IDB

Figured it was worth a shot! Is your favourite sport on hiatus and you need to talk about it to fill the gap? Are your national team being particularly irritating recently? Or are your favourite players doing better than ever and earning your love? This is the place to moan/cheer about it all!

I probably watch an excessive amount of sport, with tennis being my favourite - I'm making it three years of camping in the Wimbledon queue this summer! - and motorsports - F1, Formula E, WEC and Indycar - coming second. I also love (international) rugby, track and road cycling, and athletics, and will watch swimming, diving, gymnastics, cricket, and even a bit of golf when they're on.

I thought I would put my thoughts to this!

I am an avid Football ("soccer" ) watcher. I am a Aston Villa football club fan and I guess an England fan. I think friendies are pointless so only watch qualifiers or wc/euros matches. We are never going to win anything again so I don't watch with any hope.

I don't really like any other sports. I will watch the Olympica when they are on and my favourite Olympic sport is gymnastics.

My favourite sport is figure skating. I am completely cuckoo about it. I watch everything. Now it's Worlds actually and I watch all night on crappy Rossiya 1 or Eurosport streams. It's wonderful and my favourites are leading so far. I am very scared of the withdrawal syndrome that's soon to come as its the end of the season and it won't start before september again

internetakeover wrote:I'm making it three years of camping in the Wimbledon queue this summer!

Nice, who did you see at Wimbly? Who are your favourite players? Mine is Nadal (which is basically treason since I am Serbian lol) , i actually wanted to become pro because of him.

Generally, commentary/coverage of my favourite sports (Sailing, Canoeing/Kayaking and Skiing) is pretty cringe/so dumbed down it's unwatchable, or, more usually, non-existent here in the UK, so I'd far rather be out DOING than WATCHING.
No real interest in football, apart from stirring up arguments between opposing fans of rival teams, (Liverpool/Everton most of the time. 50/50 split in my family!) and after being in eepest darkest Welsh Wales at Uni during the Rugby World Cup, I am still too traumatised to offer any opinions whatsoever on that(!)
Used to be very into F1 during the 90s, not so much recently, it takes up waaaaaaay too much time these days.
Football World Cup Preferred Teams: England, Colombia, France.
Rugby: England, France - Scotland/Wales to lose as often as possible.

IckleMissMayhem, what kind of sailing do you do??

daphenaxa wrote:IckleMissMayhem, what kind of sailing do you do??

Dinghy, mostly, but I've been known to do as I'm told quite well on bigger boats(!) Basically, I sail whatever I can get my hands on, would love my own boat, but that's a far-off dream for now. Got dragged up doing it, first time I went sailing I was ten DAYS old, my parents got engaged based on the results of a sailing race, so..!
Been a sailing instructor for 16 years now nearly, through that picked up a big ol' bunch of other instructor qualifications in various sports, and taught all over the damn place. LOVE. IT.

IckleMissMayhem wrote:

daphenaxa wrote:IckleMissMayhem, what kind of sailing do you do??

Dinghy, mostly, but I've been known to do as I'm told quite well on bigger boats(!) Basically, I sail whatever I can get my hands on, would love my own boat, but that's a far-off dream for now. Got dragged up doing it, first time I went sailing I was ten DAYS old, my parents got engaged based on the results of a sailing race, so..!
Been a sailing instructor for 16 years now nearly, through that picked up a big ol' bunch of other instructor qualifications in various sports, and taught all over the damn place. LOVE. IT.

wow super cool!! So you are a sport instructor as a job? or you do that on the side for leisure?
I sail 420's and my family has a small catamaran but I can sail only in summer because there is no sea here

daphenaxa wrote:My favourite sport is figure skating. I am completely cuckoo about it. I watch everything. Now it's Worlds actually and I watch all night on crappy Rossiya 1 or Eurosport streams. It's wonderful and my favourites are leading so far. I am very scared of the withdrawal syndrome that's soon to come as its the end of the season and it won't start before september again

internetakeover wrote:I'm making it three years of camping in the Wimbledon queue this summer!

Nice, who did you see at Wimbly? Who are your favourite players? Mine is Nadal (which is basically treason since I am Serbian lol) , i actually wanted to become pro because of him.

I've caught a little of the figure skating world champs, actually, don't know how I forgot to mention it, it's been great! I don't really know anyone in it but it's a beautiful sport to watch.

