What Sports?

glasgowtolondon

Any of you guys love watching or playing sports? I'm a bit of a Netball keen-o and play in a team 3 times a week, once for training and in two separate competitive leagues. Not sure if this is played in the US, its quite widely played in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. I've got my little 'professional' dress and everything, last week I had a hand injury that had to be taped because I'm just that bad ass (sarcasm).




Anyone else into anything sporty?

ShesSoCold

I'm a big football and hockey fan. I couldn't play any sport to save my ass.

ETA: While house hunting, we told our realtor that a basement or garage for a "man cave" was important to us. She was surprised to learn that it was more for me than for H. I was told a few weeks ago that I am a "waste" of a football-loving woman since my husband doesn't like football. Eyeroll.

hellohkb

Roller derby is fun to watch, as is competitive figure skating and dancing. That's where my knowledge and interest in sports ends

glasgowtolondon

ShesSoCold said:

I'm a big football and hockey fan. I couldn't play any sport to save my ass.

When you say hockey do you mean ice hockey? I went to an ice hockey game in nyc last year and loved it - fighting on ice? Oh yes please. I've been to a couple of different team sports in the US and I feel like you guys do sports crowds so much better than over here. Its so soccer centric here and its so male dominated that I don't really bother. You guys don't even have to segregate the fans!

ShesSoCold

glasgowtolondon said:

I'm a big football and hockey fan. I couldn't play any sport to save my ass.

When you say hockey do you mean ice hockey? I went to an ice hockey game in nyc last year and loved it - fighting on ice? Oh yes please. I've been to a couple of different team sports in the US and I feel like you guys do sports crowds so much better than over here. Its so soccer centric here and its so male dominated that I don't really bother. You guys don't even have to segregate the fans!

Yes ice hockey. Games are a blast - I try to go to at least one away football and hockey game every year and I love going to other cities. Most fans are pretty cool and we have blast.

madamerwin

I played field hockey in high school, which was super fun. That's the only team sport I have ever been involved in. But you count snowboarding as a sport, then I'm pretty sporty. H and I have passes to our local mountain, which is about an hour and 15 minutes from us. Next week we are going to his annual family "Board Meeting" a few hours away (snowBOARD, get it?)

I watch a lot of (American) Football, baseball, basketball, and occasionally hockey, when the Sharks play on channels I get.

What is this "netball"?

glasgowtolondon

Thats cool @madamerwin must be great to be so accessible to snow! I've snowboarded a couple of times and loved it but I wouldn't say I was good at it! FI is a pretty good skiier though, I hold him back.

I suppose the easiest way to describe netball is kind of like basketball, but no dribbling or moving with the ball, and no player has completely free on court movement, nets are higher and narrower. And we have pretty friggin sweet dresses!

julieanne912

We are HUGE ice hockey fans over here.  Have a game to go to tonight actually.  I wasn't a big fan until I met H though, mainly because I grew up in an area that didn't have ice rinks so it just wasn't around.  But now I'm obsessed.  

I also will watch football, especially during the playoffs.  Baseball is boring as all get out but I like to go to games when it's warm cause beer and hot dogs.  Not really a fan of basketball.  I've been to a few LaCrosse games and that was pretty fun.

I grew up playing soccer and I did track and field (throwing field events... shotput, discus, and javelin when they'd let us.  I liked discus the best).  But I don't really watch those anymore.  

littlemushroom

I hate to watch all sports. I just find it so boring. But I really enjoy playing sports. As a kid, I played soccer, fast pitch travel softball, basketball, and was on school teams for fast pitch softball and tennis.

As an adult (post college and grad school), I have been on teams for slow pitch softball (12" and 16"), broomball, flag football, dodgeball, volleyball and sand volleyball. Sadly, I am down to only sand volleyball because there aren't as many options where I live now.

glasgowtolondon

littlemushroom said:

I hate to watch all sports. I just find it so boring. But I really enjoy playing sports. As a kid, I played soccer, fast pitch travel softball, basketball, and was on school teams for fast pitch softball and tennis.

As an adult (post college and grad school), I have been on teams for slow pitch softball (12" and 16"), broomball, flag football, dodgeball, volleyball and sand volleyball. Sadly, I am down to only sand volleyball because there aren't as many options where I live now.

Yeah, I definitely prefer playing to watching but I do enjoy certain sports - the atmosphere really helps though. What is broomball?

thisismynickname2

Um yeah that x-ray made me outwardly cringe, thanks. 

I like watching sports in person but not on TV. I'll go to basketball and baseball games. Hockey is really expensive here so I don't end up going. I refuse to watch or go to football games. I can't even watch Sunday football on TV with DH because I'll bother him with questions about why the rules are so ridiculous. 

If I happen across gymnastics or figure skating on TV I'll watch that, and I really love watching anything in the Olympics. 

