Do you care about the Super Bowl?

[Goku de la Boca]

28 minutes ago, Carnivore Chris said:

@Goku de la Boca Basketball, or baloncesto as they call it, is comfortably the second most popular team sport in Spain after football. It is also popular in countries like Lithuania and Greece.

Greek fans are crazy

 

 

Basketball is secondary almost everywhere. Here in Peru our second sport traditionally is volleyball but the young people try to get into the NBA in some way. It's the same almost everywhere in this continent, and I know in Europe it's similar barring a few countries like the UK.

The problem with basketball is that it doesn't have a sports culture in any of those countries. People love it, but it doesn't have the same traditions as football/baseball does in said countries. Regardless, the fact the 3 best players in the NBA are now European (Jokic, Doncic and Giannis) should say something about how the sport has grown.

[Goku de la Boca]

14 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Whilst people are quick to moan about the time between plays in NFL, it’s an average of 25/30 seconds. What you need to remember is that every NFL is a set piece. In football, are we going to start moaning about the time it takes to get the game going again from set piece situations such as corners and free kicks whilst the clock is ticking? I just too a look at a random section of United vs Leicester from Sunday……

The ball goes out at 4:04 for a corner. Luke Shaw takes the corner kick at 4:41. 

De Gea makes a save at 7:48. The corner is taken at 8:32.

Dalot deflects for a corner at 9:45. Corner taken at 10:33.

Thats over 37 seconds, 44 seconds and 48 seconds between playing the ball again. 
 

In a game of set pieces, the average transition between plays is 30 seconds in the NFL. It’s is what it is (obvious exceptions are timeouts/challenges etc). The whole game is to trick your opponent and out think them in a matter of seconds per play. 

 

This is a very strong point, but having adverts within the game is very distracting and off putting to me. Even if nothing is happening I'd really rather see what's happening on the pitch. 

I feel even football (soccer) doesn't have this. Rugby does though in that you can hear the referee speak.

[Goku de la Boca]

3 hours ago, Spike said:

American football and basketball were invented in Canada. Hockey is an amalgamation of lacrosse which is Native American, and European stick and ball sports.

Basketball was invented in the USA, but by a Canadian. And I'm glad someone understands the history of Hockey, it's exactly as you say it is.

[Stan]

16 hours ago, Goku de la Boca said:

USA isn't the whole world. Of course Americans will care about the NFL, I was being tongue in cheek anyways. However, whenever someone from elsewhere tries to express interest they always tell me "I'm into the trailers or Rihanna is in it" etc. It's a generalization sure but I just can't understand how anyone can have such bad taste to watch a sport that's stop start before a Wendy's commercial.

Sorry if you disagree and feel the need to defend the NFL but you aren't going to convert me.

Firstly, no need to apologise for how you feel about a particular sport. I can't stand some sports and have my own opinion on them. I'm not sorry for it.

Secondly, I don't think anyone is trying to convert you. It's just a discussion point. You don't like the game or its rules or the technicalities of it. Fair enough. Other people do and will defend it because they may have a passion for it. It's not an attempt to convert you.

The point about the half-time show/bad sport I replied to with 'bad take', was more to do with thinking that just because there's half-time entertainment which brings in millions of pounds into the sport and promotes worldwide coverage of it doesn't equate to it being a bad sport. They're not mutually exclusive. There's been half-time shows I've hated or not been a fan of; doesn't mean my enjoyment or opinion of the sport is any less  

[Goku de la Boca]

Just now, Stan said:

Firstly, no need to apologise for how you feel about a particular sport. I can't stand some sports and have my own opinion on them. I'm not sorry for it.

Secondly, I don't think anyone is trying to convert you. It's just a discussion point. You don't like the game or its rules or the technicalities of it. Fair enough. Other people do and will defend it because they may have a passion for it. It's not an attempt to convert you.

The point about the half-time show/bad sport I replied to with 'bad take', was more to do with thinking that just because there's half-time entertainment which brings in millions of pounds into the sport and promotes worldwide coverage of it doesn't equate to it being a bad sport. They're not mutually exclusive. There's been half-time shows I've hated or not been a fan of; doesn't mean my enjoyment or opinion of the sport is any less  

My comment was just a dig at the NFL and tongue in cheek. I wasn't completely joking as I do have strong feelings against this sport but the tone of it was me clearly having a tongue in cheek dig.

And for me the Super Bowl half time show is clearly a ratings trap. I really do not mind half time shows as long as they stick to the proper time limit. In the Super Bowl this isn't the case and it just feels so artificial to me.

[Eco]

4 minutes ago, Goku de la Boca said:

My comment was just a dig at the NFL and tongue in cheek. I wasn't completely joking as I do have strong feelings against this sport but the tone of it was me clearly having a tongue in cheek dig.

And for me the Super Bowl half time show is clearly a ratings trap. I really do not mind half time shows as long as they stick to the proper time limit. In the Super Bowl this isn't the case and it just feels so artificial to me.

Maybe I missed this, but why do you have such strong feelings against the NFL?

