Sport you love and sports that confuse you

[kiwi_OT]

Whats your favorite sport and why

What sport dumbfounds you?
(not that you necessarily hate it, but just have trouble understanding the concept or rules)


For this thread I will omit saying rugby/All Blacks because as a New Zealander that is a given lol.

For me I thoroughly love lacrosse. I played it briefly in highschool and thought it was fantastic and would have played in a club (if one existed) if it werent for the fact our region hardly funds anything outside of rugby and netball.

Two sports I don't understand - Curling and American Football. Would you believe it I put a beloved American pastime in the same category as curling ("curling is so a sport!!" my Canadian fiance would yell).
Curling, whenever I see this sport at the winter Olympics I chuckle and gawfaw at how silly they look furiously sweeping ice while a tweedy guy concentrates hard before "throwing" a round concrete ball. Hehehehe.

American football. Do you spend the majority of the game kicking the ball with your feet? No? THEN STOP CALLING IT FOOTBALL!!
Secondly whats with all the stopping and starting and stopping and starting and stopping and starting?
Thirdly I don't understand yards. My brain works in metres.
Forthly why can players tackle anyone? Whats the point in tackling anyone other than the bloke with the ball?
One thing I do love about this game is the way you guys throw the ball overhead and it spins like a torpedo in the air (we can't do that in rugby).

 

[Meridoc]

Curling is an interesting sport, it has an amazing strategy level and the skill level required to spin it just right and call for sweeping in just the right amount is soo high.

 

[Protection_Retribution]

Paintball I can hurt people from a distance and pretend Im rambo for an afternoon.

Soccer... bunch of guys running around after a ball...


Curling isn't a real sport have you never listened to canadian idiot ! -_-

 

[NukePooch]

Sports that confound me...
Pretty much everything.

Sports I love....
Uhhhh...none?

I'm not competitive, so competitive events don't interest me. I have always wondered how people identify with a team, and even dislike/hate/despise other people based solely on a sports team that they don't play for. If you play football, then I can see you identifying with the team you play with, but I just don't understand the spectator aspect...

At my old church, I was asked if I 'wear blue-n-gold (Univ of Michigan) or green-n-white (Michigan State Univ)'. I looked down, and said, "I'm wearing black, actually."
As one of the few guys who don't watch football, baseball, basketball, or hockey, I always get this confused look from other people when I tell them...

 

[Majiem]

I love horseriding. a sport that confuse me: all paid sports actually. Though it must be awesome to get paid for
doing that what you love most.

o, well that's not a sport that confuse me, but how it's organised. I would say cricket. i just don't get it.

 

[Matthew]

American football. Do you spend the majority of the game kicking the ball with your feet? No? THEN STOP CALLING IT FOOTBALL!!
Secondly whats with all the stopping and starting and stopping and starting and stopping and starting?
Thirdly I don't understand yards. My brain works in metres.

I second this.

Much more appropriately named American Handball or American Throwball if you ask me, that way Americans can stop using the word Soccer to describe actual Football!

Never understood the whole stopping and starting thing, I tuned into the Superbowl and it seemed like they kept stopping the game so the pudnits could analyze the plays in real time, no flow or chance for any drama to build, really weird.
Sports I love, well I like Football/Soccer, the EPL at least.
I also like Cricket and Tennis, most tactical sports interest me over ones that match force with force and see who is stronger, those sports do have skill involved but it tends to play a smaller part which makes it less interesting to me.

 

[Majiem]

maybe chess is just the sport for you .

I like the tactical sports just as much as the onse where force meets force. The last one is, i suppose just a great way for man to have a
could old fight, without killing eachother...

 

[dustin]

paintball dirt bikes baseball football my little bros play soccer and teeball that funny seeing little kids running around do not mined if they lose or win

 

[kiwi_OT]

I second this.

Much more appropriately named American Handball or American Throwball if you ask me, that way Americans can stop using the word Soccer to describe actual Football!

Never understood the whole stopping and starting thing, I tuned into the Superbowl and it seemed like they kept stopping the game so the pudnits could analyze the plays in real time, no flow or chance for any drama to build, really weird.
Sports I love, well I like Football/Soccer, the EPL at least.
I also like Cricket and Tennis, most tactical sports interest me over ones that match force with force and see who is stronger, those sports do have skill involved but it tends to play a smaller part which makes it less interesting to me.

