For the love of Pete, WHY?
It’s all about the drama, boy.
Though you’re right (if I’m interpreting you correctly) that it’s another function of the 20th century model of mass communication and the move from a production economy to a consumption economy.
Not unlike how amateur musicians fell by the wayside when recording technology became pervasive. What’s the point in playing yourself when you could watch others do it 100 times better than you can?
Well, I don’t play an instrument. But I’ve always imagined that if I could, I’d rarely want to do anything else.
I don’t watch sports. No sports at all. Not the Super Bowl. Not the Olympics. Not even sports that I, myself, play.
What’s the point? If I’m doing it myself, that’s one thing, but I don’t get any enjoyment out of watching someone else doing it.
For probably the same reason, I don’t watch tapes of other people having sex.
Eh, I enjoy drawing, and believe me, my artworks will never win any prizes…it’s about the creative process.
I can sort of get into watching ice hockey, but it’s more because I am bemused that people would DO this to themselves than actual enjoyment. I don’t enjoy watching other “real” sports, unless I know someone on one or both teams.
I do enjoy watching gymnastics, ice skating, that sort of stuff, but I don’t think that qualifies as real sports. I watch these activities for the same reason I might watch someone dance, because I enjoy the talent and showmanship that is displayed.
Hmmmm, I see that I have to qualify this. I enjoy watching horse races, but that’s because I’m still slightly horsecrazy.
Almost never. Not the Super Bowl, not the World Series, not the Olympics. I’m really just don’t get the point. The world’s full of way too many interesting things to do - why would I waste my time watching sports? I suppose it’s just a matter of personal taste - I just don’t find them interesting. I followed pro wrestling (which isn’t a sport, but “sports entertainment”) for a year or two at one point. I’m starting to watch NASCAR races due to the influence of a couple of friends of mine, but my interest in NASCAR is mostly in the technical side. And even so, I find it hard to watch a race for 3-4 hours straight.
Most professional sports are a collection of spoiled, overpaid crybabies. I rarely watch them. Although, being from Chicago, whenever one of the big teams pulls its collective head out of its ass and makes a good showing, I’ll pay a bit of attention.
I like watching some Olympic stuff. But mostly single person sports like diving, swimming, gymnastics, and the like.
I’d much rather watch someone paint. Art…not walls.
I love sports. I love watching the amazing plays. I love watching the drama of a season long pennant race or a critical Game 7. I love standing in the bleachers and heckling the center fielder.
It’s basically a lot of fun.
When I was younger, I could watch a little gymnastics… but those girls are all way too young to appeal to me, now. 
Originally posted by Neurotik
At last, one of those crazy sports fans! Could you tell me how this came about, and how it influences your life? For instance, does it ruin your whole week when your team loses a game?
I could watch tennis all day. I have watched tennis all day, to the detrement of everything else I had to do. Even if I don’t know who’s playing (I usually don’t) I always cheer for the underdog.
I can watch other sports only if I really care who’s going to win. I don’t follow any sports so I don’t usually care who will win. I’d like Toronto teams to win, so I can watch the Argos (CFL - which beats the pants off the NFL, BTW) or the Leafs although I don’t seriously expect them to win.
Some Olympic sports (gymnastics, speed skating, diving) are neat to watch but I don’t make a point of it - I just don’t change the channel if they happen to come on.
I enjoy sports, watching and playing. Some sports more than others, some not at all (basketball).
How this came about?
Well… as a boy growing up in the mid-west (Pittsburgh) sports was as much a part of my youth as school, riding bikes, and playing solider in the woods. I played organized sports like little league baseball and school-yard sports like football with friends.
How does it influence my life?
For the most part, it does not influence my life but it is a part of my life. As a 34-year old married male, I still remain active in sports. The last year, mostly in competitive volleyball leagues - indoor and sand. I also play hockey on and off. For me, it is great exercise and a fun, competitive social activity. I enjoy competing to win, not just in sports but since that is the focus of this OP, while playing sports. I am not “happy” when I lose, but it is also kept in perspective that someone has to lose. If I, or my team, has competed well and played hard but loses the game then “Hoorah!”. Nothing to feel badly about for too long.
As for watching sports, I enjoy watching football. NFL more than college but living in Columbus, OH I also follow the Buckeyes. Does it influence my life? Not so much. Again, it goes to a part of social interactions. A part of my week is discussing sports with a circle of colleages, friends, etc. My house is not painted Scarlet & Gray or Black & Gold (Go Steelers!), I do not center my social calendar around “the game” although many times I do attend gatherings of friends to watch “the game”. Yet it is not that important to my life or happiness. Playing sports is much more important to me than watching.