Just don't watch if you don't enjoy it.

[Goku de la Boca]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

Maybe I missed this, but why do you have such strong feelings against the NFL?

Just don't watch if you don't enjoy it.

I don't watch it, and to me it's just a shitty fabricated sport. I understand the popularity within the USA, but when people from other countries hop on the bandwagon it just screams "mainstream nation" to me. Maybe "strong feelings" was the wrong word to use but the point is I just don't understand how people can have such bad taste. Just my opinion.

[Eco]

36 minutes ago, Goku de la Boca said:

I don't watch it, and to me it's just a shitty fabricated sport. I understand the popularity within the USA, but when people from other countries hop on the bandwagon it just screams "mainstream nation" to me. Maybe "strong feelings" was the wrong word to use but the point is I just don't understand how people can have such bad taste. Just my opinion.

Again, if you don't like it, then don't watch.

But why bash or judge others for watching something that brings them joy?

How in the world is this considered 'fabricated'?

I find that viewpoint odd, as I know I have a few friends who are from Minnesota, and thus are massive Vikings fans, and I have told them before about @DeadLinesman and they thought it was great that their team had fans from Europe.

Football/Soccer, is the most popular sport in the world, and there are fans all across the world that support teams from a different country, and if that doesn't bother you, I'm not sure why NFL fans from Europe would bother you.

[Goku de la Boca]

2 minutes ago, Eco said:

Again, if you don't like it, then don't watch.

But why bash or judge others for watching something that brings them joy?

How in the world is this considered 'fabricated'?

I find that viewpoint odd, as I know I have a few friends who are from Minnesota, and thus are massive Vikings fans, and I have told them before about @DeadLinesman and they thought it was great that their team had fans from Europe.

Football/Soccer, is the most popular sport in the world, and there are fans all across the world that support teams from a different country, and if that doesn't bother you, I'm not sure why NFL fans from Europe would bother you.

I wouldn't say I'm bashing or judging anyone for it. Saying someone has bad taste is soft and quite natural, but for me it isn't exactly "bashing" anyone.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Goku de la Boca said:

I wouldn't say I'm bashing or judging anyone for it. Saying someone has bad taste is soft and quite natural, but for me it isn't exactly "bashing" anyone.

My point still stands though, if it bothers you so, why even bother wasting your time caring about what others do/watch?

[Goku de la Boca]

Just now, Eco said:

My point still stands though, if it bothers you so, why even bother wasting your time caring about what others do/watch?

Because I enjoy having a go at the NFL for it's stereotypes, it's not that I care what others watch or not, it's more that I think there are a lot of bandwagon countries thanks to how mainstream the event is in a mainstream country. People can watch what they want, the worst I can say is they have bad taste really. That doesn't mean I think less of someone who does enjoy it. It just seems a bit weird.

[Eco]

9 minutes ago, Goku de la Boca said:

Because I enjoy having a go at the NFL for it's stereotypes, it's not that I care what others watch or not, it's more that I think there are a lot of bandwagon countries thanks to how mainstream the event is in a mainstream country. People can watch what they want, the worst I can say is they have bad taste really. That doesn't mean I think less of someone who does enjoy it. It just seems a bit weird.

ha - Fair enough. Just curious as to what you were trying to get at.

Certainly if you spend any time in this country, you find football (American) is part of the culture. Most of the country is die hard NFL fans, whereas the area I live in (Southeast) is much more into college football (American). Regardless of which you watch, it is past of the culture here.

I probably watch...10 or so NFL games a year, but I haven't missed and Alabama (college) game in maybe 2 decades +.

[Stan]

If having bad taste in being a UK-based fan liking the NFL is wrong, I don't want to be right!

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

If having bad taste in being a UK-based fan liking the NFL is wrong, I don't want to be right!

You don't follow a team though correct? Just the sport in general?

[Stan]

29 minutes ago, Eco said:

You don't follow a team though correct? Just the sport in general?

Used to be general, but I've taken a big liking to Seahawks over past 5/6 years. 

But I'll watch a game or two when NFL comes to London and have done so since about 2017. Love watching Redzone each Sunday and even the missus is loving it. She came to Jags vs Broncos in October and loved it. 

[Eco]

8 minutes ago, Stan said:

Used to be general, but I've taken a big liking to Seahawks over past 5/6 years. 

But I'll watch a game or two when NFL comes to London and have done so since about 2017. Love watching Redzone each Sunday and even the missus is loving it. She came to Jags vs Broncos in October and loved it. 

You couldn't pick an NFL much further away from you than Seattle. haha

That's great that you two can enjoy it together.

So, Fantasy Football is MASSIVE here, do you all play it overseas?

[Spike]

@Stan

@Eco
All that @Goku de la Boca is saying is that he doesn’t get why people watch the Super Bowl when they aren’t interested in American football and the sport isn’t relevant to their culture. I don’t think he is critiquing foreigners being interested in the sport.

[Spike]

5 hours ago, Eco said:

I'd agree with that for sure.

