Sports

So I go to the ever popular "talk about anything" thread, and guess what I see? SPORTS.

Soccer
NBA
MLB
Pro Wrestling
NCAA
NFL
Cricket

Not only this proof that Smogon is 99.9% male, but also that pkmn nerds must love their sports.

I'm gonna on a limb and ask WHY. WHAT THE FUCK IS SO GREAT ABOUT SPORTS. I'm female and I just don't get it. Please explain the allure of men and balls and numbers and/or running around for hours on end. I'm not insulting sports, hey, whatever floats your boat, but I just... don't get it. :/
 
.1% female representation in your face. Really, though, there has to be more than one in a thousand of us.

But I'm proud to join in on the sports ranting when I feel like it.

To answer your question, sports give people something to do. Stuff to watch in groups, stuff to bet on, stuff to argue over like little children. And if you actually have the talent to play them, stuff to brag in the untalented people's faces about.

I could go on, but I'm lazy as hell right now.
 
What's so great about Video Games? What's so great about friends? What's so great about sappy chick flicks?

My point is that your question cannot be answered; if you don't understand it, no answer will miraculously enlighten you.

EDIT: Another one that's a better analogy: "What makes <band> so good?" Whatever answer you're given, you aren't going to understand. The question presented is pretty narrow.
 
Easy

Men were always simply more competitive beings by nature than women. I'd venture saying smogon specializing in competitive Pokémon is also a reason why we have such a huge gender disproportion.

:)

You also highlight that a sports subforum wouldn't be a bad idea.
 
because If you live in Canada hockey is in your blood. And going back to what Vince said, guys just have a competitive nature, another reason why Smogon is so popular lol
 
.1% female representation in your face. Really, though, there has to be more than one in a thousand of us.

But I'm proud to join in on the sports ranting when I feel like it.

To answer your question, sports give people something to do. Stuff to watch in groups, stuff to bet on, stuff to argue over like little children. And if you actually have the talent to play them, stuff to brag in the untalented people's faces about.

I could go on, but I'm lazy as hell right now.

Lol I was just kidding about the 99.9%, I know there are a lot more girls here than one would think. I've traded and battled enough of them to know that, but it's still mostly guys here.

And your reasoning is pretty good. "Because its there."

I don't really like sport either and I am a dude.

Proof that sterotypes never hold up for everyone (just like I don't like chick flick). Congrats on not liking sports and breaking the status quo!

What's so great about Video Games? What's so great about friends? What's so great about sappy chick flicks?

My point is that your question cannot be answered; if you don't understand it, no answer will miraculously enlighten you.

EDIT: Another one that's a better analogy: "What makes <band> so good?" Whatever answer you're given, you aren't going to understand. The question presented is pretty narrow.

Oh ya it is a bad question. More of a rant really, sorry. -_-" But I'm open to suggestion, even though I will probably never understand the full appeal of sports, I was wondering if you guys could give good reasons for it. Argue your point, and so on. Like I said, i don't have anything against sports. They just annoy me a little bit sometimes. And I hate sappy chick flicks.

Easy

Men were always simply more competitive beings by nature than women. I'd venture saying smogon specializing in competitive Pokémon is also a reason why we have such a huge gender disproportion.

:)

You also highlight that a sports subforum wouldn't be a bad idea.

Men being more competivie....hmmm... don't agree really.

Men are just competitive about different thing. Like contests of physical strength (sports). Woman are (in GENERAL) competitive about different subjects, like their looks, clothing, social status, ect. I think both males and females enjoy contests of cunning and intelligence, like pokemon or card games. Hard core Computer games are just sterotyped to be liked mostly by boys, girls can have fun kicking ass in video games too. Their are deep chemical/brain structure questions involved in this, but I don't think dudes are more competitive then females. They just engage in more overtly competitive activities.

because If you live in Canada hockey is in your blood. And going back to what Vince said, guys just have a competitive nature, another reason why Smogon is so popular lol

If you live in Japan is nintendo in your blood...? Which brings up the question of how upbringing affects our interests. Nature vs Nurture, anyone?

