Ask A Foreigner

**Janszoon** · 06-22-2010, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Its just that no matter from which angle i try to look at it, baseball is the equivalent of the sport they made the girls and the younger boys play in school while they gave us a football.

I have tried to watch baseball a few times, fully expecting to be able to prove my childish opinion of a major sport to be untrue and nothing about the game can convince me otherwise or entertain me to the point my opinion wouldnt stand in the way of being able to enjoy it.

So what about running around kicking a ball seems grown up to you? I'm not defending baseball here, by the way (like I said in my last post I'm not a sports fan in general), I'm just curious about how any sport could be viewed as not little kid-ish.

Mojo · 06-22-2010, 06:19 AM

Nothing about it physically makes it "grown-up" apart from maybe fitness as in my view there is probably more constant physical activity without a chance for rest thasn baseball (feel free to argue anyone but i think thats true). Of course you do need to be of a certain age to play the game properly too because if you havent seen a bunch of kids play a football game, they all just chase the ball around the field. There is no such thing as positioning or tactics, they just run around in circles after the ball.

Most sports are childish to an extent, as in children should be able to play them. Even if not entirely accurately.

**Janszoon** · 06-22-2010, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Nothing about it physically makes it "grown-up" apart from maybe fitness as in my view there is probably more constant physical activity without a chance for rest thasn baseball (feel free to argue anyone but i think thats true). Of course you do need to be of a certain age to play the game properly too because if you havent seen a bunch of kids play a football game, they all just chase the ball around the field. There is no such thing as positioning or tactics, they just run around in circles after the ball.

Most sports are childish to an extent, as in children should be able to play them. Even if not entirely accurately.

No argument from me about soccer being better exercise. I think the fact that a gut on a baseball player is not an unheard of thing is evidence enough of that. One comment I will make though, if you want to hear something that argues for baseball being an “adult” game, is this: The big event in baseball, that is the thing that really gets the crowd riled up, is a homerun and kids generally don’t have enough power to hit homeruns very often, it takes an adult to do that.

NumberNineDream · 06-22-2010, 08:32 PM

I love basketball, and I love football, and I love tennis. However, Baseball is VERY boring, and that's after having one of the best seats in one of the final games between New York and Montreal, and showing on TV later that day, after the winning ball went just above us. It just wasn't exciting at all. It was all about overweight guys trying to run a few meters before they continue their break on the bench.

I love basket cause it's a very quick game. Every attack can only last 24 seconds, and a losing team always has chance till the last minute. It's a sport where you really see the work of a team. Where a player that only score points can't do a thing without assists and rebounds. Plus there's all these show off moves, from dunks, dribles and last second shots.

As for football, it's the complete opposite. Even though the goals are rare, the occasions are very frequent. Plus, the styles of playing are very distinctive. Not the only "man on man" or "zone" defence. And of course, it's a team sport by excellence. A team that doesn't keep the communication between the players in passes, is just a loser team. But then of course, there are the players that just can't help but shine under the spotlight, and those goals are always as marvellous as they are rare.

Mojo · 06-23-2010, 01:52 AM

I cant get into basketball. I did get into it while i was in school for a brief period. Went to a few games, just local ones though, not exactly played to any great level or anything. And i watched it a little on TV.

Now i just find it to be too fast and too full of incident and every point scored is met by a big "meh" from me. I just cant convince myself to pay attention when the scoring is so frequent and so relentless that i forget theres a game and a contest buried in there somewhere.

Astronomer · 06-23-2010, 03:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

I cant get into basketball. I did get into it while i was in school for a brief period. Went to a few games, just local ones though, not exactly played to any great level or anything. And i watched it a little on TV.

Now i just find it to be too fast and too full of incident and every point scored is met by a big "meh" from me. I just cant convince myself to pay attention when the scoring is so frequent and so relentless that i forget theres a game and a contest buried in there somewhere.

Basketball I never got into either but I loved playing netball when I was younger. I played in a local team and it is such a great competitive sport. Anyone who says it is a girly sport can get lost too, I know plenty of guys that have had loads of fun playing it...