I enjoy both, but I know when I'm out shooting hoops with other Dad's it's not often you get a lot of people that watch the NBA all that much (if at all), whereas I watch it somewhat regularly.

For one of the major leagues of the USA, I don’t encounter many enthusiasts of NBA. Maybe it’s coincidence but I could count on one hand the amount of diehards I know.  That’s also true for hockey and football, I feel like baseball and American football are far beyond the popularity of the other major leagues. 
 

Maybe the NBA simply has the most casual viewership 

[Stan]

2 minutes ago, Spike said:

@Stan

@Eco
All that @Goku de la Boca is saying is that he doesn’t get why people watch the Super Bowl when they aren’t interested in American football and the sport isn’t relevant to their culture. I don’t think he is critiquing foreigners being interested in the sport.

He's basically said there are bandwagon countries who follow the sport have bad taste. I'd take that as a critique, no? I take that as an implication that foreigners only become interested because of the half time entertainment at a Superbowl event, even though that's not the case, and is stereotypical by his own admission. 

[Spike]

3 minutes ago, Stan said:

He's basically said there are bandwagon countries who follow the sport have bad taste. I'd take that as a critique, no? I take that as an implication that foreigners only become interested because of the half time entertainment at a Superbowl event, even though that's not the case, and is stereotypical by his own admission. 

There is no such thing as bad taste.

[Stan]

16 minutes ago, Spike said:

There is no such thing as bad taste.

I agree? 

[Eco]

57 minutes ago, Spike said:

@Stan

@Eco
All that @Goku de la Boca is saying is that he doesn’t get why people watch the Super Bowl when they aren’t interested in American football and the sport isn’t relevant to their culture. I don’t think he is critiquing foreigners being interested in the sport.

Maybe so, I just read it as his critiquing non-americans for supporting an NFL team, which I was just trying to discuss with him. 

53 minutes ago, Spike said:

For one of the major leagues of the USA, I don’t encounter many enthusiasts of NBA. Maybe it’s coincidence but I could count on one hand the amount of diehards I know.  That’s also true for hockey and football, I feel like baseball and American football are far beyond the popularity of the other major leagues. 
 

Maybe the NBA simply has the most casual viewership 

Really? I'm shocked as I know you lived (but I think moved) from Chicago, which is a massive NBA and NHL city.

I would be surprised if the NBA wasn't the second most profitable and popular sport in the US (behind the NFL). I'd rather have ST's for the Atlanta Hawks over the Atlanta Falcons, and have even considered getting them except I'm further out away from the arena.

I bet Chicago during MJ's era was insane...same with the Hawks when they were winning their 3 Stanley Cups.

To your point though, NHL is decent a niche sport that isn't incredibly popular in the US. They struggle for viewership and I can't think of a city/state where they have multiple Professional Teams and the NHL was more popular than the NFL/NBA team in the same city.

Just going off of what I think are the most popular NHL teams...

Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets > Rangers
Bears and Cubs > Hawks
Lakers > Kings
Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots > Bruins
Eagles, 76ers > Flyers

The ONLY team I think might be close, are the Red Wings, as when I was in Detroit last, I saw a lot more Red Wings gears than I did the Tigers or Lions.

But I do think their are cities where the NBA is larger than the NFL

Lakers > Chargers (although this isn't totally fair since the Chargers are new)
Suns > Cardinals
Hawks > Falcons
Heat > Dolphins

Again, these are just assumptions, but I'm positive on the Hawks and the Suns, as I've been in both cities often and they are so much larger than their NFL team it seems.

[Panflute]

I do generally enjoy the unapologetic, over-the-top aspect of American (sporting) culture, as it's so contrary to Dutch culture. I'm too detached from both the Superbowl and the sport as a whole to truly care about it, but I might catch the highlights if they are shown on tv.

In terms of American sports, I only really care about the NBA, but even then my head's still stuck in the Jordan era and I don't really follow what is going on right now.

[Eco]

6 minutes ago, Panflute said:

I do generally enjoy the unapologetic, over-the-top aspect of American (sporting) culture, as it's so contrary to Dutch culture. I'm too detached from both the Superbowl and the sport as a whole to truly care about it, but I might catch the highlights if they are shown on tv.

In terms of American sports, I only really care about the NBA, but even then my head's still stuck in the Jordan era and I don't really follow what is going on right now.

I wasn't aware you watching the NBA. Do you follow any team (I'll assume the Bulls)?

Jordan's era was fantastic. I loved him and Charles Barkley so much, but this era is so talented, although I do hate the fact that getting 100 points isn't as 'special' as it used to be.

[Dr. Gonzo]

9 minutes ago, Eco said:

Lakers > Chargers (although this isn't totally fair since the Chargers are new)

In my experience, most LA football fans are Raiders fans and Rams fans. I think the Raiders are bigger. I have no idea why  does LA have a history of Oakland transplants? They're not even in Oakland... or California even anymore. Barely anyone likes the Chargers there... and they're pretty hated in San Diego now. Orange County still loves them though.

But the Lakers & the Dodgers are easily the 2 most popular LA teams, by a long, long, long distance.