Making conversation with other American men

[Adama]

I have absolutely no interest in homegrown American sports, whether it is basketball, gridiron football or even baseball. Therefore I can't hold a conversation on these topics.

It seems to me though that one of the things men use to break the ice with one another is a silly conversation on the current events surrounding sports.

Many years ago, two separate businessmen told me that I should read the sports' section, only so I could make conversation with other men.

I never really gave a shit and never bothered.

But a couple of days ago I coworker who works in a different field who I never talked to before walks up to me and he tries to initiate a conversation. Unfortunately, there was no common ground there, because he wanted to talk about football.

Thoughts?

[well-informed]

Well as far as football is concerned. It's the #1 sport in America and it was locked out for over 4 months. Imagine your gf/wife doesn't put out for you for over 4 months and then you finally get it. It's been what everyone here in the US has been talking about lately

To get a little more general in what you're asking. Sports in America is a BIG thing and males take pride in watching it (including me). It combines athleticism, agrression and ultimately to get the win. Male sports is the one thing that feminism hasn't touched and frankly it never will. That's because no matter how much a feminist hates to admit it, males are simply better than women in sports. You'll never see a pro football team have a quota on how many women there should be, it would be a waste of roster spots.

So in summary, sports for american guys "little safe haven of masculinity" because it will never be compromised by women. Where do you think the term "man cave" came from. It came from the fact that men can design their own room dedicated to men and sports only. No wives or gfs allowed . Sports are very important to men here and it's a great conversational piece, because most of us relate one way or another to sports.

Hope i helped

[Adama]

Rush Limbaugh used to talk about that though. They have chick broadcasters interviewing the players. Sometimes even in the male lockerroom. Then there are the articles on football watchers battering their wives when their team loses.

[well-informed]

Yep chick broadcasters, are just there to look good and hopefully snag one of those millionaire athletes by any means possible. There's been female broadcasters who get their 15 minutes of fame by making up false accusations on the players.

As far as husbands beating up on their wives because their team lost, i've never heard of that. Domestic abuse is way too risky for men here

[odbo]

Sports in America is a BIG thing and males take pride in watching it (including me). It combines athleticism, agrression and ultimately to get the win. Male sports is the one thing that feminism hasn't touched and frankly it never will. That's because no matter how much a feminist hates to admit it, males are simply better than women in sports. You'll never see a pro football team have a quota on how many women there should be, it would be a waste of roster spots.

So in summary, sports for american guys "little safe haven of masculinity" because it will never be compromised by women. Where do you think the term "man cave" came from. It came from the fact that men can design their own room dedicated to men and sports only. No wives or gfs allowed .

I don't know what drugs you're on but the sports scene in America is a complete fag-fest. Baseball was a 70s thing, a very boring and homoerotic sport by the way. American football hasn't been watchable since the 80s and is also very homoerotic. The NBA peaked in the 90s. Right now the only thing I would even consider watching besides a rare mma fight is real football aka soccer because I actually play it but the European product has been going rapidly downhill since the 90s as well. Feminism hasn't touched sports? Even if that's true, the players have become very effeminated. To be considered "cool" you better get that chest hair waxed. There's nothing masculine about grown men sitting on their ass during the small amount of spare time they have to get drunk and watch other grown men playing with balls. These players, majority of whom are dumber than a box of rocks and very large in stature, do nothing but fall over left and right on the slightest contact to fake fouls and disgrace the game more than any woman ever could. Call me a conspiracy theorist but this is hardly accidental, they've steadily made these rough sports more and more contact-free. Because the viewers mimic their heros, and as all of us who were raised in the Anglosphere know, violence is the greatest sin.

The professional athletes of this wimpy generation are now also paid millions of dollars so they act like primmadonnas, setting very bad examples for viewers and mentally damaging them further with delusions of "making it big". It's like something out of Idiocracy, except truth is stranger than fiction. Well people are a bunch of idiots so I shouldn't be so surprised. Professional sports are simply the continuation of the Roman empire's "bread & circuses" strategy for keeping the worker bees in check by occupying their time with nonsense. In the last 2 decades they've been including more female commentators, female refs, etc to encroach on "the last safe haven of masculinity". They've been successful in getting more women interested in watching and playing sports. In the USA I wouldn't be surprised if more girls play youth sports than boys.







I recommend you immediately stop watching sports and tv in general. It is hard the first two weeks, after a few months the spell will be broken. You will feel better than ever, your brain power will double and you will wonder how you could have spent all that precious time in the passenger seat (watching other people play a game) and arguing with others about utterly irrelevent nonsense.

[odbo]

This is a parody but the guy signed a $100million contract. Come to think of it ice-hockey is the last major American sport that isn't homoerotic, but I prefer to actually play it.


Watch this corporate take-over by Red Bull

[Jackal]

To get a little more general in what you're asking. Sports in America is a BIG thing and males take pride in watching it (including me).

I could understand if someone took pride in playing a very physical sport, but how can you "take pride in watching it"? NFL football players lift weights, run, and train all the time and that is commendable, but guys who sit on their asses and eat potato chips while watching fit guys sweat don't do anything commendable: they are just practicing being conformist and submitting to the state and the corporations that run it.

