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Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: Dissy on 24 Sep 2008, 17:39

Title: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dissy on 24 Sep 2008, 17:39
(http://blogs.suburbanchicagonews.com/sportsbeacon/Obama%20baseball.jpg)

He's a fucking White Sox fan.

If there ever was a reason to hate that man, this is the number one reason.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 24 Sep 2008, 18:18
There's only one way to respond to this.

(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb132/Xx_Wild_Fire_xX/Motivational%20Pics/frustration.jpg)
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: De_El on 24 Sep 2008, 18:22
Is there wide-spread animosity toward the White Sox? I'm not that huge on baseball, but I am aware of some of the more obvious beefs, like the White Sox v. the Cubs, the uh...BoSox v. the Yankees...the Yankees v. fucking everybody hates the Yankees.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 24 Sep 2008, 18:25
Look at that throw.

Elitist.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 24 Sep 2008, 18:27
No, only the drones of suburbanites living in fake-Chicago dislike the Sox.*

@Johnny
That made me laugh



*no offense to all you silly cubs fans.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Slick on 24 Sep 2008, 18:39
I love how you are at 666 right now.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 24 Sep 2008, 19:16
You remember how I've always been saying professional sports are retarded.

woop woop
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 24 Sep 2008, 19:26
When your dog is sexier than you it is time to kill yourself.

I still can't get on gabbly
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 24 Sep 2008, 20:06
You remember how I've always been saying professional sports are retarded.

woop woop

I've got nothing against pro-athletes. Getting paid to play a game is a good gig. I wish I could pull a scam like that.

I've got nothing against people who enjoy watching pro athletes. Watching someone who is really good at something can be fun sometimes. I get that.

But the way some people get caught up in it, and let it dominate their lives, I just don't get it.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 24 Sep 2008, 20:14
My history teacher likes to compare sports fans to radical Nationalists.  I think that about sums it up.


I'd much rather play sports than watch them on TV, that's for damn sure.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: ruyi on 24 Sep 2008, 20:30
Well, talking about how much you hate sports can also be fun and a socially useful thing to go on about sometimes. As we've seen on this forum.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jimmy the Squid on 24 Sep 2008, 20:33
Tommy, are you suggesting that because I can't have a conversation about Ryan Giggs'* "sweet left foot", his "jiggery-pokery", his "hocus-pocus", his "abracadabra-I-wanna-reach-out-and-grab-ya" without resorting to The Fast Show references that people won't want to hang out with me? Because I think you probably have something there and it infuriates me.


*Ryan Giggs is the only sports person that springs to mind.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 24 Sep 2008, 20:50
There's nothing wrong with talking about them, and I agree; it's useful to know something relatively current in that area, but I think the amount of obsession that occurs fairly often around it is a bit disheartening.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KvP on 24 Sep 2008, 20:51
Yes, well by shunning support of the sporting life we elevate ourselves above that transcendence.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: clockworkjames on 24 Sep 2008, 23:15
(http://jj.am/gallery/d/56954-1/obama.png)
:-D
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dollface on 25 Sep 2008, 00:31


I just noticed tha he's fucking KLINGON!

(http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h45/LadyHawk771/Obama-Worf-Sources.jpg)


dun dun dunn (oh the drama)
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: dennis on 25 Sep 2008, 01:21
What's sad is that I can totally imagine some Cubs fans not voting for him solely because he's ostensibly a South-sider.

Also, who wants a candidate who supports a team that is defined by losing against all odds?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 25 Sep 2008, 01:22
I just noticed tha he's fucking KLINGON!

Man that doesn't warrant an ominous "dun dun dunn". I would totally fucking vote Worf For President.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 25 Sep 2008, 01:55
Why, hello.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: blanktom on 25 Sep 2008, 04:28
'LOOK AT THIS FUCKING CANDIDATE'

Oh man I love this.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Stryc9Fuego on 25 Sep 2008, 04:56
Yeah. I love that X-TREME advertising meme as much as I hate talking about politics. And I really hate talking about politics. So I won't.

I refuse.

Now we take the "D" rail over to baseball!

Personally, I'm a Rays fan, but that's just because I live here.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: valley_parade on 25 Sep 2008, 04:57
*Ryan Giggs is the only sports person that springs to mind.

See, this is WHY I want to hang out with you.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: öde on 25 Sep 2008, 05:18
resorting to The Fast Show references


See, this is WHY I want to hang out with you.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: valley_parade on 25 Sep 2008, 05:27
Maybe you should come to Bostoncon, Dan.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 25 Sep 2008, 06:01
Here's an idea which doesn't crop up very often - Sport is a thing which is also really fun to talk about.

It is an excellent social device. If you have it in your arsenal of conversation topics, all manner of doors will open for you.

This is true, and I have no problem with people using sports for this purpose. I was once wandering around the streets of Mandalay in Burma to try to get a feel for it. A man stepped out of an electronics shop and said "hay, football." Now, I didn't speak much Burmese beyond the word for hello and counting to 10, and the only English he knew was "football," "goal," and "my son," but Myanmar (Burma) was playing Cambodia in a game of soccer football, and because we all knew the rules to this game we were able to sit and enjoy each others company despite sharing no other language or culture in common.

But when fans of the two local football rivals actually stop speaking to each other close to the big game, or when parents get in fights with referees a little league games, I just have to shake my head in consternation.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: fatty on 25 Sep 2008, 06:10
Here's an idea which doesn't crop up very often - Sport is a thing which is also really fun to talk about.

It is an excellent social device. If you have it in your arsenal of conversation topics, all manner of doors will open for you.

This is why sometimes I wish I cared about sport or tv.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: TimA on 25 Sep 2008, 06:33
I became a Cubs fan purely as a defensive mechanism for getting along with my father-in-law. I don't know...it's not a bad hobby, as long as you don't become obsessed with it.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: IronOxide on 25 Sep 2008, 07:27
Fuck you, it is a bad hobby if you're not rooting for the BOSTON FUCKING RED SOX.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 07:44
I'm saying that it's an instant connection which often transcends class, status, culture, religion, nationality.

It's like an international language of sorts.

An international language of shit whose speakers should be rounded up and killed!