Rafa's one of my favourites too! I'm awful at picking ultimate favourites, but he definitely was my number one for years and years, I really hope he has a good clay season. Andy Murray is probably my favourite on the ATP side now, and Serena on the WTA, though I have reams and reams of players I love, that just gets boring fast! I did quite like Novak too before his recent equal pay comments, everything about that was such a mess.

I've been fortunate enough to see Nadal twice, and nearly went for his court when he lost against Dustin Brown last Wimbledon. Kind of glad I missed that, actually, I was sad enough just reading about it! I've also seen Federer, Wawrinka and Sharapova twice, and Djokovic, Azarenka, Ivanovic, Bouchard, Halep and Venus Williams, along with some personal favourites in Aljaz Bedene, Benoit Paire and Pospisil/Sock in the doubles. No prizes for guessing where most of my money has gone these past two years! Also clear proof that the Queue is the best way to attend Wimbledon, not that I'm biased from two years of getting nothing in the ballot or anything.

I know what you mean about commentary, IckleMissMayhem though I'm personally awful at the doing! The rugby world cup doesn't bear reliving, but the Six Nations was another story!

daphenaxa wrote:

IckleMissMayhem wrote:

daphenaxa wrote:IckleMissMayhem, what kind of sailing do you do??

Dinghy, mostly, but I've been known to do as I'm told quite well on bigger boats(!) Basically, I sail whatever I can get my hands on, would love my own boat, but that's a far-off dream for now. Got dragged up doing it, first time I went sailing I was ten DAYS old, my parents got engaged based on the results of a sailing race, so..!
Been a sailing instructor for 16 years now nearly, through that picked up a big ol' bunch of other instructor qualifications in various sports, and taught all over the damn place. LOVE. IT.

wow super cool!! So you are a sport instructor as a job? or you do that on the side for leisure?
I sail 420's and my family has a small catamaran but I can sail only in summer because there is no sea here

Did it full-time as six month contracts on and off in different places for oooh, most of my 20s, now I work for my local county council as both a fitness instructor all-year round, and also as a watersports instructor (sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, powerboating, windsurfing and rafting) during the "summer" - Keeps me hella busy! - if I wasn't in hospital I'd be starting back on the water probably this weekend. So i'm a little bit jealous about that. Being out on the water sailing does wonders for clearing my head! Even just five minutes if I've had a crappy day/session does wonders for my mood!

It's great when the weather's lovely, not quite so much fun in the pissing rain!

internetakeover wrote:Andy Murray is probably my favourite on the ATP side now

I'm a huge Andy Murray fan. I was annoyed he got knocked out so early this year at the only tournament remotely close to me: Indian Wells. I got to see him play there last year & was looking forward to seeing him again. I'm trying to work out if I can make a trip to the UK next year to go to at least one (Murray) Wimbledon match & see The Curse Child.

As for other sports: I'm a hockey fan (Anaheim Ducks)... even used to have season seats for a couple years, but now I rarely get to go to games because of work commitments. I'm also a football/soccer fan: Liverpool, England, & Germany fan.

I tend to actively root against my country in world sporting events... people don't really appreciate that.

My favorite sport to watch has to be athletics, there are just so many good events and it is quite diverse, which I like. I also watch lots of others, but I don’t really follow them closely.
The only time I really watch Football (I refuse to call it soccer) is when countries play, so obviously the FIFA World Cup and the European one. But we haven’t managed to get placed in the later one this time around , so I will be rooting for the Belgians instead.

SquishPhan wrote:My favorite sport to watch has to be athletics, there are just so many good events and it is quite diverse, which I like. I also watch lots of others, but I don’t really follow them closely.
The only time I really watch Football (I refuse to call it soccer) is when countries play, so obviously the FIFA World Cup and the European one. But we haven’t managed to get placed in the later one this time around , so I will be rooting for the Belgians instead.

Tbh living in The Netherlands you literally can't not support the Dutch team, when they're playing in the World Cup there's orange everywhere it's crazy. My dad used to put the British flag up outside our house amongst a street full of Dutch flags until England inevitably got eliminated because they always suck in the World Cup?
I've never been good at or into sports particularly, but I really enjoy watching F1, Wimbledon, Olympics on the TV, particularly love gymnastics, trampolining and equestrian as I did those a bit when I was a teenager.
I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

bluebox-away wrote:

SquishPhan wrote:My favorite sport to watch has to be athletics, there are just so many good events and it is quite diverse, which I like. I also watch lots of others, but I don’t really follow them closely.
The only time I really watch Football (I refuse to call it soccer) is when countries play, so obviously the FIFA World Cup and the European one. But we haven’t managed to get placed in the later one this time around , so I will be rooting for the Belgians instead.