Theres another one! Cricket.. I have NEVER understood the point system. I don't hate cricket we're just in a misunderstood relationship lol.

 

[kiwi_OT]

Sports that confound me...
Pretty much everything.

Sports I love....
Uhhhh...none?

I'm not competitive, so competitive events don't interest me. I have always wondered how people identify with a team, and even dislike/hate/despise other people based solely on a sports team that they don't play for. If you play football, then I can see you identifying with the team you play with, but I just don't understand the spectator aspect...

At my old church, I was asked if I 'wear blue-n-gold (Univ of Michigan) or green-n-white (Michigan State Univ)'. I looked down, and said, "I'm wearing black, actually."
As one of the few guys who don't watch football, baseball, basketball, or hockey, I always get this confused look from other people when I tell them...

I agree with you in the fact that I think team loyalty gets overwhelmingly stupid these days, I think English and the Scots are the worst for this. I keep hearing reports of men in britian getting drunk then beating up their wives cos their team lost or even crazier people sending packaged bombs to the opposing teams coach.

But I think I have to agrreably disagree with your earlier statement. Im no great shanks at competitive sport either but there is such thing as a fun casual game with friends (unless you have a friend who takes competitiveness to an uncomfortable level). Its still got a bit of competitiveness to it but I believe the whole point of sports is bringing people together and releasing some good ol fashion pent up energy.

 

[Hommer]

Kiwi OT first off Football is NOT the American Past time Baseball is............

Which leads into my favorite sport Baseball...........I love the Philadelphia Phillies and hate and despise the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.... Played football growing up and four years in college so I love small town football on friday nights...dont care much for professional football.........some college......

Sport that most confuses me is cricket......

Nuked your comments were very interesting but for me sports was something as I kid that I really enjoyed and now as an adult it not only brings out the childish innocence in me but also brings back floods of memories........

 

[kiwi_OT]

Kiwi OT first off Football is NOT the American Past time Baseball is............

Which leads into my favorite sport Baseball...........I love the Philadelphia Phillies and hate and despise the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.... Played football growing up and four years in college so I love small town football on friday nights...dont care much for professional football.........some college......

Sport that most confuses me is cricket......

Nuked your comments were very interesting but for me sports was something as I kid that I really enjoyed and now as an adult it not only brings out the childish innocence in me but also brings back floods of memories........

I knew that Hommer, thats why I didnt say American Football was THE American pastime. I just assumed it was definitely in the top 3 along side being beaten by the Canadians in ice hockey hehehehe

 

[Matthew]

Theres another one! Cricket.. I have NEVER understood the point system. I don't hate cricket we're just in a misunderstood relationship lol.

Sport that most confuses me is cricket......

What's confusing about Cricket?
Most people who don't like it usually just say it's slow and boring.....which is to a point hard to argue with, but it ain't complicated.

Maybe it's like me with the American Football, it seems to make no sense because I've never made the effort to learn about it, so it isn't confusing in reality, just confusing to me, and I don't care enough to learn anymore about the game.

 

[Jullianna]

Favorite sports: Racquetball, volleyball, field hockey, gymnastics, SWIMMING (and pretty much any sport involving water) and BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My Reds and Cardinals. (hush Hommer and Stilly)

I know enough about football to play a friendly game, but it would be helpful to know more.

Jai alai is a sport that has always puzzled me...

I would rather play sports than watch them on TV. That can be kinda boring...

 

[NukePooch]

Nuked your comments were very interesting but for me sports was something as I kid that I really enjoyed and now as an adult it not only brings out the childish innocence in me but also brings back floods of memories........

Well, I know I'm a minority when it comes to sports.

 

[Liamson]

As an American Football person. I'll do my best to try and explain what the sport is and why its enjoyable.

The object of the game is for the team with possession of the ball to maintain position of the ball all the way down the field into the opposing team's End-Zone. Which makes a score of 6 points.

The alternative is to kick the ball through a set of uprights placed beyond the End-Zone for a score of 3 points.

Also, after every Touchdown (6pts) the scoring team is given the opportunity to choose between either kicking an extra point from the 2.5 for 1 additional point or to attempt to score again for an additional 2 points.