There are few things more alien to my soul than giving two flying shits about teams of jocks in stupid outfits manipulating spherical objects and getting paid more money than a fucking brain surgeon.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: öde on 25 Sep 2008, 07:46
It's almost like you hate capitalism, khar.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 07:51
(http://uncoolkids.com/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/hulk106.jpg)
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 25 Sep 2008, 07:57
One of the things I most cherish about my upbringing is the idea that sport is just one facet of life, not inferior or superior to any other, and as rewarding in its way as any other cultural pursuit. My dad, for instance, holds season tickets to both the local rugby team, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra - as do just about all of his friends. I don't know about elsewhere in the world, but in Australia I think of this mindset - or at least its prevalence in the community - as distinctly Canberran.

I like listening to music, and reading books, and hanging out on the internet, and going to see arty-farty foreign films - and I like watching and playing sport. I really can't for the life of me understand why so many people seem to think that's weird or strange, or that sport and "higher" cultural interests are mutually incompatible.

On the other hand, I agree with Khar that elite sports-people are generally paid way too much (even taking into account the relative brevity of their careers) and, in Australia at least, receive waaaay too big a slice of the tax pie. But I think that's a societal problem, rather than a problem intrinsic in sport itself.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 25 Sep 2008, 08:07
Number one reason why you should vote for obama:
(http://timesonline.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/01/18/john_mccain.jpg)
McCain can't dance back.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 08:08
Man, it ain't snootiness. I enjoy all sorts of low shit. It's just I have literally no understanding of the appeal, what it is supposed to be. How do I invest emotionally or intellectually in this shit? I do not know. I don't really want to. I have intellectual justifications for it but really it's just a deep level of utter non-comprehension of the whole thing. With that, I suppose, comes particular anger at the obscene amounts of money, time, space and effort that are wasted on professional sports (far and beyond what they might actually need. It makes me spit to see my country pouring billions of pounds into the ghastly nationalist pissing contest that is the Olympics in some vague hope of scoring a few meaningless victories. It infuriates me that no one seems to regard this as wrong when there are fucking people who can't afford to heat their homes or have enough to eat in the UK NOW. I don't see how anyone could possibly justify spending so much of the taxpayers money on an utterly trivial thing when such a situation exists.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 08:10
Tommy effectively nailed it. Love or hate them, sports are the single most universal "shooting the shit" topic that most people can get in on.

Rachel's dad is a staunch conservative Republican who is homophobic, a slight bit racist and all kinds of other shit that would effectively scare the piss out of me, but I'm able to actually sit in the dude's house with minimal discomfort because we can at least talk about sports.

My gramma and I constantly talk Red Sox. This is how we always connected growing up and to this day, she's one of my primary influences. And ask anyone who's met her, my grandmother is the absolute shit. Shane and Rachel can both vouch for this.

It's also one of the primary ways I've been able to connect with my brother in recent years. We're both incredibly different people and most of the things we have in common are more our failings than anything (Crude, tactless behavior, very stubborn, we hold terrible grudges), but we've always been able to connect on sports, at least.

I actually only ended up on this forum because of sports. Shane and I met through a Red Sox forum and he turned me on to this forum.

Sports is the tried and true uniter. There is not a single subject that ranges so many different classes, cultures and races. Until recently, the only really large group that you couldn't just strike up a conversation about sports with was women, and that's changed substantially over the past couple decades. Politics, video games, books, movies, music; none of them are quite so wide ranging and easily relateable as sports are.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 25 Sep 2008, 08:12
There's only one way to respond to this.

To be fair, Pierzsynski seems like kind of a dick.

Personally, I'm a Rays fan, but that's just because I live here.

Congratulations finally! Did you hear how they don't have anyone to throw out the first pitch in the playoffs, because "no one in the history of the franchise has done anything worthy of this honor?" I found that funny, but not an alltogether bad problem to have, I would say. I'm rooting for the Rays this postseason, if only because they beat both the Yankees and the Red Sox, with a payroll smaller than some individual players on those teams*. That's good sports, if you ask me.

*may or may not be hyperbole
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: öde on 25 Sep 2008, 08:16
Front page of The Sun today: some footballer that routinely attacks people is serving his community service. Apparently the photo of him 'shows that he is trash'. I fucking hate The Sun.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: valley_parade on 25 Sep 2008, 08:19
It's sad that you didn't mention names and I'm 100% confident you're talking about Joey Barton.

he turned me on

I do have that effect on people, Jon.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 08:20
Sports is the tried and true uniter.

Yeah, I see people uniting over sports every Friday night!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2GkS0HOe2s&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2GkS0HOe2s&feature=related)
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 08:25
That is, in fact, hyperbole, Robbie. However, it's not any extreme sense of hyperbole. The Rays' payroll is around $40 million, which is about a third of the Sox's payroll (There's no effective way to call their payroll right now as they shed their most expensive player midseason) and close to a fifth of the Yankees'. A-Rod himself is making more this season than the entire roster of the Florida Marlins, who actually got just as close as the Yankees did to the postseason.

I'm excited to see some competition from the Rays this season, but I am concerned about the terrible influx of bandwagon fans. The Sox have too many themselves, but it irks me slightly to see people walking around the city in brand new Rays caps that were quite obviously not bought until the All Sttar Break. Where were these people five years ago? Three years ago? Shit, where were these guys in the spring?

Khar,I see your football riot and I raise you a concert riot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9WeBYr30kc&feature=related).
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 25 Sep 2008, 08:46
I don't see how the last picture supports your argument in any way. The guy on the right is kinda' cute from this angle, and people kissing is a good thing.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 08:46
Wow, one concert riot? Well I suppose that isolated incident is damning because sports riots are so rare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpgL3ZlF-gg&feature=related).

Well at least it's just that one sport (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG-q8Ynrf78)

aww shit.

Was that a little homophobia in the last post? Hurrah. fucking sports!



Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 25 Sep 2008, 08:50
Hurrah. fucking sports!

That's called porn. They also make more than brain surgeons.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: McTaggart on 25 Sep 2008, 09:02
AFL grand final on sunday, NRL grand final next sunday, Red Bull Air Race soon after, then it's cricket season!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 09:03
Isolated incident my left nut, Khar. Anyone remember Woodstock '99? The Who concert riot where a couple fans were trampled to death? The Download Festival Riots in 2006?

Yeah, sports fans riot a lot, but that's partially because people in general riot. Don't ask as if it makes the lot of us a bunch of douche bags unless you, as a metal fan, would like to be lumped in with the relatively rampant rioting at concerts. I mean, fuck, a common hobby at concerts is for people to effectively just stand in a circle and punch each other. Yeah, sports fans are totally the Neanderthals here.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 09:10
Fucking rampant, come on.