Agreed, but I'd worry that much of the activity in main cong would decline greatly as a result.
Well if half the users are on the sports threads anyway...

Well, there is like 242382948 members, so even though only like 1/6 post, its still a lot.
Your right, the reason females don't seem well represented in Smogon is that many of them are not heavily involved.


On one last note: Sports subforum? Why not? You guys have too much sportiness to hold in one board! :P
 
L

Men being more competivie....hmmm... don't agree really.

Men are just competitive about different thing. Like contests of physical strength (sports). Woman are (in GENERAL) competitive about different subjects, like their looks, clothing, social status, ect. I think both males and females enjoy contests of cunning and intelligence, like pokemon or card games. Hard core Computer games are just sterotyped to be liked mostly by boys, girls can have fun kicking ass in video games too. Their are deep chemical/brain structure questions involved in this, but I don't think dudes are more competitive then females. They just engage in more overtly competitive activities.

While I believe you bring up a valid point early, on competiting for social status. I disagree however with the second half.

I'm not saying women are never competitive, or that they aren't. Simply, they aren't as much as men. You've listed examples but you would be very hard pressed to find that women are not only a small percentile of each of those examples' active players.

Sure I've seen women play poker on tv, there seems to be one for every 10 men. Likely, she's even pushed in there for tv ratings.

Video games are stereotyped as being played mostly by boys because they are. I don't think there is a single exception to that rule. If there is, I'd like to know what video game is played most by girls. If there is one, can we at least agree it simply falls as a weird exception?

I repeat and sign that men are more competitive than women. A tendendy shown in the animal world as well.
 
I do swimming and soccer. I'm not really that into either of them. I like to watch sports too, but once again, I'm not totally into it. I hate baseball. :P
 
What's so great about Video Games? What's so great about friends? What's so great about sappy chick flicks?

My point is that your question cannot be answered; if you don't understand it, no answer will miraculously enlighten you.

EDIT: Another one that's a better analogy: "What makes <band> so good?" Whatever answer you're given, you aren't going to understand. The question presented is pretty narrow.

Uh...?! There are easy answers to ALL of those. Just to make a quick list
1a) Video games allow one to play out a different life, usually better than one's own, or at least as interesting, and entirely immerse oneself in it 1b) Video games allow one to 'fuck shit up' 1c) Video games allow one to experience dangerous situations (like racing) with no dire consequences 1d) Video games are often beautiful 1e) Video games reward effort (usually) 1f) Video games create an excuse to hang out with other people and be sociable

then to apply something like this to sports
2a) Sports allow one to assume a different role than normal if one is not talented in other areas in the same was as one is at sports 2b) Sports allow one to fuck other people up 2c) not really analagous 2d) The motion in sports often ends up being highly beautiful (especially in transparently beautiful sports, but something like Bo Jackson running down the field is fairly obviously beautiful as well) 2e) Sports reward effort 2f) Sports create an excuse to hang out with other people and be sociable

Then to your band analogy, which can easily be understood:
Maybe a person likes bands that take their emotions and raise them in swelling climaxes, maybe someone likes glamorous bands that dress up with makeup, maybe someone likes the technical aspects, maybe someone especially likes a specific aspect (vocals, guitar) and any bitchin' presence thereof, maybe someone likes something blase and catchy, maybe someone likes something long and drawn out. There are very obvious reasons, though whether one shares them with another is up to chance (or mental prowess - I certainly do not understand music at the highest level that I could merely by not having perfect pitch, but also from not really understanding the complicated ways in which songs are constructed, and this instructs the way I understand music). Some people are at an even simpler level than that, say not even being able to differentiate instruments if they are too quick, and they need something somewhat slow yet catchy. The way it gets confusing is that people may like something long and drawn out like Enya for different reasons - one person finds it soothing, another person merely has trouble with fast music, another likes the vocals (the last is wrong ;)), but they are still often very obvious.
 
Meh, if anything I'm glad it's like this, though this is largely due to the fact that the forum where I talk regularly doesn't really argue sports that much.

I love watching baseball and basketball, and I can't really explain why - just in the same way that I like playing Pokemon. It's a hobby, I like talking about my hobbies here (well, not about baseball, as I really do not want to talk about the Astros now.)
 
