# Stupid sports trends **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 3, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643 "2008-06-03T16:09:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/21 "2008-06-04T02:39:56Z")
[QUOTE=Mullinator] The celebratory “pull on the part of my jersey with the team name after making a big play like we all forgot which team you played for” move. [/QUOTE] No way. Soccer players doing that and kissing the badge… I love that. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/22 "2008-06-04T04:57:11Z")
The assumption that instant replay will solve any and all questionable calls. In reality about 90% of the time it’s still a judgement call even with different angles, and the time watching replays often kills momentum. Microanalyzing athelete’s postgame comments. They’re incredibly tired guys who aren’t exactly known for great speaking abilities, but they’re treated as if they’re doing speeches on Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/23 "2008-06-04T08:40:45Z")
Sports players, especially baseball players, are the most supersitious people ever. The no-hitter-in-progress jinx is probably the worst offense in my opinion. Just play the game and stop worrying about it! ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/24 "2008-06-04T11:31:55Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] No way. Soccer players doing that and kissing the badge… I love that. [/QUOTE] My dislike is driven more by basketball players. It’s done in such a way that the pulling of the jersey is theoretically showing off the team that won, but really it only serves to highlight the individual. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/25 "2008-06-04T11:39:29Z")
The University of Michigan student section doing the “you suck” cheer every time the opposition fails on a third down conversion. Also standing for the entire freaking game. I thought sitting in the student section with my son would be fun. Standing the entire game was not, especially after walking a stinking mile to the stadium. The God Bless America 7th inning stretch. Time to end it, it disrupts the flow of the game too much. Hockey arenas who think you must have blaring music every second that the puck is not in play. Student sections in college basketball arenas that have Gestapo rules for having to wear the correct t shirt, standing the entire game, and not being allowed to miss games. Yes, Izzone, I’m talking to you! ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/26 "2008-06-04T14:42:49Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] Sports players, especially baseball players, are the most supersitious people ever. The no-hitter-in-progress jinx is probably the worst offense in my opinion. [/QUOTE] That’s one of the few that I thought actually had some basis behind it – if you’re pitcher is in a groove, why take the chance of getting him nervous or too tense by thinking about his no-hitter? Doesn’t make much sense for him to face awkward silence once he’s realized he’s got a no-hitter going, but it’s reasonable to not bring it up if he’s not thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/27 "2008-06-04T15:07:11Z")
[QUOTE=installLSC] The assumption that instant replay will solve any and all questionable calls. In reality about 90% of the time it’s still a judgement call even with different angles, and the time watching replays often kills momentum. [/QUOTE] Oh, bollocks. I bet you instant replay in baseball would take less than half the time that the traditional manager’s rant after any iffy call does. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/28 "2008-06-04T17:31:13Z")
The annoying “train whistle” for home team goals at hockey rinks. Believe me, it never used to be this way. What other sport sounds a 100 dB horn with every score? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/29 "2008-06-04T18:17:26Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] The annoying “train whistle” for home team goals at hockey rinks. Believe me, it never used to be this way. What other sport sounds a 100 dB horn with every score? [/QUOTE] Funny, I never hear this at the Islander games I attend… ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/30 "2008-06-04T19:55:56Z")
Yeah, well The Islanders are playing after all… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/31 "2008-06-04T20:09:52Z")
…but I thought I would ask. In the 1970’s basketball backboards were made of glass-and everytime sombody shot real hard, the backboards would shatter. Seems like it never happens today! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/32 "2008-06-04T20:35:35Z")
[QUOTE=installLSC] The assumption that instant replay will solve any and all questionable calls. In reality about 90% of the time it’s still a judgement call even with different angles… [/QUOTE] I don’t think anyone herald it as a godsend, as least not since the NFL has illustrated as much. And I wouldn’t say (WRT baseball) that it’s still 90% judgment. Still judgment, no doubt, but replays take a lot of the guesswork out of it. That said, I do not support IR in MLB. IIRC, it’s being proposed for home run calls only, and most of the problems with these is stupid stadium design with crooked edges and fuzzy borders- SF’s [vertical yellow line](http://www.flickr.com/photos/troymccluresf/1446746648/) above “421” and the front edge of the arcade are just asking for trouble (if they haven’t already caused it). ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/33 "2008-06-04T20:51:42Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] ..but I thought I would ask. In the 1970’s basketball backboards were made of glass-and everytime sombody shot real hard, the backboards would shatter. Seems like it never happens today! [/QUOTE] That pretty much only happened after a monster dunk. I know some backboards are now coated with a laminate to prevent shards of glass from flying all over the court in the event someone shatters a backboard. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/34 "2008-06-04T21:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=Labrador Deceiver] That pretty much only happened after a monster dunk. I know some backboards are now coated with a laminate to prevent shards of glass from flying all over the court in the event someone shatters a backboard. [/QUOTE] Agreed, it only happened on a huge dunk. They have also instituted “break-away” rims. They kind of fold when too much force is applied. I remember when these were brought out, sometime in grade-school (1978?-ish), they looked quite different from the old style hard rims. Some of the better players claimed it made shooting from distance more difficult. But, I mean really, fifth graders complaining about the rims. They weren’t that good. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/35 "2008-06-04T23:02:47Z")
Maple bats. I’ve seen enough. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/36 "2008-06-04T23:34:46Z")
Faking injuries has rendered most international soccer unwatchable to me. Thundersticks, jumbotron-led cheering and other fan gimmicks scream, “Our fan base is a bunch of idiots.” The BCS. Enough said. Ex-players being forced to talk about fantasy football. This is just painful to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/37 "2008-06-05T00:00:04Z")
I agree with a lot of the ones listed: maple bats, soccer diving, the wave (except during day games when the home team is way up and it’s after the 7th inning). One from baseball I’ve starting seeing more is non-Cubs teams throwing back the baseball after a home run. Why anyone would want to imitate Cubs fans is beyond me… ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/38 "2008-06-05T13:52:04Z")
[QUOTE=installLSC] Microanalyzing athletes’ postgame comments. They’re incredibly tired guys who aren’t exactly known for great speaking abilities, but they’re treated as if they’re doing speeches on Iraq. [/QUOTE] Hear, hear. With respect to baseball players, about half of them aren’t even native speakers of English. Yet every utterance is disected on blogs and sports talk radio as if it issued from the oracle at Delphi. The curse of cheap bandwidth–too many people saying too much about too little. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/39 "2008-06-05T15:37:25Z")
Yelling “puto” as a goal kick is taken. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643/40 "2008-06-05T15:41:35Z")
[QUOTE=duality72] Yelling “puto” as a goal kick is taken. [/QUOTE] What is the point of that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-sports-trends/451643.md?page=3)