You cannot be fucking serious.

When were you ever in a fight at a concert? I know I have never been in a fight at a concert. I have been to over a hundred concerts, and I have only seen one fight at a concert. I saw someone blow up a portaloo at Wacken once, but that ain't the same thing.

Football fans riot every five fucking seconds, at every level of the competition. You get riots at the massive games and the tiny games. With music you are only likely to get riots or fights at the largest, most poorly organised events with the widest popular appeal (ie, the most idiots). Football fans fight in the street all the time. People actually get stabbed for supporting the wrong football team in some places.

None of this of course belies the fact that sports are for fucking morons, but hey :p
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 09:21
I got into a fight at a concert back in 2005. A dude who I'm pretty sure was coked up started elbowing me in the head (Quite intentionally), I tried to push him back a bit, initially figuring it was unintentional, so he elbowed me hard in the head and then took a swing at me. I got knocked over into a mosh pit when I was fifteen and got kicked repeatedly by a bunch of fucking tards.

I can't find anything purporting either argument in terms of statistic via google, but if you've got something to back up your bullshit notion that sports are any more violent than concerts, I'll stay off the boards for a week. And I mean conclusively, I don't want some bullshit one sided thing, I want definitive statistics for both sides. If you can show me statistics that prove that violence occurs more often in sports spectators than concert spectators, I'll consider this a loss.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: valley_parade on 25 Sep 2008, 09:23
In all of the soccer games I've been to, I've not seen a fight. But then again, I've not been to many soccer games.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Slick on 25 Sep 2008, 09:34
I got into a fight at a concert back in 2005. A dude who I'm pretty sure was coked up started elbowing me in the head (Quite intentionally), I tried to push him back a bit, initially figuring it was unintentional, so he elbowed me hard in the head and then took a swing at me. I got knocked over into a mosh pit when I was fifteen and got kicked repeatedly by a bunch of fucking tards.

I can't find anything purporting either argument in terms of statistic via google, but if you've got something to back up your bullshit notion that sports are any more violent than concerts, I'll stay off the boards for a week. And I mean conclusively, I don't want some bullshit one sided thing, I want definitive statistics for both sides. If you can show me statistics that prove that violence occurs more often in sports spectators than concert spectators, I'll consider this a loss.

Dude I think that is an uncommon situation. Maybe you are in a bad place in the world for thast kind of thing?
Mosh pits are like bizzaro zones where strange things happen. I have no statistics, but it has been my experience that intentional malacious beatings are not commonplace. Again, maybe for certain shows in certain places this is different. I really can only speak for concerts in Ontario, Quebec, and B.C., and little old Labrador.

Also, one coked up dick is not the equivalent of a riot. Single assholes are every. Violent mobs are not.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Stryc9Fuego on 25 Sep 2008, 09:35
I have the ultimate "shoot the shit" topic of conversation. It never goes very far except as an ice breaker, but I believe "the weather" is the most universal topic of conversation. You never hear someone talking about how it's pouring cats and dogs and how tough it was to get inside, then hear someone next to him say "FUCK YOU, JACKASS! this is the BEST FUCKING RAIN EVAR!!!"

Anyone ever heard people argue over the weather?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Ozymandias on 25 Sep 2008, 09:37
I have totally argued with my roommate about the weather.

Also, I continue to find Khar's crusade against sport to be hilarious.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 09:41
I dunno what kind of statistics I'm supposed to present.

I can tell you that wikipedia has over twenty articles specifically devoted to hooliganism and sports violence, in its various permutations and occurences, and none that I could find discussing violence at concerts. I can tell you that searching for 'sports violence' and various permutations on google will turn you up hundreds of websites, articles and books discussing the phenomena of violence at sporting events, whereas if you search for 'concert violence' only three of the items on the first page are about violence at concerts (at least as many were about concerts to stop violence). I could also note that much of the noted incidents of violence at concerts seem to involve rap music, which has wider issues of violence (thinking about those 'rap wars' or whatever with rappers shooting each other, I don't really know that much about it). But seriously, what statistics do you want me to find, other than the fact that it's common sense and common knowledge. Violence related to sports is repeatedly referenced as a social problem, concert violence isn't.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 09:42
Anyone ever heard people argue over the weather?

In Britain it would be strange NOT to talk about the weather.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: öde on 25 Sep 2008, 09:43
Sports are competitive, music isn't (except rap battles and feuds, unfortunately).
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: imagist42 on 25 Sep 2008, 09:52
Anyone ever heard people argue over the weather?

In Britain it would be strange NOT to talk about the weather.

Keyword "argue."

Although I must say I have argued over the weather. Mainly over whether it is too hot/cold, or just right. I am usually a proponent of "just right."
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 25 Sep 2008, 09:58
Yeah, but arguments over weather don't tend to be as intense as some arguments over sports (and admittedly music as well) can get some times.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 10:00
Some kind of statistic about general violence at concerts versus general violence at sporting events, Khar. The best I can do, and the best I'm pretty sure you can do, is assloads of anecdotal evidence. I've gone to about an equal amount of concerts and sporting events in my life and I've seen tons of violence at concerts while I've never seen violence at a sporting event in my life (Though there were some people setting shit on fire at my college when the Red Sox made it to the ALCS in 2003, though that was more a matter of drunken idiots looking for an excuse).

James, riots are something that happens so infrequently and is so often the result of multiple factors rather than just the one primary cause that I think it'd be impossible to really offer a valid statistic. With that in mind, I moved my argument to more a matter of overall violence across the two, something you'd think would be easy to track down (Though I can't find shit either way). In my personal experience, which is the best I can provide, is that I've seen more violence at concerts. I've seen people fighting security at an Ozzfest, I vividly remember the Woodstock riots (A repeat of a festival about peace and love marred by violence and rape).

The basic point of my argument isn't that concert goers are violent or that sports fans are not. That would be as flimsy as Khar's ignorant (Even going so far as having admitted his own ignorance on the matter) implication that all sports fans are violent idiots.

