Sports

Le sigh. The crappy thing about being different is that everyone likes to stick you into negative stereotypes and categories just because you find interest in something that someone else doesn't (or don't find interest in something that someone else does). Generally, we generally being Otaku here, that is essentially what we have to regularly deal with in most places, especially places where we're told we need to be "Normal" (this is mainly prominent in Western Cultures). But truly, being treated differently for being Otaku doesn't bother me much. I know I fit into a niche group of people that isn't all that significant in the grand scheme of the world's population, and often times, we're misunderstood for finding something awesome in Anime, Manga, and nerdy fandoms. I'm perfectly fine with that. I identify myself as a big nerd, and make it clear that I'm exactly that. I have no problem with you, you have no problem with me...just stop asking me to fix your computer (I hate working in the IT Industry). But, what DOES irk me is almost exclusively the second I politely say "I'm not really a sports fan", even in reply to "Who's your favorite sport's team?" people literally start cussing me out, insulting me, ridicule me, even downright physically assaulting me in broad daylight in public just because I'm not into sports. Then, it gets even worse when I tell them I'm ex-Army. I once sat at a restaurant and a random fan came up to me, beer in hand, and asked me who my favorite sports team was, and upon a polite reply, I get a beer-soaked shirt, a punch to the face, and on top of that, thrown out of the restaurant for doing nothing other than daydreaming and enjoying the food. Honestly, I miss the food, but will never go there again. Granted, I know sports fans who aren't like that and there are many people out there who are like that, and we have a mutual respect for one another, but apparently where I live (Minnesota, which does have some very rabid sports fans, and I have the scars to prove it) being not being a sports fan, especially as a male, means that you're not a man at all. As for me, why I don't like sports, I just don't. I don't get how they're entertaining or appealing, or even how they're fun. I've spent almost the entire first 20 years of my life trying to get into sports because everyone said that was what I was "supposed to do" and "supposed to like" because it's "normal". After I came to realize that I wasn't going to like or be good at any of them no matter how much my parents tried to get me to do them and everyone else tried to get me to do them (at the young age of 21), I made the decision to just stick with what I like and good at: Music, Writing, and Shooting. Sadly, I was kicked out of Band class for not playing what they considered "normal" instruments (at the time, I played bass guitar), did poorly in English because the way I typed was similar to natural speech (understandable, but English is my second language), and don't even get me started about how people (including my own family) hate that I'm a gifted shooter and instead opt to play Paintball and Airsoft and prefer to spend time at the shooting range (when I'm not watching anime) instead of watching the big sporting event on TV. For the most part, when people don't know I'm not a sports fan, they treat me like any normal typical human being, but the second the World Cup, or Superbowl, or World Series, or whatever other sporting event happens to roll around, and they immediately ask me "Who are you rooting for?" and I reply "Eh, not really a sports fan", then I instantly become the weird outcast that no one should talk to because he's one of "Those crazy people who don't like sports. There must be something wrong with him." As for the more emotional and irrational side of me would like to say, or rather, yell (WARNING: OFFENSIVE): I was in the US Army and bullied all my life. If you come up to me and say that I'm less of a man just because I don't like to watch your stupid sports, just know this: I know who I am and my identity and think for myself, and that is to say it's NOT in finding some sort of hive-mind mentality in watching a bunch of random athletic people run around a field kicking/throwing/catching/hitting whatever else terminology there is and being nothing more than a superficial mindless devoted fan of something that in the grand scheme of things, doesn't really matter! I'd rather be called crazy than be a sports fan, if that's how it's going to be! *slaps myself* Whew, almost lost control there. My emotions are irrelevant and don't really matter. Anyone else run into problems like this?

Well personally, I like pies... Wait, WUT?

Over powered pies are yummy... I thought you like cars? I consider drifting & auto cross a sport, very intense ones too. I'm sorry, Danica messed up NASCAR for me. I also love watching the WRC & PPIHC.

