Why do we watch sports?

[GURUving]

When I was a young whippersnapper (?) I used to kick the football higher than anyone else. I used to be able to hit a receiver the split second he made his cut. I won 70% of the tennis tournaments I ever entered. I tried golf, and loved hitting that bucket of balls, but was crappy at the game. Little league baseball was a great experience!

Now I'm an old (not so old, I can still beat the crap out a you bud) and wonder what makes us continue to watch sports that we have no hope of even being below average compared to the players.

Why continue to watch athletes when we are but crippled versions of our former selves?

I do, but alternate between depression and interest.

[HEyHEY]

1. BEcause have you ever yelled at the TV during a Friends episode>?

Sports are Dramatic, give you civic pride, fun to talk about, exciting to watch...all the good stuf!

[VelmaD]

2. a variety of reasons

I watch for a lot of reasons. (And I'm a sports nut..I watch them all - everything from football to figure skating.)

1. I watch because human bodies in motion are beautiful.
2. I watch because the strategy involved is fascinating.
3. I watch because it reminds me of long afternoons in front of the TV with my daddy watching when I was little.
4. I watch to feel that sense of community with other fans.
5. I watch because of the drama and humor of live competition.

[GURUving]

3. I agree with every one of those

especially the drama of live competition.

Not knowing the result until the very end is like a good book that hasn't been written.

Really good reasons. Thanks for the list!

[Deja Q]

4. It's amazing how those 5 points can be applied to porn as well

1 and 2 are obvious.

3 it's more likely to make you long for doing it and it's not likely you'd be watching it with a parent when you were little...

4 except religion has made porn out to be evil. Takes one to know one also comes to mind.

5 speaks for itself! :D

[HEyHEY]

5. I always watch sports with my parents

Hockey with mom..Football/Baseball with Dad.

[mlawson]

6. I don't. For whatever reason, I do not CARE who wins. n/t

[qwaszx]

7. Nope, never, ever watch sports.

That's all I have to say about THAT topic.

[Swede]

8. I think it's a sense of community we feel

when we watch sports.It's "our" team,dammit "we" just lost.

[vi5]

9. "We"....or at least "I".....don't watch sports....

Honestly Spectator sports positively baffle me. I just don't see how someone can watch the same game played by the same rules over and over and over again.

I've heard the lectures from my sports fanatic family members about all the skill and all the excitement and I've been to more games than I care to remember in an attempt to "get it" but I just don't. Anything with a 50/50 outcome holds no excitement whatsoever for me.

[Fight_n_back]

10. Because we are repressed homosexuals

who need to watch muscular men grapple with each other.

[Character Assassin]

11. I am an avid amateur athlete, and love training and competing.

I love all sport in general, but I like to watch the ones that I either have no talent in or have never (and will never) play. I don't play football, but I love the NFL.

I would never really watch weight lifting, judo or crew, because I do those myself.

The one exception is surfing. I surf, and absolutely love surf videos, esp. big wave ones.

It's like watching a beautiful dance.

But better.

[ReadTomPaine]

12. Chomsky was on to something when he said most organized team sports...

... are training for nationalism and a planned distraction from real issues. This probably won’t be very popular considering all the sports threads in the lounge right now but consider that despite a critical election in California on Tuesday and Israeli air strikes deep inside Syria this weekend people still seem more interested about the Yankees and the Cubs today. Still though, we all need a form of escapism, it’s just smart to know when you’re being manipulated even if you enjoy the ride.