Violence at concerts and sporting events has little to do with the music or sport itself and more to do with the patrons. If you get enough people drunk in one spot and introduce an activity that raises their adrenaline, you are going to see violence now and again.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: valley_parade on 25 Sep 2008, 10:09
You'll likely see a few fights on Saturday, Jon. People are always getting thrown out for fighting during Sox-Yankees games.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 25 Sep 2008, 10:11
tl;dr
I say this:
Quote
Violence at concerts and sporting events has little to do with the music or sport itself and more to do with the patrons. If you get enough people drunk in one spot and introduce an activity that raises their adrenaline, you are going to see violence now and again.

Board games are competitive, and you don't see people rioting over that. (Imagine that "FUCK YOUR BOARDWALK AVE! FUCK IT!") I think one of the main problems with sports and riots is that there is a large connection to alcoholic drinks and sports. People overindulge, get angry that Billybob, who has also overindulged, likes the other team. And that team just scored. Now Billybo is mad at Billybob so he starts to get into Billybob's face. Now, Billybob is not going to back down and walk away, because he is inebriated. So he pushes Billybo to get him out of his face. Then Billybo pushes back. And it just escalates. Now imagine that Billybob and Billybo each have family that do the same thing. And friends. Thats how riots start.

Now, at concerts. There's generally a lot less drinking, it doesn't go on quite as long, and there's less people. Also, I hate to say this, but many of the sports fans I know are not the most intelligent people. Sure there are a lot of intelligent sports fans but they aren't the ones you hear about. They know not to riot. I think that there are also a lot more intelligent people at a concert. Also, you do get one or two douchebags, but those guys are either quickly put in their place by the non douches, or they try to start a riot and get kicked out.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 10:24
Ummm, you basically repeated exactly what I said in that first part.

In terms of concerts and drinking, that's simply not true in terms of the length. Unless you're going to a small club show, concerts usually go on for just as long and quite often there is extensive drinking. Get an opener or two and a big name headliner and your average concert is going to be three to four hours, and that's not getting into the idea of festival shows where people are drinking for ten to twelve hours in the sun in an environment where there's moshing and pitting and the like.

In terms of intelligence of the grouping, well, I'll call shenanigans on that. You ever been to a Pantera concert? Maybe Lynyrd Skynyrd or the like? A lot of their patrons almost pride themselves on their ignorance. With the exception of an indie concert, you're quite often going to have a pretty large contingent of morons and douche bags at most concerts, particularly with more mainstream bands. Sure, indie bands and obscure musicians don't really see a lot of violence, but when was the last time you saw a fight at a single A baseball game?

A lot of concert culture is outright based on fighting and violence. While shit like American football is a culture of violence on the field, it's usually kept to the field and doesn't extend to the fans, whereas musicians will quite often encourage moshing and pits and the like.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 25 Sep 2008, 11:06
Ummm, you basically repeated exactly what I said in that first part.
yes, that's why I quoted you.

A lot of concert culture is outright based on fighting and violence. While shit like American football is a culture of violence on the field, it's usually kept to the field and doesn't extend to the fans, whereas musicians will quite often encourage moshing and pits and the like.

Obviously you don't know much about Raiders fans do you? They are the extreme worst. This is a team that has fans that will shank you. I knew people in Arizona that wanted to fight because someone said the Raiders sucked. Yeah, people not even fighting AT the game about it. Imagine what will happen at that game.

I think this is just one of the places where we will have to agree to disagree.
At some concerts, there's a lot of stupidity and violence. At others, none.
Same thing with sports.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 11:23
A lot of concert culture is outright based on fighting and violence.

What fucking concerts do you go to?

Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 11:46
Mostly varieties of rock.

You're apparently unfamiliar with the concept of a Mosh Pit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosh_Pit).

I have seen this shit at a fucking 311 concert. 311! A band whose primary musical message is "smoke pot and lie down for a while."
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 12:03
Erm.

Moshing is a form of dance, not a fight.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Alex C on 25 Sep 2008, 12:04
Board games are competitive, and you don't see people rioting over that.

I take issue with this; board games do not support a competitive culture on nearly the same scale as mainstream athletic events. While the object of a given board game may be to win, they are still usually played for sport in the purest sense-- they are leisure activities. While one can certainly point out that chess is played on a very high level, it is in many ways an individual sport- much like golf, one can certainly defeat themselves in chess through elementary blunders. There is little to lose and the only one you can ever truly blame is yourself. Tellingly, as much as you might admire Kasparov or Tiger woods, there's really no way you can ever really feel like you're truly a part of the man's success.

Mainstream team sports, on the other hand are another ball of wax entirely. In team sports, players can let eachother down or put "the whole team on their back," as the saying goes. There's an entire culture of putting the team first and making personal sacrifices in the name of success. Players are lauded for realizing that "No one is bigger than the team" and the marketing does everything possible to make spectators feel a part of this loop. For the players themselves, gigantic contracts are on the line, a reality that trickles down to lower levels of play when exceptional young men are earmarked as the next big thing. For god's sake, ESPN nationally televised several of LeBron Jame's highschool games, yet people are still shocked when someone's idiot father berates an ump for "persecuting" his golden child.

Let's not forget about your garden variety drunken asshole gambler either. Few things transform someone into a complete douche quicker than 3 or 4 giant stadium beers and losing $150 dollars on an ill-advised three team teaser. The fact of the matter is that there's some people out there who can't keep themselves from treating sports as SERIOUS BUSINESS, and the competitive and monetary aspects definitely play a huge role.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Emaline on 25 Sep 2008, 12:12
Man, I don't know what mosh pits you have been in, Obsessions, but the ones that I have been in don't encourage just randomly beating the shit out of anyone. If you fall, someone is there to help you up. If you can't handle it, there is usually someone who will help you get out. And I've been to a lot of shit local hardcore shows. We used to have a pretty big hardcore scene here.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Stryc9Fuego on 25 Sep 2008, 12:54
I hear you there. I remember being in a Pantera pit, and this skinhead just CRUNCHED my frickin' eye with his elbow. I think I punched him in the sweets on the way down, and after the set, we were chatting about what a great pit it was over a beer.

Miller Lite is a shit beer, but it makes a dandy Kold-Pak.

As far as the weather thing, I guess people can argue about anything. "Has anyone ever rioted over the weather?" That would be a better question.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Nodaisho on 25 Sep 2008, 13:07
Erm.

Moshing is a form of dance, not a fight.
The only kind of dance I know of that can cause that much bodily harm. Unless you count capoeira.

Sports can be a way to "unite", for lack of a better word, it is just when people start treating it like serious business that it tends to go bad.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KvP on 25 Sep 2008, 13:17
At a Pantera show you say?