Other than that, I run. I like tuning in to the elites during Boston or New York marathon broadcasts.

Jells2dot0

I was a big ice hockey fan growing up. It somehow waned over the years, probably because the places I have lived weren't too into the sport. Now, there is no way in fuck I'd drive over to Dallas to see a game.

We're now really into college football. We go to several games a year, including a bowl game or two. I applied for season tickets and we'll see how that turns out.

As for playing, well, I am not exactly what you'd call athletic. I was on my high school's rowing team as a coxswain. I didn't do it in college, even though I was recruited, because I knew it would interfere with partying and sleeping. Now, when I'm healthy, I box. Heavy bags, not people (though some people deserve to get knocked out.)

littlemushroom

@glasgowtolondon Broomball is kind of like a variant on ice hockey. It is played on ice, but in regular shoes, not skates. Instead of a puck there is a ball, which is a little bigger than a softball. The sticks have a triangular head at the end, kind of like a broom, but smaller. There is a net with a goalie, and the idea is to score a goal by hitting the ball into the net with the broom. The game area is much smaller than for ice hockey too, at least in the leagues I played in. It was a ton of fun!

charlotte989875

Love that there are so many hockey and football fans here! I'm a huge Buffalo Bills fan, while H is a Steelers fan. Before we had the ticket we would go to bars and request two TVs and the bartenders would always ask H which two games he wanted. He'd always make a point of telling them one was for me.

I played tons of sports in high school, but haven't since then. I'm a CrossFit fanatic, but just had knee surgery so I'm sidelined for a bit.

cupcait927

I'm not athletic at all and didn't play any sports growing up, outside of community soccer when I was 8-10 years old. 

As far as watching sports - H has turned me into a die-hard Yankees fan, even more than he is. I love baseball, whether it's going to games, watching it on TV or even listening to it on the radio. I also follow Syracuse University men's basketball, but that's more because I went to school there than any love for basketball itself. 

Hockey is fun to watch live, but I could take it or leave it otherwise. I'm 100% NOT a football fan, but I do try to be supportive of H's team (Buffalo Bills - they need all the help that they can get). 

kvruns

I love sports! I can watch just about any sport on TV, even golf, though hockey isn't one I've ever gotten into.  Football and college basketball are my favorites and I watch tennis too when I remember it is on.

As a kid I played soccer, baseball, basketball, golf and tennis. Played basketball, golf and tennis in HS and tennis in college. Nowadays I will do some recreational sports with friends (dodgeball, kickball, softball) but that is about it, although I run a lot (when not injured) and do exercise classes. I've always felt like I can pick up any sport and be decent at it.

WinstonsGirl

Netball is unheard of over here, though we have 2 nets and the pinnies for our PE classes.  

I do cheerleading, and I used to do roller derby (that's how I met DH).  I'll watch almost anything.  The Olympics are my sports watching mecca.  

glasgowtolondon

I went to a football game once (jets vs browns), I have no idea if they are considered 'quality' but it was so slow, it took hours! I don't think I have the patience. Its starting to be a presence in the UK, the nfl have a deal that certain teams come to London a couple of times a year but its mega expensive.

@littlemushroom I'd for sure end up A over T if I tried to walk on ice, so I'd probably be too scared, sounds fun though!

@kvruns is kickball similar to soccer or no?

@thisismynickname yeah, sorry about that!

I love that there are so many different types played and supported, and I'm quite surprised to see some more unusual ones that I hadn't really heard of - love it!

kvruns

glasgowtolondon said:

I went to a football game once (jets vs browns), I have no idea if they are considered 'quality' but it was so slow, it took hours! I don't think I have the patience. Its starting to be a presence in the UK, the nfl have a deal that certain teams come to London a couple of times a year but its mega expensive.

My NFL team (Indianapolis Colts) are playing in London this next season for the first time. I think it would be really cool to go but I figure its crazy expensive, let alone travel costs.  I know they've talked about having a team based in London which just seems crazy to me

Kickball is like baseball/softball but instead of hitting a ball with a bat you kick a rubber ball with your foot. So sort of like using a really bouncy soccer ball on a baseball field to play. You run to the same bases, have the same number of outs, strikes/balls, etc. It is mostly a kids game here that you might play in Gym Class or at recess, although catholic schools around here have it as a competitive sport for younger kids to play against other schools.  Adult recreational leagues have picked it up as a fun way to play a relatively easy sport with friends and go drink afterwards.

emmaaa

Growing up I played softball, basketball and soccer. Now, the only sport I really play is golf. I only learned to play once DH and I started dating in high school because he loved it. There are days that I beat him now and he gets frustrated like no other!

