Pro Sports, anyone else losing interest?

[bruceb58]

I am close to 56 and just got back from a 35 mile bike ride. Now going out to play 18 holes of golf and walk the course. If I sat on my butt every Saturday and Sunday and watched football all day, I would be having health issues like many of my friends that are my age that I know. Some have even had heart procedures...no thanks.

 

[bonz_d]

Good for you Bruce, wish I was in the same boat! I am now 60.5 and haven't been able to walk a course for almost 10 years because of PAD.

 

[generator12]

With all due respect to the prior posters, I still love sports, pro and amateur - particularly baseball and football.

I've been watching major league baseball since I was a kid in the 1950's. My rooting interests have changed over the years as I relocated a few times. But baseball - the game itself - is still one of the most beautiful sporting activities on earth, to my eyes. The play at the plate, the stolen base, the 6-4-3 double play, the suicide squeeze, a three and two count on the hitter with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, a runner coming in from second on a single to center, and on and on.... The game transcends the players. If the guys playing it know how to play, it's a thing of beauty.

The greed and the steroids and the labor/management issues come and go, but they're metaphors for all the things we see in life, everywhere - in government, in politics, in business; in all large organizations.

But in the end, there's still the game, with its symmetry, its balance and its beauty. To me it's timeless and one of the pleasures in my life. Football is similar for similar reasons, although the game is very different from baseball.

I don't do the fantasy stuff. It's irrelevant to me. But the game on the field is, to me a constant. I love this stuff.

 

[bonz_d]

Don't get me wrong, I still love sports too. Still love baseball, football, auto racing, boat racing, even golf. But I feel it's losing much of it's entertainment factor just because of the "big business" aspect. Long pregame shows where the commentators want to talk about everything and anything other than the game you are about to watch. The endless commercials between every play almost. Now NASCAR can even do a picture in picture so they can show commercials at the same time.

NFL now, Start the game with kick-off then a commercial, couple plays break, Score a TD = commercial, then replay then commercial then kick the point after then another commercial. Kick-off commercial. Then let's not forget the TV time outs.
How about they go to a pay-per-veiw? $3.00 a game I pick the ones I want to see, No commercials, no TV Time Outs. I'd bet they could get a game in in less than 2.5hrs.

Baseball, sorry but there are some games that are just boring while others keep you in your seat. Like the CUBS Phillies game that ended 23 to 22. That was a game to remember.

 

[bruceb58]

Buy a DVR and all your problems are solved.

 

[bonz_d]

Or youtube which I'm doing now while waiting for a repair tech.

 

[Bigprairie1]

I would have to agree with Bruce on this tv/sports 'watching thing' and how our days work around it.
Watching any TV through the day is generally a no-no around here. The ol' tube is not allowed on before 7:00pm at night.....so that limits a lot of stuff.
The only exceptions to this rule are when the World/International Junior Hockey series is on at Christmas...or the Olympics....and maybe a final sports series game such as the Stanley Cup, Grey Cup, Super Bowl or something along those lines...but those are kind of 'one off' events.
Being 53 years old I figure I should be out doing more and watching less, I suppose.....so I'm starting to get back into running and biking and maybe recreation hockey next spring.....I don't want to be a self-made heart attack candidate if I can help it.
All Good
BP

 

[bonz_d]

Can't say I feel the same way as you and Bruce as to "watching". I view "watching" as a form of entertainment, same as playing board games, fishing, or listening to good music. Though for me, during the week I watch some news, some History Channel, Nat'l Geographic channel and some Discovery. Maybe an hour or two before I go to bed in the middle of the afternoon. Helps put me to sleep. Saturdays I don't watch anything and Sundays I'll watch the local Football team again before I go off to bed.

As to recording games what's the point? The whole idea is to watch LIVE Sports. I don't record games even when they play night games when I'm sleeping and then working.

Living life to be heart healthy is great in many ways. I try to do the best I can but it still doesn't gaurantee anything. I was kayaking 3-4 times a week before I had my second to last near heart attach. And here is what 2 different cardioligests have told me after stress tests. "Everything looks great, still dosn't mean you won't walk out into the parking lot and drop dead."

But still none of this has anything to do with whether Pro Sports is getting boring.

 

[bruceb58]

As to recording games what's the point? The whole idea is to watch LIVE Sports. I don't record games even when they play night games when I'm sleeping and then working.

Why does it matter? You aren't watching it LIVE because you aren't there! I am yelling at my TV set even though I am watching 5 hours later!

Last night's Football game is a perfect example of what i do. I schedule it to record and I start watching it an hour later so that by the time it ends, I am almost completely caught up. No commercials, half time, replay delays...

To me pro sports are more exciting than ever. The athletes are so much better than they were years ago.

 

[bonz_d]

To me pro sports are more exciting than ever. The athletes are so much better than they were years ago.

With that I can agree. Thou I would say that back in the 60's when I started watching baseball on WGN there were some pretty super players. Guess the one thing I can say about baseball is that they don't change the rules every year.

 

[dingbat]

Can't say I feel the same way as you and Bruce as to "watching". I view "watching" as a form of entertainment, same as playing board games, fishing, or listening to good music.

Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience, or gives pleasure and delight.

I find no pleasure or delight in watching adults play games. Therefore, it doesn't hold my attention or interest. Perhaps if you look at what you "take" from watching, you'll have a better understanding as to why you're bored (loosing interest and attention.)

 

[bonz_d]

Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience, or gives pleasure and delight.

I find no pleasure or delight in watching adults play games. Therefore, it doesn't hold my attention or interest. Perhaps if you look at what you "take" from watching, you'll have a better understanding as to why you're bored (loosing interest and attention.)

Yeup! Just not taking the same pleasure from it. So I suppose the question then is why? Again, getting old? Changing values and interests? All the above? O ris it because the teams I watch/follow STINK and aren't worth my time and attention? Would that make me a "Fair Weather" fan?

 

[bonz_d]

Bruce, as to yelling at the TV, my wife continually reminds me, they can't hear you!

 

[Bigprairie1]

Living life to be heart healthy is great in many ways. I try to do the best I can but it still doesn't gaurantee anything. I was kayaking 3-4 times a week before I had my second to last near heart attach. And here is what 2 different cardioligests have told me after stress tests. "Everything looks great, still dosn't mean you won't walk out into the parking lot and drop dead."

But still none of this has anything to do with whether Pro Sports is getting boring.

this is always a really good point, and I agree.....'you never know when you might go'.
I just don't want to accelerate of facilitate the chances....lol

and yep, its a bit of sidebar to the original question.....interesting nonetheless.

 

[bonz_d]

and yep, its a bit of sidebar to the original question.....interesting nonetheless.

Yes it is interesting. I suppose watching or not watching is a lifestyle choice too.

To further the values and interests point after I found I have heart disease and PAD I've really started to look at everything in a different light. One of those is that I used to work alot and enjoyed making money. Now money doesn't seem as important. I also have been working late nights shifts for the past 10 years and now it really bothers me that I don't get to spend more time with my loved ones and really can't change jobs..

 

[RGrew176]

Buy a DVR and all your problems are solved.

That is pretty much what I do. Record the game then watch on the DVR fast forwarding through all the junk.