Every 10 yards from the initial placement of the football, there will be a marker that indicated down and distance. This means that from where the ball is placed a team will have 4 tries to get the ball ten yards, at which time they will be given another 10 yards or possession of the ball will TURN-OVER to the opposing team.

Moving the ball is accomplished through either running with the ball or Passing the football. A quarterback is typically the person who throws the football. A running back is the guy who runs with the Football and a Wide Receiver is typically the person who catches the football.

The game clock determines the length of play during a football game. At the end of 60 minutes whichever team has the highest score wins. The clock can be stopped with a timeout, an incomplete pass or the ball carrier going out of bounds (running off the sides of the field). The 60 minutes are divided into four quarters and the mid point of the game is called halftime.



I enjoy playing and watching football but, mostly playing. I like it because every play that occurs on the field requires 100% from ALLthe players on the field. Some for their speed and others for their strength. I like it because its explosive, physical, its a contact sport, and I can relate to it.

I also like Tennis and Volleyball.

Soccer tends to drag on with low scores. Every game, even in the world cup was mostly like 45 minutes of lateral passing and some jogging and 2 minutes of high intensity goal shot missing. I think every defender/attacker believes himself worthy of an acting career. I enjoy playing soccer, so long as I'm the goalie and I've brought a good book.

I went to a Mariners Oriels game. I fell asleep in the 5th and woke up in the 7th. In baseball at any one time there are rarely more than 3-5 players moving. SO, this may seem heretical but, its a strategy game more than a sport to me. I do occasionally watch the world series.

I don't know anything about Rugby or Lacrosse.

 

[kiwi_OT]

As an American Football person. I'll do my best to try and explain what the sport is and why its enjoyable.

Thankyou Liamson, that was very informative

I'll do my best to explain rugby (specifically rugby union), as theres different versions ie league, 7s..


Theres some similarities to american football I suppose but theyre few like
The point of the game is getting the ball onto the opposing sides zone which we call the 'try' zone.

Unlike A/football the person who scores a try has to touch the ground with the ball (with their hand on the ball) otherwise its not a try. A try is worth 5 points. If a try is awarded then the point winning team sends out their best kicker who then tried to kick the ball through incrediably high (with tiny width) posts in the shape of an H.This is called a conversion goal kick and is worth 2 points. Additional goals can be made by drop kicking the ball through the posts at any time during the play, or a penalty kick (both 3 points) when the opposing team has made a huge infringement on the rules.

In rugby union theres 15 players to each side and the game usually lasts for 80 mins unless theres over time.

The most basic law of rugby is that the ball is NEVER to be passed in front of you, so players have their basic attacking line where the ball is passed to the person next to them (or further along) with a slightly backward pass.

The purpose of the opposing team is to intercept the ball and score a try themselves. Its here that the person with the ball is the only one to be tackled. And you can't tackle above the shoulders. Interceptions are usually the most sought after moves and are very exciting to watch because it requires speed and incrediably good agility.

If the ball goes off side then the team who were last to touch the ball lose it to the other team, at this point 5 members of each team line up behind each other and a member from the team that won the ball has to throw the ball to them by which they all lift one of their players high enough to get it. The 5 opposing players are allowed to do exactly the same where their lifted person tries to snatch the ball from the other person being lifted. Whoever gets the ball usually tries to pass it along to a team member on the field before they get back on the ground and normal playing resumes.

The game only stops if someone scores or breaks a rule. If they break a rule, a scrum occurs(imagine a whole load of bulls fighting over a ball using their feet while bashing each other with their shoulders), or a penalty kick or a free kick.

Thats all I can think of right now..

 

[kiwi_OT]

Rugby commentators and referees generally dont tolerate a lot of stopping and starting. It usually involves refs yelling at captains or yellowing/red carding the players. Players who are known to break rules or pick fist fights develop a bad reputation and teams like the All Blacks don't pick players like that. Hence why we're the best rugby team in the world!

 

[Liamson]

Well, thank you very much for that bit of info.

 

[thimsrebma]

I don't like sports. I am not a competitive person. I feel like people get too serious over it. Im always thinking "Dude, its just a game."

I did take up power lifting about 2.5yrs ago. I actually love it. My trainer wanted me to compete but I am not a competitive person. I like to challenge myself but not other people. Its just not that important for me to be better than some one at something.