Do "Nerds" Not Enjoy Sports, Or Just Not Mainstream Ones?

[GoldenEyedScout]

I'm pondering this question as I listen to my oldest brother clearly enjoying (American) football, a sport which I am bored to tears by 99% of the time.
I never walked into school or work and said "Hey guys, how bout them Giants?". Growing up in a rural town, pretty much all anyone talked about was sports, so I was usually quiet and off in my own world for these talks.

But that's not to say I don't like sports. I prefer rugby to football, hockey to baseball, and MMA to basketball. When the World Championships for judo comes on, I watch with rapt attention.

So what do you guys think? Do us "nerds" not like sports, or do we just like different ones?

 

[StriderShinryu]

I've pretty much been classified as a nerd for a long time, and I've always loved sports, both on the playing side and the watching side. And the ones I enjoy the most, hockey, basketball and soccer/football are some of the most common/popular. *shrug*

 

[A Raging Emo]

I like Hurling. No one here on the Mainland UK, it seems, plays that damn game, though. I'm a nerd.

 

[Dags90]

I never walked into school or work and said "Hey guys, how bout them Giants?".

Well, if you grew up in Texas, it would be pretty weird to ask people about how a NY team was doing.

For me, a lot of it comes down to the fact that my parents weren't particularly into sports either. My parents are pretty much nerds themselves. I grew up watching SciFi, and they were as relieved as I was to not have to spend cold fall nights sitting in a grass field wearing uncomfortable protective equipment. One of my cousins, who is also a nerd, grew up with decidedly sportier parents and enjoys sports.

 

[tippy2k2]

SKOAL VIKINGS!!!!

...I mean, yes, I'm a nerd and I'm into sports. I like watching football (went to the Vikings victory today!!!) and soccer. I have owned, at some point, every major sports game (except basketball...HATE basketball). I have three fantasy football teams. I played soccer in high school, some inter-mural soccer for old people leagues now, and I play tennis for fun. A number of alumni at my college get together every Thursday for Ultimate Frisbee.

I also own a PS3 and 360 with a abnormally large gamer score (on my 360, I haven't had the PS3 for that long). I have been gaming since I could walk. I work at a bank and enjoy it. I play Magic the Gathering as well as D&D with my free time.

I think that plenty of nerds love sports. But like all the things I have mentioned above, none of these things define me and I don't run around screaming to everyone my love of these items.

 

[Antitonic]

For what it's worth, I enjoy sports but find it a little annoying how elevated athletes are socially. It's a similar deal with actors. Too much usage of the term "hero" for my tastes, basically.

 

[Moderated]

Watching sports is lame.
Playing sports is fun.

 

[GrimTuesday]

I've never understood the aversion to sports within the nerd/geek subculture. I mean I see it as just another thing to geek out with. I love looking at the stats of my favorite baseball players, and comparing them to what ever team they happen to be playing. I love looking at the different possible trades the teams I support might be able to do, and hypothisise which would be more beneficial.

I personally enjoy [American] Football, baseball, wrestling (real wrestling, none of that fake shit), and hockey. My teams are the Mariners, and the Seahawks, and I'm trying to decide on a hockey team. I like Vancouver, in part because geographically, they are the closest, but they have been quite good the last few years, and suddenly becoming a fan would seem like I was bandwagoning them.

Also, MMA and hockey are both mainstream, so don't act like you're somehow different than everyone else.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

Watching sports is lame.
Playing sports is fun.

I find this to be more of a general nerd response. Why on earth would you watch a game when you could play it? Now granted, playing traditional sports isn't my favorite thing to do, either, but I've had a heck of a lot of fun over the years playing the occasional pickup game. The most fun I've had watching sports has involved either drinking with roommates while doing so, or watching the commercials/half time show during the Superbowl.

 

[Dead Seerius]

While I wouldn't call myself a nerd, I do enjoy some "geeky" things (video games, cheesy action movies, etc.), but I also love sports - playing and watching.

Essentially, sports are games, and that's why I love 'em.

I also come from a family that gets really involved in the sports scene, so there's that.

 

[GoldenEyedScout]

I never walked into school or work and said "Hey guys, how bout them Giants?".

Well, if you grew up in Texas, it would be pretty weird to ask people about how a NY team was doing.

I live in Texas, I grew up in Pennsyltucky.

 

[Bravo Company]

I enjoy playing (and watching for that matter) soccer. Its my go-to sport probably because I started playing when I was small, but being in the rural area that I am in, if its not american football then nobody cares. Which makes me sad because rugby/soccer are so much better sports.

 

[GoldenEyedScout]

I personally enjoy hockey. I'm trying to decide on a hockey team. I like Vancouver, in part because geographically, they are the closest, but they have been quite good the last few years, and suddenly becoming a fan would seem like I was bandwagoning them.

Also, MMA and hockey are both mainstream, so don't act like you're somehow different than everyone else.

The Philadelphia Flyers are always open to accepting new converts.
And true, they are mainstream, however, depending on your location, you're unlikely to hear people shooting the breeze on Georges St. Pierre or Demetrius Johnson, but are far more likely to hear people talking about the Lakers, or the Cowboys, or whoever.

 

[renegade7]

Well, on my school's fencing team/club, so if that's mainstream I guess that counts. I also like to watch Football (American), with other people though. Excuse to eat chips and drink.

 

[Dags90]

I live in Texas, I grew up in Pennsyltucky.

Eagles fans tend to be pretty nutty from what I've gleaned from football.

IDK, my sister knows more about football than I do. She started getting into it via sports betting and she likes the math behind it.

Now granted, playing traditional sports isn't my favorite thing to do, either, but I've had a heck of a lot of fun over the years playing the occasional pickup game. The most fun I've had watching sports has involved either drinking with roommates while doing so, or watching the commercials/half time show during the Superbowl.

I think playing sports for me stopped being fun sometime around middle school. I've always been small, and kinda clumsy, but around middle school my athletic ability really tapered off.

 

[Instant K4rma]

Big Lions and Broncos fan. I absolutely LOVE American football, and I consider myself a "nerd."

The only downside of that is the fact that I'm mostly friends with other gamers, and none of them are football fans (aside from one Patriots fan who's stuck in 2005), so I hardly have an opportunity to talk football with anyone outside of my family.

 

[Aris Khandr]

No, we hate sports. All of them. Ever. >.> <.<

What are you looking at?

 

[klown]

Well, I find that nerds tend to not like sports when they are surrounded by other nerds who don't like sports because they are around other nerds who don't like sports ect. ect.

As a huge football fan, I tend to talk about Bayern Munich just as often as I do any video game, and I've found that more nerds like sports when they know they won't be looked at funny because the social circles in high school don't overlap.

No, we hate sports. All of them. Ever. >.> <.<

What are you looking at?

How are the gunners doing this year with Podolski but lost Van Persie?