OT: Do you need a rooting interest to watch a sporting event?

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Yes, I need a rooting interest. But it largely depends on the sport.

College football, I can flip on pretty much any game and find a team to root for within five minutes. NFL, I usually have a built in rooting interest based on the hierarchy of which teams I like. Any other sport (mlb, nhl, nba, and even college hoops), I need a dedicated rooting interest to even turn it on.

The only other sports I can watch without a rooting interest are tennis and golf. But I rarely watch those sports anymore and usually only during a major.

 

[pittmeister]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

in most cases no. However I do tend to root for teams my close friends follow. For instance, I want the Bills to win very badly. One of my best friends is a long suffering Buffalo fan who is 65 years old. Before they throw the dirt over him, I want him to experience one of his teams winning it all.

 

[Panther Holla]

CFB, basketball, I can pick a team to root for or against in a second. Anything else I can enjoy watching the game or sport without taking a side. I like to think along with the coaches.

 

[KennyTheKangaroo]

i root for a good game, especially when there is a pandemic and nothing else is going on.

 

[PharMorNightStocker]

There are different levels of rooting interests for me. One would be my team. Next would be a team playing against a team I don't like. Next would be a big underdog. After that, I usually find myself pulling for whichever team is losing or something. But yeah... sometimes I just genuinely don't care who wins. College football is probably the easiest for me to watch in those circumstances, though I've been watching more non-Steeler NFL games than ever these days, and I'm actually enjoying them. I've grown to almost hate basketball, though. I can only watch Pitt. I used to love watching random teams in college basketball, but not anymore. Hockey I don't watch at all anymore, and baseball is trending down that path.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

in most cases no. However I do tend to root for teams my close friends follow. For instance, I want the Bills to win very badly. One of my best friends is a long suffering Buffalo fan who is 65 years old. Before they throw the dirt over him, I want him to experience one of his teams winning it all.

I wanted the Bills to win as well as most of my extended family is from Western NY. But the insufferable media coverage is making it really difficult.

 

[FireballZ]

Good topic.

Gambling has ruined my pure passion for sports. Outside of golf (I know, I know), I can't watch a sporting event that doesn't involve my team or have a significant impact on my team. That includes the Super Bowl, Final Four, etc.

 

[Burgh15]

I always have some sort of rooting interesting and it can change mid-game when it's two teams I don't follow or care that much about.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

If completely neutral, I root for a good game.
I DO have some rooting interests. Obviously the home teams, whoever is playing PSU, whoever is playing the Flyers are my top tier.
Then if a team winning or losing affects the status of one of my home teams, obviously have rooting interest.
I don't really gamble, but I have played fantasy so that would affect rooting, at least on an individual basis.

But say Gonzaga/Baylor? I can say Gonzaga, but really just hoping for a good game. It was hard in the CFP because I dislike both Ohio State and Alabama. So I watched without any emotion. These coming NFL playoffs, in the NFC, I don't care. In the AFC, I have always adapted the Bills as my "2nd" favorite NFL team, so will root for them.

 

[Las Panteras]

Does it not depend on what you are watching?

I mean, I am going to watch Tom Brady this weekend and hope he gets his ass kicked.

But i am also going to watch whatever golf is on TV and just marvel at how great those guys are.

I love Stanley Cup Hockey regardless of who is playing, but if the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox or Cubs are on TV I want them to lose.

For me, it depends on the sporting event.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

I can root for the team PSU is playing, but I can’t watch the game. I have no interest in watching PSU play anything. For that matter, I don’t care to watch any Big 10 team play.

If completely neutral, I root for a good game.
I DO have some rooting interests. Obviously the home teams, whoever is playing PSU, whoever is playing the Flyers are my top tier.
Then if a team winning or losing affects the status of one of my home teams, obviously have rooting interest.
I don't really gamble, but I have played fantasy so that would affect rooting, at least on an individual basis.

But say Gonzaga/Baylor? I can say Gonzaga, but really just hoping for a good game. It was hard in the CFP because I dislike both Ohio State and Alabama. So I watched without any emotion. These coming NFL playoffs, in the NFC, I don't care. In the AFC, I have always adapted the Bills as my "2nd" favorite NFL team, so will root for them.

 

[pittmeister]

If completely neutral, I root for a good game.
I DO have some rooting interests. Obviously the home teams, whoever is playing PSU, whoever is playing the Flyers are my top tier.
Then if a team winning or losing affects the status of one of my home teams, obviously have rooting interest.
I don't really gamble, but I have played fantasy so that would affect rooting, at least on an individual basis.