For instance, does it ruin your whole week when your team loses a game?
I think as far as participating in sports, no it does not. As I said above, losing is part of competing and can be accepted. If my team, the Steelers, loses a game it does not ruin my week, or my day. Maybe a brief period of time during/after the game where a certain sense of disappointment, whatever. Of course, again with the social interactions, a fair amount of good natured ribbing comes with winning/losing teams fans. For example, when the Steeler’s won their opener against Baltimore I enjoyed gloating it over my friend who is a Raven’s fan. When the Steeler’s lost this week, I heard from my other friends who are not Steeler’s fans and took the ribbing in stride - it is part of the fun of being a fan.
Anyway, I hope that helps to try to fight some ignorance and hopefully you can see it is not all black & white with sports and their fans.
MeanJoe <-- Sports reference.
Mean Joe, I completely understand your position. Especially since you are a player, not just a watcher. I guess I’m trying to find one of the rabid people who does schedule their life around their game watching, or who gets really angry while discussing games with someone who’s a fan of the other team. I know people like this, and I live in a college town, so I see a lot of extreme sports-related behavior which completely amazes me, especially as I don’t even like sports myself.
I can relate to the fan-atic behavior you are referring too, some OSU fans can be rather ahem passionate about Buckeye football.
Even when your former foes are going to be the first team of 2003 to clinch a postseason berth, while your team has fallen from a World Series Championship to a lowly .474 winning percentage?
Gratuitous (but necessary) SoCal bashing aside, Neurotik has nailed it. It’s great drama, and often a hell of a lot more captivating than the crap the game it pre-empting.
Dung Beetle, I doubt that you will find the type of rabid sports fan you are looking for on the SDMB. You probably won’t find many of them on the internet, unless they are checking out sports sites. I enjoy watching sports, but my interest is becoming less and less as the years go by. I used to watch some baseball, but it has become a joke. My biggest interest right now is waiting for OSU to get beat. The longer it takes the sweeter it will be.
I enjoy watching sports almost as much as I enjoy them. And even with the sometimes-horrible memories from grade and high school I still love 'em.
Troy, meanwhile, seems to have forgotten that the Giants’ magic number is even with the Braves (2, I think), but we lead y’all by a game and a half for the best record in the NL;)
(BTW, I wouldn’t be bashing last year’s champs too much, insofar as they still have the rings and y’all do not and they didn’t pull a Wayne Huizenga:D)
I love watching the NFL and the NFL is the only sport I follow. Hell, I even bought a satellite dish for the sole purpose of watching more games. I am not even ashamed to admit that I watch football all day Sunday, which can encompse 3 games or 9 freakin’ hours of viewing pleasure
You will find rabid sports fans on the net. You simply have to find the appropriate forums. Have you ever been to a Raider forum? Damn it gets ugly fast.
Watching sports is simply watching an entertaining program on tv. I find no difference in that. Although I don’t think my blood pressure ever gets as high watching Friends. 
I watch hockey …for the fights
I watch the Superbowl…for the commercials
I love watching sports. Lots of fun to watch, lots of fun to talk about. And I’m sure there are plenty of rabid sports fans on the SDMB, but the nature of the OP and most replies (“how can you like sports? it seems so stupid”) isn’t going to attract many of these people.
What I like about sports, specifically college football, is that it gives me something out of the ordinary to do on Saturday afternoons. I get out of the apt and go interact with 90,000 of my closest friends, all cheering on the team to a common goal. It gives me a reason to take a road trip to Baton Rouge or Knoxville. It gives me something to talk about with complete strangers all over the country (particularly in the Southeast.) I can tailgate on campus with my friends for hours before a game. I can spend hours watching other games and wondering how that affects the chances of the Gators to win championships that year. I have a reason to email my friends who have left town and discuss with them how great DeShawn Wynn is gonna be. It’s no different than any other hobby in that it gives you a way to entertain yourself and talk to people you otherwise might not have much in common with.
It doesn’t ruin my week when we lose. I’m still pained by some bad losses from the past, but those are balanced out by the good memories I have of some of the biggest wins. Sports can only give you as much aggrevation as you let it. Unless you’re a Georgia fan, then you can’t help but be aggravated all the time.
There’s also betting on sports. I run a football pool, and that’s lots of fun. Trying to pick the games correctly and talk good smack to the 20 other people in the pool is highly entertaining. I love fantasy football too (2-0 baby!) and any other form of gambling. I’d hate to think of what sort of boring stuff I’d do for fun if sports didn’t exist.