*Pantera cover*

I never get tired of looking at this cover. Seriously, I have it on vinyl. I don't even like Pantera!
The guy volunteered for several takes of that cover. True story!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 25 Sep 2008, 13:24
A-Rod himself is making more this season than the entire roster of the Florida Marlins, who actually got just as close as the Yankees did to the postseason.

I'm excited to see some competition from the Rays this season, but I am concerned about the terrible influx of bandwagon fans. The Sox have too many themselves, but it irks me slightly to see people walking around the city in brand new Rays caps that were quite obviously not bought until the All Sttar Break. Where were these people five years ago? Three years ago? Shit, where were these guys in the spring?

Yeah, I was thinking of the Marlins, not the Rays. Sorry. But, still, my point is somewhat valid (not that anyone was arguing it).

Honestly, as far as bandwagon fans go, I'm alright with it. It bothers me, but it's just one of those things that are unavoidable. It's like fashion. If something is cool, people want in on it. The Red Sox have been pretty cool the last few years, and as a Royals fan I can empathize with wanting to be behind a good team. That might be largely why I am rooting for the Rays this postseason, because they are a similar team, payroll wise, to the Royals who have been close to the postseason only once since George Brett left.

I can also understand Khar's beef with sports, as it's something I've thought about a lot, though I've always come out on the side of "sports have some ridiculous things about them, but I can't turn my back on them" instead of "fuck sports" as he seems to have done. I won't argue with him about the riots, because they're pretty well documented around the world, but considering the number of sporting events that take place every day all over the world, they're really not all that common. Maybe more common than I'm happy with, but really not that bad. I mean, any given Saturday in the US there are millions of people in college stadiums for football games. I honestly don't remember the last time there was a riot at a college football game, and I follow it pretty closely.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Scandanavian War Machine on 25 Sep 2008, 13:29
i just wanted to add a little anecdote from my own experience; i have seen a fight at almost every single concert i've ever been to.
now, does that make concert-goers or music fans idiots? no, it makes the people fighting idiots. does a riot at a sporting event make all sports fans/athletes idiots? no, it makes the people involved in the rioting idiots.

however, don't be confused; i do think that the world of professional sports is idiotic and should be destroyed but that doesn't mean the individuals involved are idiots. the athletes themselves are actually brilliant capitalists but that's not the point. the point is that broad, sweeping generalizations are no good for anyone.

.....except hippies. generalize about them all you want because this is the internet and they don't have computers.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 25 Sep 2008, 13:34
Untrue. Hippies use Macs.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 25 Sep 2008, 13:36
Jon and Khar, keep in mind that you are from different places - a football riot is way more common than a baseball riot, and football hooligans do tend to be there more for the fighting than the sport, unlike most baseball fans.

I think this has a lot to do with the difference in perception. Football Hooligans are pretty well know the world over for rioting at the drop of a hat. In the US, people don't riot over sporting events all that often. It really seems to be about as often as they riot over a musical event. It certainly happens, but not all that regularly. There was a time when college towns seemed to riot regularly over sporting events, but that seems to have calmed down over the last few years. Many of those incidents had as much to do with police trying to crack down on underage drinking during the sporting events as they did with the sporting events themselves.  
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 25 Sep 2008, 14:19
There's only one way to respond to this.

To be fair, Pierzsynski seems like kind of a dick.
Pierzynski was probably the best part of the 2005 White Sox, and there where lots of good things about them.

There are plenty of hot Cubbs fans.
Cause you know, you never see any overweight, bearded cubs fans breathing laboriously imbetween long gulps of shitty beer. I don't think that was what Tommy was trying to say, anyway, though I could be wrong.

Quote
And everybody hates Ozzie Guillén, anyone who doesn't isn't sane enough to lead the country.
All Sox fans love Ozzie! He is happiness in an angry grimace.

I have the ultimate "shoot the shit" topic of conversation. It never goes very far except as an ice breaker, but I believe "the weather" is the most universal topic of conversation. You never hear someone talking about how it's pouring cats and dogs and how tough it was to get inside, then hear someone next to him say "FUCK YOU, JACKASS! this is the BEST FUCKING RAIN EVAR!!!"

This is a wonderful post.


Sorry I'm behind on the conversation.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 25 Sep 2008, 14:33
Pierzynski was probably the best part of the 2005 White Sox, and there where lots of good things about them.

He's a good player, I'm just not a fan of his. That's all.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 25 Sep 2008, 16:08
Man, I would not fight John McCain.

He'd probably chew my fucking nose off or something.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RedLion on 25 Sep 2008, 17:06
Quote
Obviously you don't know much about Raiders fans do you? They are the extreme worst. This is a team that has fans that will shank you.

See, up here we just wear foam in the shape of cheese on our head.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 25 Sep 2008, 20:18
Sorry if I'm dragging us back to an old topic of conversation, but you can blame yourselves for being all posting and shit while the southern hemisphere's asleep. Anyway, I just wanted to say that sports rioting is, I think, a cultural problem endemic within the country in which it happens, rather than a problem with the sport itself. In Australia we play pretty much all the the same major sports they play in the U.K., and rioting here is practically unheard of. And even if rioting was a big factor here, I'd lean towards "blame the fans" rather than "blame the sport".
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 25 Sep 2008, 20:45
Yeah, sports riots are a much bigger issue in the UK, concert riots are a much bigger issue in the US.  I've accepted that a while ago.  That's not to say that American sports fans aren't loony, they just don't care as much and/or drink too much and pass out.  I'd like to believe we're more vocal, but I'm not going to start another debate.

Sorry about that whole Nationalist comment guys, I didn't mean to get Khar started.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 25 Sep 2008, 20:52
I have another reason not to vote for Obama:

(http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6623/000242ed8.jpg)

America should be led by a good, honest fabric.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Liz on 25 Sep 2008, 20:59
Oh man that is glorious. America, you are such a great country.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: ViolentDove on 25 Sep 2008, 21:02
Sorry if I'm dragging us back to an old topic of conversation, but you can blame yourselves for being all posting and shit while the southern hemisphere's asleep. Anyway, I just wanted to say that sports rioting is, I think, a cultural problem endemic within the country in which it happens, rather than a problem with the sport itself. In Australia we play pretty much all the the same major sports they play in the U.K., and rioting here is practically unheard of. And even if rioting was a big factor here, I'd lean towards "blame the fans" rather than "blame the sport".

