Men and Sports
I've been pondering a mystery that many women, at one time or another, have pondered:
What is it with men and sports?
Example: Last week I met a guy I'll call--since I don't use real names on this blog--"HB" (short for "Hot Businessman").
[Digression: most of my girlfriends and I give every guy we meet little names that we use instead of their real names: "The Irishman", "The Cop", "Soccer Guy". They only get their real names used if they reach boyfriend status. Is this a universal among women? Maybe this post should be called "Women and Nicknames."]
In any case, HB and I were chatting it up. After a few minutes we settled on college football as a mutually discussable topic. Not only did this work well, but as our opinions about the field differed (ah, there's always conversation to be had about what REALLY should constitute national championship status, as well as who's overrated, etc.) , there was opportunity for a) sparks to fly, and b) conversation to continue.
Why is sports (nearly) a universal among men? I know a lot of women who like sports "okay", and a few who are rabid fans, but even men who aren't big fans seem to have a grasp on a wide variety of sports, as if it were a natural gift.
Maybe it's part of male socialization--it's expected that you know sports, at least enough to converse with. They also seem to grasp sports in a different way--in a very statistical, technical way. My pre-adolescent brothers could give me breakdowns of games won or lost before they were born. I have a college football and a national baseball team that I follow, but even though I've been watching those sports for years, I still don't understand all the rules or penalties, and I know very few statistics (last time the Cubs won the World Series? 1908.).
I guess I watch sports for the human drama and for following my teams, whom I love (the Cubs tested me sorely this year, though). I like to watch the game of baseball no matter who is playing--I know many find it boring, but to me baseball is relaxing, graceful, intellectual, and strategic. It's the game of a long thinker. I've heard men wax eloquent about baseball in particular (think George Will) but not so much about other sports, so i'm still left wondering: what makes them love sports so much, and love them the way they do (as opposed to the way I do)?
It's like Churchill on the Soviet Union: "It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
What is it with men and sports?
Example: Last week I met a guy I'll call--since I don't use real names on this blog--"HB" (short for "Hot Businessman").
[Digression: most of my girlfriends and I give every guy we meet little names that we use instead of their real names: "The Irishman", "The Cop", "Soccer Guy". They only get their real names used if they reach boyfriend status. Is this a universal among women? Maybe this post should be called "Women and Nicknames."]
In any case, HB and I were chatting it up. After a few minutes we settled on college football as a mutually discussable topic. Not only did this work well, but as our opinions about the field differed (ah, there's always conversation to be had about what REALLY should constitute national championship status, as well as who's overrated, etc.) , there was opportunity for a) sparks to fly, and b) conversation to continue.
Why is sports (nearly) a universal among men? I know a lot of women who like sports "okay", and a few who are rabid fans, but even men who aren't big fans seem to have a grasp on a wide variety of sports, as if it were a natural gift.
Maybe it's part of male socialization--it's expected that you know sports, at least enough to converse with. They also seem to grasp sports in a different way--in a very statistical, technical way. My pre-adolescent brothers could give me breakdowns of games won or lost before they were born. I have a college football and a national baseball team that I follow, but even though I've been watching those sports for years, I still don't understand all the rules or penalties, and I know very few statistics (last time the Cubs won the World Series? 1908.).
I guess I watch sports for the human drama and for following my teams, whom I love (the Cubs tested me sorely this year, though). I like to watch the game of baseball no matter who is playing--I know many find it boring, but to me baseball is relaxing, graceful, intellectual, and strategic. It's the game of a long thinker. I've heard men wax eloquent about baseball in particular (think George Will) but not so much about other sports, so i'm still left wondering: what makes them love sports so much, and love them the way they do (as opposed to the way I do)?
It's like Churchill on the Soviet Union: "It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
posted by Violet at 11:59 AM
5 Comments:
Good thoughts, darlin'.
--ma
I like cricket, it's a very statistical game, but men I speak to will know that I know nothing. They can just tell...it's inbuilt with them, you're right! I have a friend (male) who likes sport to such an extent that he knows every football, rugby, athletics, golf satistic there is...he also follows baseball, fanatically. As he is English he records baseball games that are on obscure sports channels late at night, he visits the US quite regularly and when he went to New York his first stop was a baseball stadium (Mets???).
He is charming and intelligent and was the best man at our wedding where everyone thought he was a Hugh Grant type, yet this side of him RULES!!!!
My husband's cousin has planned the trip of a life time to India this Spring. He's really looking forward to it...but he's planned it so he won't miss a "Cobblers" game (Northampton Town Football Club). The Cobblers are bottom of some terribly obscure league at the moment.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!
Please note that my husband is watching football at the moment...I took up blogging during the World Cup.lol!
Testing. 1,2,3.
Cute picture!
P/S:
"He is charming and intelligent and was the best man at our wedding where everyone thought he was a Hugh Grant type"
AND he likes baseball? Is he married? LOL!
NO! lol! You could woo him with your knowledge of baseball statistics!
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