The Big Picture: A Nerd By Any Other Name

CharlesA

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Nov 8, 2009
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Archaneus said:
There's one simple reason this won't happen and that's a non-trivial fundamental difference between nerds and "sports nerds." Nerds/geeks tend to be in the higher intellectual brackets than the average man... not even close to true for "sports nerds."
No.
 

CrystalShadow

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Apr 11, 2009
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Makes sense.

I thought of this comparison myself after the very first time I saw a dictionary define the word 'nerd'.

That dictionary defined it as something along the lines of this:
"A person with an obsessive interest in a particular subject"

And... Considering the old Nerd/Jock jokes, combined with that definition, it seemed immediately apparent that technically, the sports nuts were in fact, also nerds.

Go figure.
 

Mirrored Jigsaw

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Feb 25, 2009
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I love that Bob got an all-purpose soap box. Even on the occasions I don't entirely agree, you're entertaining.

Today, I totally agree. The term "sports nerd" sounds like an oxymoron, but it's surprisingly obvious now that you point it out.
 

Exort

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Oct 11, 2010
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HentMas said:
actually that is NOT a good point
there is actually ONE MAYOR DIFFERENCE between sports fans and "geeks/nerds/watever"

the sports fans support and show appreciation for REAL PEOPLE

"Superman" is "Babe Ruth"? thats not right, superman never existed, Babe ruth on the other hand is a REAL sports hero, he DID played and showed superiority, Superman comes from the imagination of some guy

that is the Difference.
How about Starcraft nerds?
They support REAL people too.
Players like:
Slayer_Boxer
Flash
TLO
White_Ra
Day[9]

and why does this have to do with "real people"?
Them be real or not is not even relevant, unless you are on their team or you are doing business with them.
 

dragonshardz

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Mar 22, 2010
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A nerd can never (could ever) kick your ass in soccer or whatever. Its the concept of manliness (masculinity if I may) you're forgetting Bob (yeah, even for girls as well). Nerds will always be categorized for being skinny, glasses-wearing rejects of regular society, while football fans and alike are those tough, athletic dudes and popular cheerleaders. See, these two "categories" never mix together and never will. Their own culture might have some similarities with one another, but ultimately, it is society that defines their roles and how people project on them.
 

ProjectTrinity

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Apr 29, 2010
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I agree with everything except for the Japan-loving folks. (Mainly, the ones that put down dubs and anything non-Japanese?)

They're way, way lower than nerds could ever hope to be.
 

ReiverCorrupter

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Jun 4, 2010
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Meh. Hardcore fans of anything could be argued to be nerds. It doesn't make them similar. Sports fanatics are incredibly different from nerds as far as personality is concerned. Sports may not be important, but they are at least real. A sports fan doesn't confuse fantasy with reality unless he/she is a stalker. I'm just saying.

Also a jersey is NOT a costume. It would need pads too. No one thinks they are dressing up as Bret Farve when they put on his jersey, they're just showing off the fact that they like him. This point was stupid. Sure one dresses up as someone to show they like them, but dressing up as someone entails deliberately wanting to appear as though you are that person. This is not what people who wear jerseys intend.

Yes people besides nerds obsess over things. A nerd, however, is defined by obsessing over a particular set of subject matter. It might not be right, but that's the way it is.
 

ReiverCorrupter

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dragonshardz said:
A nerd can never (could ever) kick your ass in soccer or whatever. Its the concept of manliness (masculinity if I may) you're forgetting Bob (yeah, even for girls as well). Nerds will always be categorized for being skinny, glasses-wearing rejects of regular society, while football fans and alike are those tough, athletic dudes and popular cheerleaders. See, these two "categories" never mix together and never will. Their own culture might have some similarities with one another, but ultimately, it is society that defines their roles and how people project on them.
Erm... I played football for five years yet I play video games etc. Wouldn't say that I'm a hard core nerd or anything but you're just being a bit too much of an absolutist.
 

Squaseghost

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Mr.Squishy said:
Bob, I love you in a totally non-gay way right now.
So do I, Bob.

I was thinking about this last weekend when a friend of mine was talking about fantasy football. I get called a nerd so much, but I in no way embody the terrible stereotypes that were originally associated with the term.

The only thing really separating me from most other white male 20 somethings is my love of Science!
 

Fuloqwam

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Jul 29, 2009
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This, THIS was probably the best BP to date. Interesting subject, quotable lines, and no diverging subjects. Well done.

Sports nerds and "Standard" Nerds don't get along because the greatest enemy of nerds are other nerds. Star Wars versus Star Trek, Marvel versus DC, Xbox versus Sega, Twilight versus uh.... Beenie Babies, I guess.

And now Sports versus Sci-Fi and genre. It's not out of place, the rivalry is exactly where it should be.
 

Rainboq

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Nov 19, 2009
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HentMas said:
actually that is NOT a good point
there is actually ONE MAYOR DIFFERENCE between sports fans and "geeks/nerds/watever"

the sports fans support and show appreciation for REAL PEOPLE

"Superman" is "Babe Ruth"? thats not right, superman never existed, Babe ruth on the other hand is a REAL sports hero, he DID played and showed superiority, Superman comes from the imagination of some guy

that is the Difference.
Superman has arguably done more for humanity than Babe Ruth, I mean, Superman came out in 1938 and seriously improved the morale of the US which helped them recover from the Great Depression and helped them cope with the second World War.