So in summary, sports for american guys "little safe haven of masculinity" because it will never be compromised by women. Where do you think the term "man cave" came from. It came from the fact that men can design their own room dedicated to men and sports only. No wives or gfs allowed.

Perhaps sometimes this can be the case, but "male bonding" can also go too far and end up in the "gay zone"...

Sports are very important to men here and it's a great conversational piece, because most of us relate one way or another to sports.

True, it's a major part of American culture, and to guys like me who hate most American sports, it was just another major reason to leave the country.

[Think Different]

I agree that professional sports are a major scam, a waste of time and mental energy, as well as another big-brother tactic to keep the populace ignorant and preoccupied, while those in real power do as they please with the country.

Yes, I do enjoy sports, but not watching them. If I want something to do with a group sport, I've got to be the one sweating and working hard, not sitting in front of the boob-tube, watching someone else play.

Personally, I lean towards sports that increase my ability to be a better person, and not prove to other people I don't care about that I'm somehow better than them or "the best" at whatever. After all, who else gives a crap? However, improving yourself individually is a concept that is very Eastern in its origins, and extends to marathons, triathlons, martial arts, skiing, hiking, rock climbing, etc. Conquering your fears and limitations, without giving a crap what anyone else thinks about it, while staying in shape and doing well by your body. It's a holistic mind/body/spirit thing, in a nutshell. That's what sports are for me.

[well-informed]

@ Jackal - i like watching sports as well as playing them. I'm not a stereotypical couch-potato. I play basketball, baseball, football, soccer and more; i'm thinking of starting to play tennis too. I was on the high school baseball team. I don't know what you mean by gay zone at all, im pretty sure most male fans aren't gay or the athletes themselves. If they are gay they're in the minority.

@ Think Different- I respect your opinion, but here in the US for some reason all the sports you mentioned aren't even relevant.They barely appear on tv. I think the reason why that is it's because everyone is obsessed with muscles/height and how much that athlete makes. The wealthiest athletes are from the big 4 pro leagues (NHL,MLB, NBA and NFL). It's more of a western thing. So sports like marathons,skiing,hiking, rock climbing are somehow considered wimpy by american standards. But you live in Italy now, im sure many italians obsess over real football (soccer)

@ Linux- Well i've been cutting down my TV time over the past 2 years, since most of it is junk. I still can't seem to let go of watching sports, it's like a programmed addiction because i've been watching for over several years. Nonetheless i should make an effort to watch less, it's just in NYC that's all EVERYBODY talks about. Everyone goes to school/work, comes back home and watches sports, stupid shows, etc. Whenever i go to the Dominican Republic, i don't even watch TV forget about it. Since im a extrovert, i just go outside and chat with many people around me as well as family. I guess tv consumption greatly varies by country. US is probably among the highest when it comes to watching TV, since americans are anti-social and all

[Iawesome60]

I have absolutely no interest in homegrown American sports, whether it is basketball, gridiron football or even baseball. Therefore I can't hold a conversation on these topics.

It seems to me though that one of the things men use to break the ice with one another is a silly conversation on the current events surrounding sports.

Many years ago, two separate businessmen told me that I should read the sports' section, only so I could make conversation with other men.

I never really gave a shit and never bothered.

But a couple of days ago I coworker who works in a different field who I never talked to before walks up to me and he tries to initiate a conversation. Unfortunately, there was no common ground there, because he wanted to talk about football.

Thoughts?

Adama, there is nothing wrong with you not caring about sports. I love watching sports, but me and other sports fans shouldn't chastise someone for not watching them. We all have preferences (TV shows, music, food, and etcetera). For example, person A enjoys alternative music but doesn't listen to rap. Person B enjoys r&b music but doesn't listen to alternative. I'll listen to any kind of music though.

[MrPeabody]

I have always been in the same position. I never could motivate myself to learn something about the popular American sports so I could hold a conversation with men. I tried to learn golf because everyone in my profession played it, but found it to be boring as hell. In Europe, I had an excuse, I would just say Americans don't know anything about soccer. Although my interest in American spectator sports is non-existent, I am actually very athletic, work out every week, and I am in good shape. I also work out on the boxing bags every week in the gym and have learned something about Mexican boxing, so I can talk to the guys. Fortunately, my interest in meeting American men has dwindled to nothing, so I don't have to pretend to be interested in their topics, which bore me. At this point, if I wanted an American man friend, I would actually chose an American woman. They don't make good wives, but I think a few of them could make good "male" friends who are intellectually stimulating and don't have the American male self-destructive traits and negativity.

[ladislav]

It is difficult to make friends with American guys because of constant presence of gays in society and a cloud of suspicion over every man who is not a blue collar thug or acts like one. I am into arts and poetry and teaching and the guitar and intellectual conversation and that means that most guys think I am gay and reject me. And those who are intellectual are often gay and I do not like or accept homosexuality. So, I am screwed.
I felt good in French Canada though where I was able to meet straight men who were into literature, poetry and intellectualism.

[ErikHeaven]

Odbo you are right its been 3 weeks since i cut my cable off and i feel wonderful. I only have the internet on and i read more. I also feel more peaceful and quiet. I would recommend others to do the same thing too.

[adann]

I don't really like watching sports either. I prefer playing rather than watching. Never understood the fascination with watching.