Burning Down · 06-23-2010, 07:11 AM

I'm not into basketball either. I also think the nets in NBA games should be higher now - I bet some of the players can touch the net without going on their toes! Higher nets might make the game more challenging, and therefore more exciting.

Not into golf either, and it's hardly a sport so I hate when people call it one!

Lateralus, is netball similar to basketball?

Astronomer · 06-23-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Lateralus, is netball similar to basketball?

Netball is similar to basketball... I think it's most popular in Australia and New Zealand so I thought some people might not be familiar with it. Main differences include not being able to dribble, but instead only bounce pass, and not being able to take steps when you catch/ get a hold of the ball, and different set positions and limitations as to where these positions can travel in the court. Kind-of hard to explain but it's a really fun/ awesome/ challenging sport! And it's quite big over here, most people play it or play in a team during their schooling, predominantly females though.

Netball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Janszoon** · 06-23-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Netball is similar to basketball... I think it's most popular in Australia and New Zealand so I thought some people might not be familiar with it. Main differences include not being able to dribble, but instead only bounce pass, and not being able to take steps when you catch/ get a hold of the ball, and different set positions and limitations as to where these positions can travel in the court. Kind-of hard to explain but it's a really fun/ awesome/ challenging sport! And it's quite big over here, most people play it or play in a team during their schooling, predominantly females though.

Netball - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's played over here too, but it's pretty much just one of those weird games you play in gym class. I don't think anyone really plays it at all outside of that scenario here.

AleG · 06-23-2010, 07:57 PM

What's the public transport system like in developed countries? (Cost; How many people use a certain mode, anything else).

Same question for televised programming. (Cost; Number of channels on cable/satellite, anything else)

06-22-2010, 06:19 AM	#412 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Nothing about it physically makes it "grown-up" apart from maybe fitness as in my view there is probably more constant physical activity without a chance for rest thasn baseball (feel free to argue anyone but i think thats true). Of course you do need to be of a certain age to play the game properly too because if you havent seen a bunch of kids play a football game, they all just chase the ball around the field. There is no such thing as positioning or tactics, they just run around in circles after the ball. Most sports are childish to an extent, as in children should be able to play them. Even if not entirely accurately. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

06-22-2010, 08:32 PM	#414 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	I love basketball, and I love football, and I love tennis. However, Baseball is VERY boring, and that's after having one of the best seats in one of the final games between New York and Montreal, and showing on TV later that day, after the winning ball went just above us. It just wasn't exciting at all. It was all about overweight guys trying to run a few meters before they continue their break on the bench. I love basket cause it's a very quick game. Every attack can only last 24 seconds, and a losing team always has chance till the last minute. It's a sport where you really see the work of a team. Where a player that only score points can't do a thing without assists and rebounds. Plus there's all these show off moves, from dunks, dribles and last second shots. As for football, it's the complete opposite. Even though the goals are rare, the occasions are very frequent. Plus, the styles of playing are very distinctive. Not the only "man on man" or "zone" defence. And of course, it's a team sport by excellence. A team that doesn't keep the communication between the players in passes, is just a loser team. But then of course, there are the players that just can't help but shine under the spotlight, and those goals are always as marvellous as they are rare. __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

06-23-2010, 01:52 AM	#415 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	I cant get into basketball. I did get into it while i was in school for a brief period. Went to a few games, just local ones though, not exactly played to any great level or anything. And i watched it a little on TV. Now i just find it to be too fast and too full of incident and every point scored is met by a big "meh" from me. I just cant convince myself to pay attention when the scoring is so frequent and so relentless that i forget theres a game and a contest buried in there somewhere. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

06-23-2010, 07:11 AM	#417 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	I'm not into basketball either. I also think the nets in NBA games should be higher now - I bet some of the players can touch the net without going on their toes! Higher nets might make the game more challenging, and therefore more exciting. Not into golf either, and it's hardly a sport so I hate when people call it one! Lateralus, is netball similar to basketball?