The last time we had a sports riot that I can recall was after a football match between a Serbian-Australian team and a Croatian-Australian team. Organising that match was pretty much asking for trouble, really.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 25 Sep 2008, 21:04
Quote from: Johnny
*Picture*
:cry:

This is so depressing.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: onewheelwizzard on 25 Sep 2008, 21:05
The owner of that house can VOTE.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 25 Sep 2008, 21:11
Hah, crazy Floridians.  I don't know how many of you read Fark.com, but there's a reason that that state has it's own news tag.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: öde on 25 Sep 2008, 21:12
The owner of that house can RAISE CHILDREN.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KickThatBathProf on 25 Sep 2008, 21:15
Is that Palin's summer home?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 25 Sep 2008, 23:44
OBAMA: HALF-BREAD MUSLIM
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 26 Sep 2008, 00:01
OBAMA: HALF-BREAD MUSLIM

OBAMA: HALF BREAD. WHOLE WHEAT.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 26 Sep 2008, 01:27
MONKEY COCKIN'.

MONKEY FUCKIN'.

SOUL BROTHER COCKIN'.
I think this is one of the best pagebreaks I've ever seen. ever.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KickThatBathProf on 26 Sep 2008, 07:46
What the hell just happened
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 26 Sep 2008, 07:49
Batman just happened.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 26 Sep 2008, 08:04
If it wasn't "Nananananananana BATMAN!!" then it wasn't real Batman.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 26 Sep 2008, 08:24
Batman doesn't play sports.

ARGUMENT: WON.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Ozymandias on 26 Sep 2008, 08:27
Yeah, Khar has hit the nail on the head, here. If Batman doesn't do-
(http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/worlds-finest/3-1.jpg)

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIT
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Ozymandias on 26 Sep 2008, 08:29
Oh god, I love that cover, the more I look at it. It doesn't even look like they're playing baseball, it looks like they're trying to get you to come over to the plate so Batman can beat the shit out of you with that bat.

Wait.

Bat.

Batman.

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 26 Sep 2008, 08:35
That's not Batman.

That's just some fag in a grey body sock.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 26 Sep 2008, 10:27
Also, home plate appears to be backwards...
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 26 Sep 2008, 12:07
Batman only has one rule, dude.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Thomas Edison on 26 Sep 2008, 15:32
Wait.

So we're not voting Obama because Batman plays baseball now?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 26 Sep 2008, 15:39
I heard Obama was a Marvel fan.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 26 Sep 2008, 15:45
Then he has my vote.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 26 Sep 2008, 15:59
You mean he's a fan of the chauffeur character from the under-appreciated mid-century novelist Elizabeth Taylor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor_(novelist))'s excellent comedic novel Angel, recently made into a film by Francois Ozon? Superb!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: jhocking on 26 Sep 2008, 16:18
(http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/murphy.jpg)

I need groupies.

Football fans riot every five fucking seconds etc

So your problem is with violent idiots, not sports really. I'm with you there; I can't imagine any reasonable person is in favor of violent idiocy. The fact that many sports fans are violent idiots isn't a problem with sports, it's a problem with society having so many violent idiots.

As for me, I'm more or less in favor of sports. I say "more or less" because I'm not a sports fan myself and I used to be rather opposed to sports, for exactly the reason you are saying (ie. sports create artificial rivalries that people fight over.) At some point in college however my roommate pointed me to a really interesting book, I wish I could remember the title. It was making the same basic argument as tommy and jon, only in a more formal, civic-planning sense. What the author pointed out was how a large reason cities like to have sports teams is that they are a socially galvanizing force, helping to pull communities together when the people in that community (ie. the city) have barely anything else in common.

Meanwhile, getting back to the violent idiots, I'd certainly rather the violent idiots fight each other than attack because of race or class or something. I mean, ideally there wouldn't be any violence at all, but human nature being what it is then it's better to have the violent idiots herded off to something meaningless.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 26 Sep 2008, 17:43
Quite a few hooligan firms are violently racist.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Hat on 26 Sep 2008, 18:15
You people are showing an embarrassing lack of knowledge about football hooligans to be perfectly honest
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: jhocking on 26 Sep 2008, 18:51
Quite a few hooligan firms are violently racist.

In retrospect, that depressing fact isn't surprising. Still doesn't change the overall point though that the problem is the violent idiots, not sports. I mean, do you think these people would stop being violent or racist if sports didn't exist?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 26 Sep 2008, 19:25
You people are showing an embarrassing lack of knowledge about football hooligans to be perfectly honest

I'VE SEEN MOVIES
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KickThatBathProf on 26 Sep 2008, 20:31
Hey I saw a thing on a sports channel once
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: MadassAlex on 26 Sep 2008, 21:47
I don't really give a damn about sports hooligans, but professional sports as they are now are in direct conflict with everything I value.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 26 Sep 2008, 23:53
Baseball was pretty big during the Great Depression, wasn't it?
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: clockworkjames on 27 Sep 2008, 01:08
Football hooligans? Mike Balls is your man  :-D
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 27 Sep 2008, 19:03
Baseball was pretty big during the Great Depression, wasn't it?

So was organised crime and rotgut.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 28 Sep 2008, 07:38
Baseball was pretty big during the Great Depression, wasn't it?

So was organised crime and rotgut.

So are we just gonna start listing the finer points of the great depression than?

It had bread lines and speakeasies and fast talking gangsters in fedoras and some sort of bowl of dust.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Alex C on 28 Sep 2008, 07:56
Actually, I'm completely and utterly comfortable with blaming baseball on the Brits.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Dimmukane on 28 Sep 2008, 08:23
Yeah, I fuckin' hate baseball.  YOUR FAULT.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: StaedlerMars on 28 Sep 2008, 11:30
Actually, I'm completely and utterly comfortable with blaming baseball on the Brits.

This made me laugh.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Johnny C on 28 Sep 2008, 12:47
So was organised crime and rotgut.

When the economy collapses and you are left as a dust farmer with nothing but his wind-up radio for entertainment, you'll understand what I was getting at.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: est on 28 Sep 2008, 16:53
Sports are pretty cool.  I don't much like that big sports stars get paid shitloads to play, but I guess if they bring in more spectator and merchandising dollars as well as more success to the team then the team sees it as being worth it.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KharBevNor on 28 Sep 2008, 17:27
So was organised crime and rotgut.