As far as sports that i watch, I like golf, NFL, college football, MLB, college baseball, and college basketball. I like to watch sports much more than DH.

tigerlily6

littlemushroom said:

@glasgowtolondon Broomball is kind of like a variant on ice hockey. It is played on ice, but in regular shoes, not skates. Instead of a puck there is a ball, which is a little bigger than a softball. The sticks have a triangular head at the end, kind of like a broom, but smaller. There is a net with a goalie, and the idea is to score a goal by hitting the ball into the net with the broom. The game area is much smaller than for ice hockey too, at least in the leagues I played in. It was a ton of fun!

YES! @littlemushroom, so excited to find another broomball fan! Where did you go to college, if I may ask? I went to Miami University, where it was THE intramural sport (while THE varsity sport was ice hockey -- I haven't been to a game since I graduated, but I loved it so much and still watch on TV every once and a while). 

I also like skiing, when I am able to go (haven't had a chance this winter), and swimming. 

I also enjoy baseball. FI's family are big Cardinals fans, so we try to make it to a game with them every year. I grew up in Washington rooting the Mariners, and still do from afar, even though my rooting doesn't get much, haha. 

littlemushroom

@glasgowtolondon They treat the ice differently for Broomball so there is a bit more traction than you might think. I also was the goalie on our team, so I spent most of the game on my knees in front of the goal and didn't have to worry about falling anyway. They also make special shoes for it that have kind of like suction cups on the bottom for better traction on the ice, but only really hard core people had those.

@tigerlily6 I played Broomball while I was in law school at the University of Illinois (go Illini). That is where I first heard of it. I also played in an adult rec league when I lived in Chicago. It wasn't a huge thing around here, and I would say most people still haven't heard of it. I miss it though because it was a ton of fun.

ShesSoCold

kvruns said:

glasgowtolondon said:

I went to a football game once (jets vs browns), I have no idea if they are considered 'quality' but it was so slow, it took hours! I don't think I have the patience. Its starting to be a presence in the UK, the nfl have a deal that certain teams come to London a couple of times a year but its mega expensive.

My NFL team (Indianapolis Colts) are playing in London this next season for the first time. I think it would be really cool to go but I figure its crazy expensive, let alone travel costs.  I know they've talked about having a team based in London which just seems crazy to me

Kickball is like baseball/softball but instead of hitting a ball with a bat you kick a rubber ball with your foot. So sort of like using a really bouncy soccer ball on a baseball field to play. You run to the same bases, have the same number of outs, strikes/balls, etc. It is mostly a kids game here that you might play in Gym Class or at recess, although catholic schools around here have it as a competitive sport for younger kids to play against other schools.  Adult recreational leagues have picked it up as a fun way to play a relatively easy sport with friends and go drink afterwards.

I think a London team is a terrible idea. The travel time for the London team and their division opponents would be horrendous. I'm also opposed to having games in London because one team has to have a "home" game there, giving them one less actual home game. As a season ticket holder, that grinds my gears.

arrippa

I just heard of underwater hockey. This is a real thing.

glasgowtolondon

@ShesSoCold From what I can tell its always packed so it must make them a shit ton of money so I guess they'll be reluctant to stop. Must be all the US expats in the UK. Back in about 2006 (maybe even earlier, IDK) we had a Scottish team enter the nfl called the Scottish Claymores - lord only knows why! But I'm guessing it didn't go too well, they disappeared without a trace.

Jells2dot0

We talk about going over to London every year since it started for a game, but it never materializes. Since we go over every year for vacation, it makes sense to sync it up with something interesting, but nope. We're too lazy. LOL

kvruns

@shessocold I don't like the idea either. and I always think of how much $$ it must cost transporting the teams and their crews over there for those games.

then again I also don't understand the possibility of multiple teams moving to LA especially when you already have the Chargers in SD

charlotte989875

I hate the London game! The Bills had one this year and you could only stream it on yahoo. We buy the ticket so we can watch every game and could even watch it. Ridiculous. I know it makes money, but every fan I've ever talked to hates when their team has to do it.

madamerwin

charlotte989875 said:

I hate the London game! The Bills had one this year and you could only stream it on yahoo. We buy the ticket so we can watch every game and could even watch it. Ridiculous. I know it makes money, but every fan I've ever talked to hates when their team has to do it.

I hate London games because, as a West Coaster, they usually start at 6am. No way in hell I would get up that early to watch a game, even if my fantasy football lineup was filled with people playing in it. It just annoys me that they can't play the game at an hour more convenient for U.S. fans, while still being reasonable in London. Why not have a night game, London-time?

charlotte989875

Yes! Why not schedule it so it still plays at a regular time in the states?! Drives me crazy and I live on the east coast, and it's even worse for you west coasters. Not that I really mind having a drink at 9am...

glasgowtolondon

I feel like I should say this on behalf of London...