Tbh living in The Netherlands you literally can't not support the Dutch team, when they're playing in the World Cup there's orange everywhere it's crazy. My dad used to put the British flag up outside our house amongst a street full of Dutch flags until England inevitably got eliminated because they always suck in the World Cup?
I've never been good at or into sports particularly, but I really enjoy watching F1, Wimbledon, Olympics on the TV, particularly love gymnastics, trampolining and equestrian as I did those a bit when I was a teenager.
I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

Yeah we get really into it, although not this time around since we sucked and won't even be there. I'm guilty of doing it myself as well, wearing orange shirts when they play and hanging orange flags outside our home. I just love the whole atmosphere that takes over the country when they are playing well.

Also really looking forward to the Olympics, it's the time where I will basically will watch all of the sports, especially if a Dutch person is participating.

SquishPhan wrote:

bluebox-away wrote:

SquishPhan wrote:My favorite sport to watch has to be athletics, there are just so many good events and it is quite diverse, which I like. I also watch lots of others, but I don’t really follow them closely.
The only time I really watch Football (I refuse to call it soccer) is when countries play, so obviously the FIFA World Cup and the European one. But we haven’t managed to get placed in the later one this time around , so I will be rooting for the Belgians instead.

Tbh living in The Netherlands you literally can't not support the Dutch team, when they're playing in the World Cup there's orange everywhere it's crazy. My dad used to put the British flag up outside our house amongst a street full of Dutch flags until England inevitably got eliminated because they always suck in the World Cup?
I've never been good at or into sports particularly, but I really enjoy watching F1, Wimbledon, Olympics on the TV, particularly love gymnastics, trampolining and equestrian as I did those a bit when I was a teenager.
I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

Yeah we get really into it, although not this time around since we sucked and won't even be there. I'm guilty of doing it myself as well, wearing orange shirts when they play and hanging orange flags outside our home. I just love the whole atmosphere that takes over the country when they are playing well.
.

Yet you still beat England on Tuesday. That is how bad our national team is!

jess wrote:

internetakeover wrote:Andy Murray is probably my favourite on the ATP side now

I'm a huge Andy Murray fan. I was annoyed he got knocked out so early this year at the only tournament remotely close to me: Indian Wells. I got to see him play there last year & was looking forward to seeing him again. I'm trying to work out if I can make a trip to the UK next year to go to at least one (Murray) Wimbledon match & see The Curse Child.

Aw, that's a shame! Hope you had a good time anyway, it's a great tournament, I'd love to go someday! That sounds like a great plan for a trip, hope that works out for you!!

bluebox-away wrote:I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

Oh man, same here. Whenever I talk about sport - which is possibly too much - I'm always asked which sports I play and have to be like 'no no, I don't like doing the healthy exercise thing, I just like watching other people do it!'

Kathrynxjane wrote:

SquishPhan wrote:

bluebox-away wrote:

SquishPhan wrote:My favorite sport to watch has to be athletics, there are just so many good events and it is quite diverse, which I like. I also watch lots of others, but I don’t really follow them closely.
The only time I really watch Football (I refuse to call it soccer) is when countries play, so obviously the FIFA World Cup and the European one. But we haven’t managed to get placed in the later one this time around , so I will be rooting for the Belgians instead.

Tbh living in The Netherlands you literally can't not support the Dutch team, when they're playing in the World Cup there's orange everywhere it's crazy. My dad used to put the British flag up outside our house amongst a street full of Dutch flags until England inevitably got eliminated because they always suck in the World Cup?
I've never been good at or into sports particularly, but I really enjoy watching F1, Wimbledon, Olympics on the TV, particularly love gymnastics, trampolining and equestrian as I did those a bit when I was a teenager.
I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

Yeah we get really into it, although not this time around since we sucked and won't even be there. I'm guilty of doing it myself as well, wearing orange shirts when they play and hanging orange flags outside our home. I just love the whole atmosphere that takes over the country when they are playing well.
.

Yet you still beat England on Tuesday. That is how bad our national team is!