When the economy collapses and you are left as a dust farmer with nothing but his wind-up radio for entertainment, you'll understand what I was getting at.

I can read. Maybe if I lose my eyes and hands sports radio might crop up somewhere at the bottom of my entertainment options.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Hat on 28 Sep 2008, 22:08
(http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/5946/scarydoortimeenoughve8.jpg)

"Well, thank god I have sports radio"
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Ozymandias on 28 Sep 2008, 22:14
I can read. Maybe if I lose my eyes and hands sports radio might crop up somewhere at the bottom of my entertainment options.

This was not a good episode of the Twilight Zone.

It did not give me chills at all.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Toba on 29 Sep 2008, 02:22
I don't think sports preferences, appearance, or any of this other superficial SHIT belongs in politics at all.

Idiot.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: october1983 on 29 Sep 2008, 02:47
Don't forget sense of humour on that list!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Stryc9Fuego on 29 Sep 2008, 04:29
Are you trying to be funny there? Is that what you're doing?

(http://www.jasonfinley.com/SeriousCat.jpg)

 :wink:
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Spluff on 29 Sep 2008, 05:04
Well, we've reached lolcats, and have therefore reached the end of this thread.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 29 Sep 2008, 06:07
I thought the thread didn't end until we reached Hitler?

Or is it cats that look like Hitler now? I'm so confused!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Jace on 29 Sep 2008, 08:15
Kitlers are so awesome.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 29 Sep 2008, 09:00
I'm pretty sure the internet has reached some kind of transcendant level when a website called catsthatlooklikehitler.com becomes as popular as it has. I'd be willing to bet more teenagers visit that each day than something like BBC or CNN.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: David_Dovey on 29 Sep 2008, 09:24
Who gives a fat dick what teenagers do
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: David_Dovey on 29 Sep 2008, 09:30
Oh shit that's meeee oh shiiiiiit
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 29 Sep 2008, 18:59
Duuuuuuudes. With today's FUCKING AWESOME win, the Sox have a chance at the playoffs.
ALONG WITH THE CUBS.
THIS CITY IS FUCKING DOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 30 Sep 2008, 19:23
Dude, I cannot help but feel a little bad that a dude in the UK can be more up-to-date about a team in my city than I am while I know jackshit about soccer, rugby, quidditch, and all those other exciting euro-sports. Clearly your cultural awareness dwarfs my own.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: jhocking on 30 Sep 2008, 20:13
I'm not sure sports scores count as cultural awareness.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Vendetagainst on 30 Sep 2008, 20:17
They do when you cannot think of a better word and feel like your post is kinda pointless but you had the impulse to post it and you want to avoid something completely pointless (bordering rather than diving into, see).
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 01 Oct 2008, 07:49
I'm not sure sports scores count as cultural awareness.

How don't they? Sports are a big part of pretty much every culture.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 01 Oct 2008, 11:09
But, you could be culturally aware without a lot of knowledge about sports. I think that was his point.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 01 Oct 2008, 11:14
How don't they? Sports are a big part of pretty much every culture.

Yeah, but I don't think you fail at cultural awareness if you don't know the scores and performance of the various teams in another country. I know more or less how Rugby and Cricket* are played, but I don't think I'm really failing at being aware of British and Australian culture just because I couldn't tell you who won the Ashes Cup last year**.

*Ok, this is something of a lie. I've read the rules to Cricket, and I guess I understand the basic idea, but I think I'd still be pretty confused if I tried to watch or play it.

**It was Australia, I just found that out when I Googled to make sure I was remembering the name of the tournament correctly.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: jhocking on 01 Oct 2008, 11:55
@robbieOC: dude, love your avatar. Now I need to watch that movie just to look for the blooper.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 01 Oct 2008, 12:05
I mostly love the panicking Boba Fett in the background, like "Oh shiiiiiiiiiit!" as he flies to his doom. Good stuff.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Tom on 01 Oct 2008, 18:49
@ Benji: I participated in rugby for 4 years and still don't understand either code, I also don't understand cricket or AFL for that matter and believe me, I have tried.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: benji on 01 Oct 2008, 18:56
Yeah, I get Rugby pretty well. About as well as I get American Football, I think. Both games seem to have their fare share of arcane rules. Cricket, on the other hand, all of the rules seem arcane to me.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Hat on 02 Oct 2008, 06:51
Mugby is the king of sporting codes and I'll elbow anyone that disagrees.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 02 Oct 2008, 07:20
I once played cricket with a bunch of Japanese kids!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v515/RobbieOC/n647652671_425533_2508.jpg)

Strangest day of my life.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Ozymandias on 02 Oct 2008, 08:07
Man, Japanese girls really like peace.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RedLion on 02 Oct 2008, 11:28
I think it's a kind of a subconscious defense mechanism for them. "Peace! Please do not drop another nuclear bomb on us!"

That was terrible. I am a terrible man.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Blue Kitty on 02 Oct 2008, 11:49
Cricket, on the other hand, all of the rules seem arcane to me.

When people talk to me about cricket I feel like they are speaking another language.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RobbieOC on 02 Oct 2008, 12:36
I actually have a theory about why they all do that in pictures, but this is not the right thread for that.

Cricket is actually very interesting to me, now that I kind of understand the rules. The biggest problem is there's never any chance to watch it in the states, and especially in the middle of football country. There's barely any baseball on around here, especially in the fall. But, the idea that games (matches?) can go on for days at a time if played the right way is just pretty cool, though I'd never want to be involved in anything like that.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Tom on 02 Oct 2008, 14:17
I once played cricket with a bunch of Japanese kids!