But say Gonzaga/Baylor? I can say Gonzaga, but really just hoping for a good game. It was hard in the CFP because I dislike both Ohio State and Alabama. So I watched without any emotion. These coming NFL playoffs, in the NFC, I don't care. In the AFC, I have always adapted the Bills as my "2nd" favorite NFL team, so will root for them.

I’m the same. As for Tampa Bay and Green Bay on Sunday, I’m rooting for a great game

 

[JSSTartan]

I don’t need a rooting interest going into a sporting event, but I generally will develop one as the game progresses.

I love college football and will watch darn near every game I can fit into my schedule.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I mean, I am going to watch Tom Brady this weekend and hope he gets his ass kicked.

I find him a lot more likeable now that he's not with the Patriots. That being said, I'm a Packers fan so I'm definitely agreeing with you for this week!

 

[President Stache]

I can root for the team PSU is playing, but I can’t watch the game. I have no interest in watching PSU play anything. For that matter, I don’t care to watch any Big 10 team play.

Same, that’s why I legit didn’t understand the Barkley buzz cause the only time I saw him Conner outplayed him in 16 and honestly ollison looked just as good as he did the next season, and that’s when we started Max Browne at qb, and with a fairly weak d that year, psu still only had 300 yards of offense againat

Obviously I can see he is a great back now of course if he is healthy.

I think in general I don’t need a rooting interest, just need boredom. If I have literally anything else to do I would go to that over watching a sporting event of 2 teams I don’t care about.

 

[wbrpanther]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

Other than Pittsburgh teams, I need a rooting interest as in seeing anyone beat the nits or Browns or Ravens etc.

 

[TD_6082]

Sometimes, I actually find the games more enjoyable when I don't have a rooting interest.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

Sometimes, I actually find the games more enjoyable when I don't have a rooting interest.

I think that’s why I like Bowl season so much. I enjoy watching teams who don’t normally schedule each other.

 

[Pitt79]

I definitely need rooting interest to really care and to watch from beginning to end. I have a hierarchy of sports events to watch

Steelers
Pitt Football
Pitt Basketball
Penguins

I have favorites in soccer as well, 3-4 that I will watch

I have my DVR set to all of these teams, and basically only watch their games. And yeah, sometimes I'll watch NFL Redzone for a few hours or maybe some random game I stumble upon. And I'm also into rooting for underdogs, Like when UCF played Auburn in a bowl game, I really wanted to see that and root for UCF.

But mostly, I really need to have rooting interest to be on the edge of my seat over a sports event.

And "quality of play" never matters, I'll watch MLS over EPL or Pitt/Wake Forrest over Alabama/Clemson

 

[Pitt79]

in most cases no. However I do tend to root for teams my close friends follow. For instance, I want the Bills to win very badly. One of my best friends is a long suffering Buffalo fan who is 65 years old. Before they throw the dirt over him, I want him to experience one of his teams winning it all.

That's another thing, I also will root for the Bills, just because they haven't done anything in 25 years. Same for the Browns, I rooted for them over KC just because I like when the underdog "ruins the bracket".

 

[Pitt79]

Or, I like oddball things, where I don't need rooting interest, like the XFL, something like that can interest me just because it's totally different from the norm.

 

[Pitt79]

i root for a good game, especially when there is a pandemic and nothing else is going on.

This was true too, early pandemic when all sports were cancelled, I was watching Korean baseball and German soccer just because there was nothing else.

 

[Pitt79]

I find him a lot more likeable now that he's not with the Patriots. That being said, I'm a Packers fan so I'm definitely agreeing with you for this week!

I've actually decided, F it, I'll give it up for Tom, he's the GOAT, it was him not Belechik, I mean if he can move to TB and SUDDENLY the Bucs get to the Super Bowl, all the praise he gets is deserved. This is his 16th conference championship game, 16! Ben has been to FIVE, and to me 5 in 17 years seems respectable, but SIXTEEN? You gotta respect him.

 

[Bethlehemjohn]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

No.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

I'm with you. I have no problem watching a sporting event that I have no real rooting interest in. Sometimes during the game I will start pulling for one team or the other, but sometimes not.

If the game is good enough I will watch just about any two teams.

 

[TFBaum]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

I am split if it is NL MLB then yes if it is college basketball or soccer no. NFL other than the Steelers could careless and probably wouldn’t watch.

 

[TFBaum]

Or, I like oddball things, where I don't need rooting interest, like the XFL, something like that can interest me just because it's totally different from the norm.