True, but you at least got placed for the UEFA Euro. We managed to suck on every game that actually mattered, and even some that didn't. On paper we should have easily been placed, but we suddenly couldn't play football anymore. This still makes me angry and I am not even a huge fun.

internetakeover wrote:I did quite like Novak too before his recent equal pay comments, everything about that was such a mess.

yeah I have a complicated love/hate relationship with Novak. Like he is basically the best sportsman we have ever had here and he has done a lot for Serbian sport and for the country during the floodings and with other charity works. But I honestly don't like his tennis/attitude much.
for the equal pay comments, I think it's just that he is really not good at expressing his opinion without being a dick and offending everyone, but I feel that the idea behind what he said was actually quite pragmatic and sensible.

internetakeover wrote:

bluebox-away wrote:I only enjoy sports when I'm not the one doing it basically..

Oh man, same here. Whenever I talk about sport - which is possibly too much - I'm always asked which sports I play and have to be like 'no no, I don't like doing the healthy exercise thing, I just like watching other people do it!'

It's definitely the best way to do it though, so much less effort involved

IckleMissMayhem wrote: Used to be very into F1 during the 90s, not so much recently, it takes up waaaaaaay too much time these days.

and was much more exciting. Now it's like watching cars go 'round in circles (no offence to any nascar fans ).

bluebox-away wrote:Tbh living in The Netherlands you literally can't not support the Dutch team, when they're playing in the World Cup there's orange everywhere it's crazy.

Lived there for a couple years as a child, and it gets ingrained, I can't not support the orange if I watch one of their games, no matter who they play against.

I used to love watching figure skating, but am plagued by commentators who ruin the whole event, I need to hear the music more and hear them squawk less.

Love sailing. That feeling of the wind pressing against the sails, it's like fighting against it and yet going along with it. (that probably makes no sense, sorry)

teamug wrote:
I used to love watching figure skating, but am plagued by commentators who ruin the whole event, I need to hear the music more and hear them squawk less.

Love sailing. That feeling of the wind pressing against the sails, it's like fighting against it and yet going along with it. (that probably makes no sense, sorry)

I think the British eurosport commentators for figure skating are doing a very good job overall. They don't speak much during the programs and they are always very fair and nice to everyone.

Sailing is the BEST (except when you capsize in ice cold water)

daphenaxa wrote:I think the British eurosport commentators for figure skating are doing a very good job overall. They don't speak much during the programs and they are always very fair and nice to everyone.

Thank you for the rec, I'll definitely check them out.

teamug wrote:

IckleMissMayhem wrote: Used to be very into F1 during the 90s, not so much recently, it takes up waaaaaaay too much time these days.

and was much more exciting. Now it's like watching cars go 'round in circles (no offence to any nascar fans ).

"They're making a left tuuuuurn!!!" Points for reference!)

teamug wrote:Love sailing. That feeling of the wind pressing against the sails, it's like fighting against it and yet going along with it. (that probably makes no sense, sorry)

I get what you mean.

A few people mentioned (formerly) watching F1, is anyone watching the race today? It's been a very exciting start! Trying to make up for the mess of qualifying recently...

I used to be so invested in F1 because my dad also loves it. I still have newspaper cut-outs of Michael Schumacher winnings and retirement. But idk why, after he retires, my country's tv network stop broadcasting it live, and makes me lose my passion.
I remember that season when drivers are not allowed to change tyres for the whole race, when Kimi Raikkonen who was leading, had his tyre blown up (is that the correct term?) in the last lap. That was fun.

I have no idea what's going on nowadays, not even when they race in my country. Haha.

swofro wrote:I remember that season when drivers are not allowed to change tyres for the whole race, when Kimi Raikkonen who was leading, had his tyre blown up (is that the correct term?) in the last lap. That was fun.

the tyres . the rules. always changing, well not always, the rules were the same for a long time, and at some point, it was decided that regulations need to change every year. I don't even know all they've changed, but I do know it's not as good as it was.

Unlike Ice Dance, there the changes made had saved that sport for me. It's what I most enjoy watching out of figure skating. For some reason, pairs (which used to be my favorite) has become boring and repetitive and at this years' worlds I was disappointed in the singles' performances.

I love the Olympics. Summer, Winter, overjoyed every two years. And each time, I end up being seduced by a random sport, and I have to atleast watch every single competition. There's been curling, badminton, and others that I would not otherwise have any interest in, but during the olympics, I am obsessed.