I do love cars and the more technical racing styles, but here, no one considers racing a sport or the ones that do, call Drifing, Auto-X, and Rally as not a real racing sport. Of course, they also state that paintball and airsoft aren't sports either, but by definition they actually are. Not a fan of NASCAR. I want to see driving with highly technical courses with changes in inclines and tight corners, not a giant oval. But even then, I don't like to watch it much (i.e. spectator sport), as I'd rather do it. The exception is pro paintball, but I don't watch it to root for a team or for entertainment, I watch it to learn how it can improve my own playing skills, which sets it apart from American Gridiron Football which unless you're freaking pro at it, you can't really compete in it at the same level and therefore are stuck with watching it as a spectator sport. But, my problem isn't so much with the sports themselves, especially since my fiancee is athletic, but rather the sometimes rabid devoted people involved with it, especially fans. Like I said, I get if you're a fan of "normal" sports, I see no problem with that, just don't come up to me and say that just because I'm not a sports fan I deserve to be treated as less than human. Unfortunately, in my experience, the devoted and rabid fans outnumber the respectful ones. Most of the time, when I say I just don't like sports in general, people instantly think there's something wrong with me. I get a lot of "How can you not like sports, what's wrong with you?" or "If you don't experience the excitement of sports, then what can you be excited for? How can you truly live?" or my favorite "You should be less selfish and just like sports like everyone else." Look, I get it if you like something or passionate about something, but don't try and force me to like something that I just don't like or find any interest in then proceed to ridicule me for liking something different. We're all people and human. It just feels like the rabid variety of sports fans instead say "Either you're a sports fan, or you're not human." I love how when one of those types of fan (again, they're a TYPE of fan, I understand not all are like that) come up to me and try and talk sports, but when I swing the conversation around to guns or cars or gaming or ANYTHING else, they get all mad, then when I explain to them this very concept, they make the excuse "Well, sports is different." No it isn't. Rabid fandom is rabid fandom, no matter what it is. I especially understand this as a Christian. The worst was when I was in the Army, a young man who was younger than me at the time said to my face in front of the platoon "You're not a sports fan? Then you're not a real man!" Thankfully, I was well-respected by my peers and fellow soldiers and he got a lot of reprimand for it, but it still pissed me the f***k off. And bearing in mind, I don't cuss (at least, not anymore). Like I said, no interest in sports, I'll just stick strictly with what I'm good at: Music, Shooting, Writing, and I forgot (thanks Jojoni for reminding me), Japanese cars. And watching anime. Goodness am I good at watching anime.lol

Thankfully I've never run into that. I'm not much of a sports fan either, but I've played a tidbit when I was little and watched a game here or there when someone else was. I don't go looking for it, but I don't really hate it either. It's far cry from my first choice for entertainment though. It's amazing that people actually do things like that. I'd venture to say they're just trying to show off how "tough" they are so they can gossip with their man friends about it like high school girls (no offense to high school girls or their gossip). So you're ex military and you like shooting things. I can't see anything unmanly about that. Putting your life on the line and using weapons (real or airsoft/paintball) is far manlier than a bunch of grown men playing with balls. People find some unbelievable things to complain about -_- To me, rallies, drifting, autocross, and drag racing are just as much sports as anything else. Good rule of thumb: if it's competitive, it's probably a sport. Pies and brownies are both good. Brownies topped with cream cheese is teh sex. NY style cheesecake is god tier pie.

All I can say is, guys with little pricks are the ones who tend to belittle others. I can relate to you a lot because I play the game a lot of people calls the most "Asian" sport of all, table tennis. I find it really funny because the sport actually began in England XD! If they judge you by your preferences, then they have a problem. I tend to just walk away from these types & don't give them what they want, a reaction. Brownies with "herbs" are psychedelic...

Funny. I love sports as much as I love Anime but I'd rather watch sports by myself than in a bar or any other public places because of some of things you have gone through. I don't like hostility and I really wish other sports fans would tone it down ESPECIALLY those not benefiting financially from their favorite teams. I respect your interests and I wish you could come to like sports but not all of us are the same. I had to get DirecTV recently to avoid hanging out with those 'normals' you speak of at the bar and grills. Hell I even met a female server at one bar once but I gave up because I know for a fact that she would accept them and not me because I'd be a weird ass to her. There aren't many hardcore anime AND sports fans out there. Minnesota eh? I bet those are Vikings fans you speak of. Guess I won't like them as I don't like Chicago Bears already because of how hostile and stupid they get. To me sports is as entertaining as Anime. I either like it or I don't. They are both seasonal and both don't benefit me financially but I know I love them. They are just my interests and that's just the way I am and I will be this way because these things help me during a tough time I'm currently going through. You sound like a great guy. Stay that way. I'm not hostile and I don't like hostility either. Instead of breaking stuff and beating people up, I nearly cried toward the end of the USMNT's run in the World Cup recently. Why take my frustrations out on Belgium's and Belgium fans?

Oh man the USMNT. I knew we wouldn't get to the finals but man, what an amazing way to go. Honestly, I already counted it was a triumph cause we beat Ghana! hahaha Well, I can't really add much since I like sports, specifically hockey and soccer. And I like to watch with other people haha :P I suppose the only real thing I can add is when people kinda give me incredulous looks when I state that I don't really like football, which is almost like a religion in Texas, but no one's actually given me crap about it.