Curling. I actually enjoy watching it.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I’m the same. As for Tampa Bay and Green Bay on Sunday, I’m rooting for a great game

I'm rooting for Brady, don't hate me, lol

 

[yourhired]

I like to watch sports I don't necessarily need a rooting interest now if I don't have a rooting interest may not stick with it from start to finish.

 

[NTOP]

Yes, I need a rooting interest. But it largely depends on the sport.

College football, I can flip on pretty much any game and find a team to root for within five minutes. NFL, I usually have a built in rooting interest based on the hierarchy of which teams I like. Any other sport (mlb, nhl, nba, and even college hoops), I need a dedicated rooting interest to even turn it on.

The only other sports I can watch without a rooting interest are tennis and golf. But I rarely watch those sports anymore and usually only during a major.

I enjoy college FB & BB but watch less these days. Very little NFL, MLB, NBA and no NHL or futbol. Love T&F and golf if recorded. No talking heads, ever.

 

[BFo8]

I don’t need a rooting interest at all as long as it’s a sport I enjoy. Usually I watch games for the pure enjoyment or to learn something I can use in the future on the wagering end.

 

[Pittisit4me]

I can root for the team PSU is playing, but I can’t watch the game. I have no interest in watching PSU play anything. For that matter, I don’t care to watch any Big 10 team play.

I have to say that I loved watching the pedophiles first 5 games this year. I didn't watch all of each game but saw alot of each. It is very enjoyable to see them suck! One of my favorite college football games of all time was when Temple beat them a few years back when The great Christian Hackenburg was the quarterback and Temple sacked him 10 times in the game. I was laughing my ass off the entire time.

I will say it helps to have a rooting interest when watching a game and I am pretty good at creating one, even if it is just adopting the underdog.

 

[TD_6082]

I'm rooting for Brady, don't hate me, lol

Same.

 

[TD_6082]

I think that’s why I like Bowl season so much. I enjoy watching teams who don’t normally schedule each other.

I like the concept, and I loved bowl games growing up. However, I just don't like how they evolved from something special that teams really wanted to win, to basically an exhibition game where multiple players sit out, coaching changes have already taken place, etc.

I'm really looking forward to Pitt's series with Tennessee and Wisconsin.

TBH, I expect the Backyard Brawl to have lot of energy and buzz around it when it resumes. The whole WVU thing is weird. They went from our biggest yearly rival, to a dormant series with no common opponents, competing in leagues with vastly different geographic footprints. It hardly feels like the school just over 70 miles south.

 

[upj87]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

if I hooked you up to a polygraph during a game it would show you have a rooting interest with one of the participants involved........impossible to watch a game and not pull one way or the other...

 

[Pitt79]

I have to say that I loved watching the pedophiles first 5 games this year. I didn't watch all of each game but saw alot of each. It is very enjoyable to see them suck! One of my favorite college football games of all time was when Temple beat them a few years back when The great Christian Hackenburg was the quarterback and Temple sacked him 10 times in the game. I was laughing my ass off the entire time.

I will say it helps to have a rooting interest when watching a game and I am pretty good at creating one, even if it is just adopting the underdog.

I honestly hate NEGATIVE rooting interest, like the t shirts that are blue with a silver star and say F the Cowboys, I often root against teams I hate, but I don't go out of the way to watch them, or search for their score. A lot of Pitt fans are way to obsessed with Penn State

 

[pittdan77]

I absolutely watch football games that I have no rooting interest in because I'm a fan of the game. I watch it differently, though. I'll focus on what the line is doing or how a team is adjusting to sets. I like when ESPN does some alternative camera angles on a second station for a big game. Also enjoy fantasy football. You pay attention to more teams and players. Things that are going on around the league. Only football though. I was like that with college basketball at one time but not so much anymore.

 

[revampedpanthers]

I always see tweets on Twitter, polls, "who do you want to win...." between games, teams, players etc...

What about, "I don't care?" I can watch a sporting event without any care to who wins. I don't think that is that difficult. Thought this seems like a foreign concept to a certain segment of our society. Someone asked "Would you rather see AB or Lev Bell get to the Super Bowl?" My true answer is "I don't care". I watched some of the Edmonton/Toronto hockey game last night, I could care less who won. Most sporting events I watch, I just watch for the entertainment, not rooting interests.

Am I the only one?

Certain sports yes. Others no I can watch football just for the hell of it, but basketball,baseball and hockey I need a rooting interest. Even football I won't watch the hole game if I don't care who wins.