playing for Manchester United but this is suspended when he plays for England apart from when he does something stupid …).
In other arenas I can understand strongly disliking the competition, for example politics and religion cause heated debates because there is a whole differing mindset and often hundreds of years of history. In sports there is no difference of belief, ideology or mindset, no differences at all other than geography of team (sometimes only a few miles, often the fans live hundreds of miles away) and the colour of this seasons kit.
The hardest thing for me is I try to understand and appreciate sports but even this basic and fundamental aspect leaves me clueless. I love to watch the big events (ie. those where I can decide who to root for) such as the World Cup, Superbowl, etc. We keep trying to go to a hockey game when we visit Canada and will watch the flames or canucks when I catch them on TV. I cheer when my side wins and boo when they lose. But while I enjoy these events I have to keep my opinions to myself, how am I meant to have a conversation about sport when I have so little empathy with the real fans?
Someone please explain to me, why all the hate? And if you hate the opposing side, does this mean you love your own team …?
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December 29th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
The opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference. Does that mean the in-laws almost-love Man U?
December 29th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
I think if I suggested to them that they “almost love man u” they would give me a good slapping ;O)
December 30th, 2006 at 9:18 pm
But, they’d do it because they love you… :-)
January 3rd, 2007 at 8:39 pm
My Dad played for Man City - I therefore hate Man U … does that help? :)
I am an Oakland (NOT an LA) Raider fan. John Madden lived in the house behind me, and I played football in school, and in my backyard, with Michael (John and Virginia’s oldest son). I am also a 49ers fan because of Jim Plunkett (old days). And, I hate the Steelers, Denver, and the Patriots … does that help?
DUDE!!! It’s just life!!! When you wanted your team to get to the playoffs, or not get relegated in the tables, and a team does that to you more than once, well, you hate them.
Here, matbe this will help - “America’s Team”. Do you know where and when that tag originated and to whom it applies? I HATED THAT SO MUCH … ’cause they were NOT my team, dammit!!! :)
“No matter where you go, there you are.”
(take care, and do not walk into a face slapping - that’s not not cricket!)
January 4th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Hate for a rival is bred into a person - whether through genetic material or environment. Thanks for the link, Chris. :)
January 5th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
I don´t think it´s about sports only… I believe there´s lots of hate in other aspects of life
although you seem to find it logical (like religion), and there is no reason for that to happen either. I do not see my self any different to any Jew or Muslim.
The problem is that it is always a good deal 4 a few to have people hate each other, if there was no hate in religion, there will be no excuse to invade a country, right??
Bottom line is that hate is not about sports… actually in some “less popular” sports there´s no hate at all among fans! it´s just that hate is a very good way to win tons of millions now a days… unluckily, not all of us realize that!!
Chris, you should really give sports another chance! not everyone is just hopping for their rival to die and suffer!!
Cheers!
January 5th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Yeah I think I need to point out that I don’t “hate” anyone but I don’ think “sports hate” is real hate either usually, just a strong desire to win (or at least see someone else lose). I will give sport another chance even though I am unlikely to ever truly understand it!