Professional Sports take on the form of a story. They play off the narrative arc quite well in both the micro and macro sense. You have each game with its own little beginning, complicating action (as the puck/ball and positions go forward/backwards) and climax (close games). Then you have the season as a whole. You have your one central character (team) that you follow as they go through their ups and downs throughout the season. Each injury and trade is a complicating action. Then as you wind into the last couple of months you have those crucial games which start deciding how your ending is going to play out. Is your team going to wipe out or will they just edge into a playoff position? Will they win the division title (Canucks), or finish off as losers after an amazing start to the story (lulz Flames)?

Of course none of that is shit compared to the Playoffs drama as you see two teams locked in a conflict over two weeks.

Personally I'm not a huge Sports guy, but I can see the appeal. The competitive nature and display of physical prowess is definitely a part of it too. But I think it's the narrative part of it that brings out all the discussion. Not to mention it's real and not scripted so it's hard to predict what will happen next. I think Pro Wrestling saw the narrative aspect of sports and took it a little too literally though ;)
 
So I go to the ever popular "talk about anything" thread, and guess what I see? SPORTS.

Soccer
NBA
MLB
Pro Wrestling
NCAA
NFL
Cricket

Not only this proof that Smogon is 99.9% male, but also that pkmn nerds must love their sports.

I'm gonna on a limb and ask WHY. WHAT THE FUCK IS SO GREAT ABOUT SPORTS. I'm female and I just don't get it. Please explain the allure of men and balls and numbers and/or running around for hours on end. I'm not insulting sports, hey, whatever floats your boat, but I just... don't get it. :/

This is like saying "What's so great about buying shoes" or "What's so great about reality TV shows" (Pretty much what girls are "stereotyped" to like). Psychologically speaking, it's just mental schemas. People have a certain mindset as to what boys and girls should be like. I guess, for guys, being able to watch other guys compete, put their all on the line to prove they are the best at what they do, is what gets the blood pumping. It makes us want to go learn our sport, too.

Also with sports, they are an extension of us. In baseball, a team can only spend as much money as they have. They receive money from the purchases of tickets and merchandise of the fans. As fans, we use time and money to watch a team of competitors represent what we indirectly put out.

Besides, sometimes it's good conversation. If two guys from Chicago are talking and one guy brings up the Cubs and the other guy doesn't know, they do like kinda dumb because they're a guy and they're just supposed to know!
 
I just realized that there's no mention of Smogon's unofficial official sport in the first post: Hockey.
 
So I go to the ever popular "talk about anything" thread, and guess what I see? SPORTS.

I'm gonna on a limb and ask WHY. WHAT THE FUCK IS SO GREAT ABOUT SPORTS. I'm female and I just don't get it. Please explain the allure of men and balls and numbers and/or running around for hours on end. I'm not insulting sports, hey, whatever floats your boat, but I just... don't get it. :/


I'm a woman too, and I adore sports. I had no time for them until my ex boyfriend made me watch the Rugby Six Nations with him last year; he's Welsh and incredibly patriotic so his enthusiasm was catching.
From there he explained his love for Swansea FC (football/soccer) and what really got me hooked was the fucking awesome abuse you're allowed to level at the other team.
For example;
'There's only one Dave Jones
Only one, Dave Jones
With a bag of sweets and a cheeky smile
David's a fucking paedophile"


^About the manager of the rival football team, Cardiff. After that I realised there might be some fun to be had from the game; got into watching it, realised that once you give a shit about the team you're watching or the outcome of the match it feels utterly awesome. I love it. Rugby Six Nations final (Ireland V Wales - I'm English but support Wales as a hangover from that relationship) was one of the most adrenaline-fulled 80mins of my life.
And it was a total, utter bummer when we lost.
 
The narrative part is definitely huge Firestorm. I think it drives, for instance, NCAA Basketball's tournament more than anything else. Unless one is a very dedicated fan who watches all season or a fan of one school, then all that is left is the stories (and some of the actual play). That is why everyone always roots for underdogs.
 
Back
Top