Not strange, the British leave behind sporting codes everywhere they go.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: est on 02 Oct 2008, 19:08
Man, I don't understand.  The basics of Cricket are very easy.  I will explain it right now:

- Two teams consisting of 11 players
- One team bats, the other bowls & fields
- Instead of 4 bases like baseball there's two, with a batsman at both of them (only one is bowled to) and they have things called wickets
- Someone bowls the ball overarm to the batsman
- If the bowled ball hits the wicket, or hits his leg in front of the wicket (ie: was blocked from hitting the wicket by his leg) he is out
- If the batsman hits the ball then he and the off-batsman (ie: the one currently not batting) make a decision to run or not based on how far the ball is from a fielder.
- If the batsmen run once then obviously the off-batsman then becomes the one being bowled to.
- There is a line near each wicket called a crease.  If either batsman is running and is outside that crease then the fielders will try to throw the ball at the wicket to get him out.  It's like tagging a batsman while running in baseball, I guess.
- If a batsman hits the ball with any part of the bat and a fielder catches the ball before it hits the ground then that batsman is out.
- If the batsman hits the ball and it reaches the outer boundary of the field (ie: the wall between the field and the spectators) then it is treated specially.  If it hits it in any way but does not go over it it is counted as four points and the batsmen don't need to run.  If it goes over the boundary on the full then it is six points.
- Bowling is done in sets of six.  These are called "overs".  At the end of each over the bowler swaps ends and bowls to the opposite wicket, no matter which batsman is currently at which wicket.
- There needs to be 2 batsmen on the field to continue, so if 10 batsmen get out that team is done batting and it's the other team's turn to bat.
- Each team bats either once or twice and whichever team gets the most runs by the end of the game is the winner.

I guess maybe the confusing part is that there are a few different types of games.  Cricket can be played in either a limited overs style or not, depending on the game.  In a limited overs style game (usually for one-day matches or Twenty20) there are 50 (or 20) overs to an innings, so in addition to trying not to get all-out you've got a limited number of balls to make the highest score you can.  Limited overs is generally the easiest to understand because one team bats for 50 overs, then the other, then someone wins.  There is also another type of game where the overs are not limited, and each team has to bat twice.  I think that these games are played over five days, and each team has to have two innings or else the game ends in a draw.  Because of this there's all sorts of tactical shit that goes down whereby a team Captain can declare his team's batting innings over once they've reached a high enough score so that there's more time to get the other innings over with and ensure it doesn't wind up a draw, or if a team is not scoring very well but not able to be dismissed they waste time so that they can salvage a draw instead of a loss.  That sort of thing.

Man, and I don't really even watch cricket.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Tom on 02 Oct 2008, 19:24
lol wut? tl;dr
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Spluff on 02 Oct 2008, 19:38
Yeah, cricket is not hard at all.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Eris on 02 Oct 2008, 19:46
It can be simplified to:

- One team hits the ball while the other throws or catches it
- The team with the bats try and run back and forth as much as possible without letting the other team catch the ball on the full/knock over the wicket.
- After one team gets all out the roles swap and the process repeats itself


At least that is how I watch cricket. I also watch it by leaving the room for the majority of the match and coming back to it every now and then to see how the numbers have changed. It goes much quicker that way because you're actually doing something you want to do.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: RedLion on 02 Oct 2008, 22:18
Maybe I'm stupid when it comes to sports in general, but even that explanation, est, went waaaaay over my head.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: David_Dovey on 03 Oct 2008, 02:18
I also watch it by leaving the room for the majority of the match and coming back to it every now and then to see how the numbers have changed. It goes much quicker that way because you're actually doing something you want to do.

Honestly this is the best way to watch cricket, particularly in a Test Match (5 days, unlimited overs, very sloooow pace).

Hey also, cos I came across it in a Wiki-ramble last week:

Quote from: Wikipedia article on the "v" sign
During the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, figure skater Janet Lynn stumbled into Japanese pop culture when she fell during a free-skate period—but continued to smile even as she sat on the ice. Though she placed only third in the actual competition, her cheerful diligence and indefatigability resonated with many Japanese viewers, making her an overnight celebrity in Japan. Afterwards, Lynn (a peace activist) was repeatedly seen flashing the V sign in the Japanese media. Though the V sign was known of in Japan prior to Lynn's use of it there (from the post-WWII Allied occupation of Japan), she is credited by some Japanese for having popularized its use in amateur photographs.[23] According to the other theory (actually present in the Japanese version of this entry), the V sign was popularized by the actor and singer Jun Inoue, who showed it in the Conica photo camera commercial in 1972.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 03 Oct 2008, 02:25
No, this is how you watch cricket the real way:

- Step 1, get a job where you work from home (optional).
- Step 2, set up your computer in front of the T.V.
- Step 3, turn the T.V. on, but with the sound turned all the way down.
- Step 4, tune into the commentary on the radio.

You'll find that the radio is slightly ahead of the T.V., so on those rare occasions when something exciting happens you'll hear it happen on the radio first, and then you can look up just in time to see it happen on the T.V.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: 0bsessions on 03 Oct 2008, 06:32
I do that with nationally televised baseball games. The guys who do most nationally televised games drive me slightly more nuts than the guy who does the radio broadcasts for the Red Sox. It makes for a good time when I'm in a chat with others watching the game and yelling "SPOILER ALERT!"
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: est on 03 Oct 2008, 20:38
I also watch it by leaving the room for the majority of the match and coming back to it every now and then to see how the numbers have changed. It goes much quicker that way because you're actually doing something you want to do.

This is also how I watch cricket, only usually it is on and someone else is watching it, or maybe no-one is sitting there "watching" it.  It is just on, and people walk through the room occasionally and look at the numbers in one corner of the screen.  Sometimes they don't constantly show the numbers so I'll loiter about to see what is up, but then once I know what the numbers are I'll go do something else.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: supersheep on 03 Oct 2008, 21:25
Tommy.

I do not care about sports but I love you. In a very tremendous way.

Good work.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: KickThatBathProf on 03 Oct 2008, 21:31
Inlander has the right idea.  I mean, I don't know what the hell cricket is, but the same idea can be used for baseball, especially when you have Bob Uecker on the mic everyday.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Caspian on 03 Oct 2008, 21:45
Inlander has the right idea. Few things beat the pleasure of getting incredibly stoned, having some beer and watching a 5 day test match.

Also, Obama's throwing action is pretty awful  :-(
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Spluff on 03 Oct 2008, 21:55
Not as bad as little Johnny Howard's bowling action.
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Inlander on 03 Oct 2008, 22:42
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGqTayhu5QM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGqTayhu5QM)

Our Prime Minister for 11 years, ladies and gentlemen!
Title: Re: NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YOU SHOULDN'T VOTE FOR OBAMA!
Post by: Caspian on 03 Oct 2008, 23:02
Not as bad as little Johnny Howard's bowling action.

Yeah, that made me cringe real hard. Although to be a bit fair to li'l John, the dude is pretty damn old. Having said that my grandfather's 84 and can bowl a lot better then John.