See? The World Cup brings people together.As the title of this entry implies, I have a bit of an issue with some sports fans. Namely, people who are proud that they're not watching a sporting event that billions of people across the world watch.
Now, I'm not a huge soccer fan. Outside of the World Cup, the only time I catch a game is when literally nothing else is on television. I like the peaceful noise in the background, assuming those blasted vuvuzela aren't involved, that a soccer game provides. Do I think it's the world's greatest television sport? Not especially.
However, I don't understand the knee-jerk, deeply rooted hate some people have for soccer and the World Cup. Yes, ESPN is running a lot of publicity for it. Summer just started folks, so if you're not into the World Cup, your other "summer storylines" are baseball, Lebron and Wimbledon. I don't think its fair to slam ESPN for covering the heck out of the World Cup, since it is the biggest event going and appeals to many casual sports fans in the same way the Olympics do.
On my way to work today, all the morning show guys on WEEI wanted to do was complain about soccer. Listen, I can understand that some people just don't like the game. As I previously said, I'm not the biggest soccer fan in the world. I don't understand the desire for others who allegedly hate the game to spend vital radio time making unfunny jokes about it. (Between this and the constant politics talk on Dennis and Callahan, I mostly listen to music in the mornings instead of WEEI.)
The thing I find oddest about this is that the hosts and callers seemed proud to really, really hate soccer. I dislike carrots and Sex and the City - It's not like I take a deep pride in ether. They're just facts. They also mentioned their extreme dislike of the metric system, which always seemed to me like a perfectly reasonable system, so maybe I'm just not enough of a xenophobe.
If you don't like soccer, stop spending hours lecturing your audience about why they shouldn't like it. Instead, talk about something you do enjoy - It's not like the Boston sports landscape lacks interesting topics to talk about, between the Celtics recently losing in the NBA finals and their uncertain roster situation, the Red Sox surging, and the Patriots' uncertain contract situations in Brady and Logan Mankins.
Or they could just be like me. "espn? sports? world cup? you mean quidditch world cup?"
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteI do wonder sometimes though - Does half the stuff going on in Boston just go over your head? Like, I remember being in New York City, and I just felt so disorientated because I don't know ANYTHING about it. I imagine living in Boston and not being at all into sports could cause similar feelings.
My friend always says that YouTube comment threads are the lowest form of communication in society. Sports Talk Radio could be second.
ReplyDeletehaha well Boston is smaller than new york - and cleaner - so it's much less overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, steve, there's other things in cities besides sports. ;)
I do know, most of the time, when there's a game of some sort going on because the fans take over the trains. So that also means I know to avoid the green line during red sox games and to just stay away from the fenway area. So no, I don't feel left out lol.
Matt, true - I had (thankfully) forgotten about YouTube comment threads. That's pretty much the most awful anonymous place on the Internet, given how big the population of YouTube is compared to, say, Something Awful.
ReplyDeleteDanielle, that's smart of you to avoid the trains. I dislike taking the trains in and I am a sports fan, but really, there isn't a better way to get to the games. Driving and parking costs mucho dinero.
When I'm not listening to music, I've been listening to Toucher and Rich on the 98.5 the Sports Hub. I don't think it's any great shakes, but they don't get into all the hate and outrage that Dennis and Callahan do, they do some funny bits like "Ask a Pink Hat", and you actually get to hear about sports.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, 98.5 doesn't come in for me in most of Rhode Island. I do flip it on sometimes when I'm near the border, and it's not bad.
ReplyDeleteI had a really pleasant rant (pleasant for ME!) about the World Cup the other day, sorry! Growing up in the UK as I did, you get hammered over the head with it ALL THE DAMN TIME so it's in my nature to rebel by slamming it as often as possible. But then I'm like that with most sports, except baseball which rules. You'll like me even more when you hear that my years in NYC made me a Yankees fan. Much as I loathe A-rod and certain other Yankee stalwarts, my heart is still in pinstripes.
ReplyDeleteI'm a horrible human being really, aren't I... :)
Hey VA, see, your rebellion is natural. Over here, soccer talk only pops up once per four years, and half of the commentators complain like a xenophobe about the game and how Americans will never like it.
ReplyDeleteBut a Yankees fan? SHAME! :( You should like a pluckier team, like the Blue Jays or Braves or something. (I would recommend a team with a British player for you, except I don't know if there are any UK players in the majors anymore.)
Well you know, it was kind of "you're in NY, you support an NY team" and the Mets are just shite, frankly. No one needs National League rules. Pitchers are pitchers, they're not meant to bat things. Now I spend my time between North Dakota and Manitoba so my closest professional team is the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who belong to some league no one has ever heard of. I went to a game recently actually and it was kick ass. I even bought a t-shirt. The home team lost about five million to one, hot dogs were dirt cheap and the most expensive seat in the park was sixteen bucks Canadian. I might get into this Martian league thing or whatever the hell it's called. Their payroll is probably about six bucks a year. They're like the anti-Yankees.
ReplyDeleteOn the downside, their uniforms are white with red socks. I don't normally celebrate that look. :)
Wow - North Dakota and Manitoba? You live in the fast lane :) Actually, Manitoba is home to a lot of pro wrestlers. (I'm not ashamed to admit I know that.)
ReplyDeleteI normally love cheap arenas and games and what not. I secretly wished I grew up in Montreal, so that I could have been an Expos fan. Their tickets cost $8, and because no one went, you could easily sneak up to the front row of the crowd.