Not bad for a character created by a Canadian.

What did Ruth ever do?

Other than hit balls with a stick?
 

Darkauthor81

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Feb 10, 2007
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Hubert South said:
Japanotards are not nerds.

By the way, the _ONLY_ thing separating, in this context (however limited it might be), sport fandom and nerd fandom, is time.

Sport nerds have been aroundf for 5000 years. Nerds for 50.
Not a Japan nerd myself but that entire video was about what you just did! You put down a form of nerdiness that you yourself isn't into or doesn't understand. Which is the same mentality that sports nerds have when they hate on comic book, video game, math, or dnd nerds. You watched that whole video and didn't gleen that it wasn't about jock vs nerd hate but one form of nerd vs another form of nerd hate?

Seriously?
 

NaramSuen

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Jun 8, 2010
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Excellent video Bob, clearly the best The Big Picture yet.

I have been saying basically the same thing about the similarity of sports fans and nerds/geeks for years and to anyone who would listen. Living outside North America really hammers home the point about how inconsequential the outcome of a sports game is. Locals don't care, the news doesn't cover it, chances are other ex-pats don't care either or root for another team. You have to engage in nerd-like behaviour to satisfy your fix, like staying up late and watching a baseball game with colour commentary in a foreign language and no subtitles.

I don't have a problem with sports or sports fans per se, but like you, I can't understand why their obsessive behaviour is socially acceptable while ours is not.
 

Darkauthor81

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Feb 10, 2007
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HentMas said:
actually that is NOT a good point
there is actually ONE MAYOR DIFFERENCE between sports fans and "geeks/nerds/watever"

the sports fans support and show appreciation for REAL PEOPLE

"Superman" is "Babe Ruth"? thats not right, superman never existed, Babe ruth on the other hand is a REAL sports hero, he DID played and showed superiority, Superman comes from the imagination of some guy

that is the Difference.
HentMas said:
omegawyrm said:
HentMas said:
actually that is NOT a good point
there is actually ONE MAYOR DIFFERENCE between sports fans and "geeks/nerds/watever"

the sports fans support and show appreciation for REAL PEOPLE

"Superman" is "Babe Ruth"? thats not right, superman never existed, Babe ruth on the other hand is a REAL sports hero, he DID played and showed superiority, Superman comes from the imagination of some guy

that is the Difference.
Yet they've both done the exact same amount of good for people.

By this logic it's actually more impressive for Superman since he has managed to inspire people without ever actually existing.
actually its more in "par" with people thinking "HEY!! ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS A GREAT MAN!" and another one saying "HEY!!! SUPERMAN WAS A GREAT MAN!!!"

they are pushing up "imaginary" people, wich in the eyes of this guys say the person doing this is childish and as such doesnt really deserve the "repect" we all other grown ups that actually believe in real things have

oh!!!, before you flame me, i´m just stating what people believe i have had this same discussion beforewithy friends and they actually told me that, dont get me wrong,i cosplay and do a lot of "Nerd" stuff, but i do see their point in that they would rather praise someone "tangible" than something "made up"

dont know if you understand what i mean.

Yes, other forms of nerds worship imaginary figures someone has made up for the public while sports nerds worship the persona sports stars show the public. Those... don't seem to be all the different.

Take Babe Ruth for example. Great guy. Womanizer, alcoholic, died from mouth cancer from chewing for years, great base ball player. What do people worship. The great base ball player they see on the field. Not the real, flawed, man.

You only see what they want you to see. You only idolize their public persona. That makes them as imaginary as Superman.
 

TehCookie

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Sep 16, 2008
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ReiverCorrupter said:
Also a jersey is NOT a costume. It would need pads too. No one thinks they are dressing up as Bret Farve when they put on his jersey, they're just showing off the fact that they like him. This point was stupid. Sure one dresses up as someone to show they like them, but dressing up as someone entails deliberately wanting to appear as though you are that person. This is not what people who wear jerseys intend.
When I wear a coat that I edited to look like an anime character's (specifically Ed's from Fullmetal Alchemist) people call it a costume. I'm not dressing up like him I just want to show I support that series.
 

Monkey King

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Mar 29, 2010
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I was seriously just having this conversation with my brother today: Paint your body half orange, half Brown, wear a dog mask and wave a bone in the air, you're a Browns fan; but paint your body blue, put on a cat mask and wave a recreation of a Na'vi spear in the air, and you are a NEERRRRRDDDDD!

A friend of mine did a show on the local cable access channel, and wanted to do a skit pointing out this paradox: in it, you would show two superfans in an elevator. They would be going over every single fact about the last season their team got to the championship(stats, best line up, mvp), when the elevator door opens up, and two "nerds" (for best results, these guys are only in like comic/sci-fi t-shirts) get into the elevator, having a similarly lively discussion about "nerd stuff". After they get out, the two superfans roll their eyes and laugh at the "nerds"(maybe making all the cliche jokes). Then they bust out their facepaint, jersies, wigs, foam fingers and other items of "team support". As they get ready to leave, they comment that they could never understand how anyone could get so worked up about something soooo stupid as whatever it was the "nerds" were into.

Never got around to filming it though....