American Sports Thread

[gallsman]

Shohei Otani living up to the billing so far.

[passedit]

Shohei Otani living up to the billing so far.

Indeed. A lot of hype (see link) but looks the business so far.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23026169/the-shohei-ohtani-experience-keep-track-angels-phenom-two-way-quest .

Surprised America's game gets so little love on here. Leagues have started promisingly with the Yankees under 500 and booing Stanton, while as of today Phillies are a 500 club so I'm happy enough.

[magpie seanie]

Football is America's game. Baseball regular season games (individually) are as close to irrelevant as you can get without being irrelevant. It only gets interesting for the playoffs or at most after the break.

[AZOffaly]

Ah I don't know Seanie. It just operates at a different pace and with that amount of games it obviously is less intense than football. However as a pulse of the people, and the way it fits into the rhythm of life, I would say baseball is the very definition of Americana.

The baseball strike really hurt the sport because people felt so betrayed that their sport could let them down like that but i think it's bouncing back, especially as the NFL loses ground with it's own image problems.

I love it too

[David McKeown]

What is it they say, every team is going to win 54 games, every team is going to lose 54 games and it's what they do with the other 54 games that count. To me that just suggests there are far too many games. Whilst I still enjoy the sport (as I do most sports) I think it's my least favourite of the big 4

[Ball Hopper]

What is it they say, every team is going to win 54 games, every team is going to lose 54 games and it's what they do with the other 54 games that count. To me that just suggests there are far too many games. Whilst I still enjoy the sport (as I do most sports) I think it's my least favourite of the big 4

Another way to look at it:  Top teams will win around 60% of their games, Bottom teams 40%.  Say they play 5 games a week.  Top team wins 3 a week, Bottom team 2 a week. 

So, each team wins 2 a week and loses two a week, with one game a week up for grabs.

Baseball is America's pastime, rather than its sport. 

[AZOffaly]

What is it they say, every team is going to win 54 games, every team is going to lose 54 games and it's what they do with the other 54 games that count. To me that just suggests there are far too many games. Whilst I still enjoy the sport (as I do most sports) I think it's my least favourite of the big 4

Another way to look at it:  Top teams will win around 60% of their games, Bottom teams 40%.  Say they play 5 games a week.  Top team wins 3 a week, Bottom team 2 a week. 

So, each team wins 2 a week and loses two a week, with one game a week up for grabs.

Baseball is America's pastime, rather than its sport.

That's probably a better way to put it. Nobody gets too upset or too elated on one single game (barring pennant chases or playoffs as Seanie referred to). It's a nice way to spend a few hours in the ballpark, with some food, some beer  and some top technical skills on display.

[lurganblue]

What is it they say, every team is going to win 54 games, every team is going to lose 54 games and it's what they do with the other 54 games that count. To me that just suggests there are far too many games. Whilst I still enjoy the sport (as I do most sports) I think it's my least favourite of the big 4

Another way to look at it:  Top teams will win around 60% of their games, Bottom teams 40%.  Say they play 5 games a week.  Top team wins 3 a week, Bottom team 2 a week. 

So, each team wins 2 a week and loses two a week, with one game a week up for grabs.

Baseball is America's pastime, rather than its sport.

That's probably a better way to put it. Nobody gets too upset or too elated on one single game (barring pennant chases or playoffs as Seanie referred to). It's a nice way to spend a few hours in the ballpark, with some food, some beer  and some top technical skills on display.

Had the pleasure of going to see the blue jays v the yankees in toronto years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Beers, food and a bit of something to watch. i can see why it would be popular. But yes, nobody really seemed to get overly excited, or upset at the end.

[AZOffaly]

It's also a very sensory and nostalgic game. The smells, popcorn, hotdogs etc. The sounds of the ball hitting leather, the crack of the bat. The sight of the green grass and the *usually* good weather.

Add in the nostalgia of American lads remembering playing sandlot or little league or just catch with their dads, and it all becomes sort of chicken soup for the American soul.

[Syferus]

What is it they say, every team is going to win 54 games, every team is going to lose 54 games and it's what they do with the other 54 games that count. To me that just suggests there are far too many games. Whilst I still enjoy the sport (as I do most sports) I think it's my least favourite of the big 4

Another way to look at it:  Top teams will win around 60% of their games, Bottom teams 40%.  Say they play 5 games a week.  Top team wins 3 a week, Bottom team 2 a week. 

So, each team wins 2 a week and loses two a week, with one game a week up for grabs.

Baseball is America's pastime, rather than its sport.

That's probably a better way to put it. Nobody gets too upset or too elated on one single game (barring pennant chases or playoffs as Seanie referred to). It's a nice way to spend a few hours in the ballpark, with some food, some beer  and some top technical skills on display.

Had the pleasure of going to see the blue jays v the yankees in toronto years ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Beers, food and a bit of something to watch. i can see why it would be popular. But yes, nobody really seemed to get overly excited, or upset at the end.

Its popularity has massively faded in recent decades. In part due to the meaninglessness of individual games and a sport that largely involves people standing around and doing little if anything.

If I wanted to attend an American sport that's enjoyable for a spectator it would be ice hockey, to be honest. American football is so totally designed around television viewing it's not even funny. Maybe a high school game you'd get something with a better tempo for a spectator than the pre-packaged NCAA and NFL fare.

[AZOffaly]

Ice hockey is great when you are at the rink. I don't enjoy it nearly as much on TV.  Baseball is certainly not an all action game, but once you attune yourself to the nuances, and the situational stuff, I think it's quite an easy and enjoyable watch.

Different strokes I suppose.

[magpie seanie]

Went to a high school football game in Chicago when we were over there last November 12 months and it was fantastic.

[AZOffaly]

Went to a high school football game in Chicago when we were over there last November 12 months and it was fantastic.

Absolutely! Friday night lights is brilliant. Every Autumn I used have a ball going between the Horizon Huskies high school football, ASU ncaa football and the Cardinals.

[magpie seanie]

Went to a high school football game in Chicago when we were over there last November 12 months and it was fantastic.

Absolutely! Friday night lights is brilliant. Every Autumn I used have a ball going between the Horizon Huskies high school football, ASU ncaa football and the Cardinals.

It must be great playing the game as a high school kid in that environment.

[AZOffaly]

Went to a high school football game in Chicago when we were over there last November 12 months and it was fantastic.

Absolutely! Friday night lights is brilliant. Every Autumn I used have a ball going between the Horizon Huskies high school football, ASU ncaa football and the Cardinals.

It must be great playing the game as a high school kid in that environment.

Great, or shit!