Sports you do not "get"

[tikay]

Cycling.

Guy on a bike pedalling. So exciting.

Vinni, you have listed 4 or 5 sports you don't get - but you are a Scot. Scots don't really do sport.

We do. Shinty, curling, haggis hurling, tossing a caber, and smoking. Bingo too, if we have any of our giro left at the end of the week.

The case rests.

[DungBeetle]

I think some of the "charm" of F1 is the technical race to develop the best car within the regulations, and the fact that some cars will work better on some tracks than other.  And indeed the best car at the start of the season might not be the best car at the end.

Personally, I think the drivers kind of like to hide behind the fact that the cars are different to a certain degree.   Vettel is going to be 4 time world champion, but Alonso, Hamilton and Raikkonen can all argue that they are the best drivers in the world.  Similarly the guys at the back can argue that they are as good as Webber/Massa/Rosberg/Grosjean.  The truth is it is a travelling circus - would you really want to risk being the dunce at the back every race when you have identical cars!?

[outragous76]

"Why not give them all the same equipment and then we see competitive racing and the best driver will come out on top?"

To be fair they tried that with A1 racing and nobody bothered to watch.  

But it takes time, you have to get to know the characters and people involved.

A bunch of no names driving round is of no interest to anyone.

Put Alonso, Hamilton and Webber in the same type of car and let them race.

You don't think people would watch that?

Its been done several times (pretty sure indy car has significant restrictions).

F1 has always been the pinnacle and worked as it does

[bobby1]

Motor sports, Cycling ( I mean what is the point in standing halfway up a mountain to watch some guys on a bike go past you once)

Rugby Union, Italian football, TBLITW football.

[The Camel]

Motor sports, Cycling ( I mean what is the point in standing halfway up a mountain to watch some guys on a bike go past you once)

Rugby Union, Italian football, TBLITW football.

A man after my own heart.

Agree with all these apart from cycling. But live spectating on road cycling must be the most pointless thing ever. Can only watch the Tour on the telly.

I would add international football. Most pointless thing ever. Just gives a load of BNP and EDL loonies have the chance to be nearly respectable.

And three weekends per season we have to go without proper football.

World Cups and Euros do not compensate fully for 3 Saturday's and Sundays where we have to find something else to do with our sad lives.

[Junior Senior]

Cricket.

More specifically test cricket. Twenty twenty and limited overs makes much more sense and just seems fairer

[TightEnd]

Cricket.

More specifically test cricket. Twenty twenty and limited overs makes much more sense and just seems fairer

fairer?

the shorter formats are a lot more random, skill plays out much more over a test match

[Longy]

Cricket.

More specifically test cricket. Twenty twenty and limited overs makes much more sense and just seems fairer

Wait what? There is a lot more luck in limited overs games than tests.

I must admit this is pretty common the dislike for test cricket among people who otherwise sports fans, but surely this has more to do with how long it takes.

[AndrewT]

Definitely basketball.

Man gets ball.
Man with ball starts bouncing it and shoulder charges man without ball.
Foul called against the guy who was just stood there.
Some fella get a chance to throw the ball in the basket while the other team have to stand around and watch.
Repeat a million times, final score 500,002 v 500,000.

[Tal]

Never got into (field) hockey, ice hockey, hurling, gaelic football, Aussie rules, either kind of volleyball, fishing, surfing, Xgames (with the exception of the X fighters motor cross acrobatic stuff), biathlon, triathlon or dressage.

Pretty much anything else I'll happily watch.

Basketball is a borderline for me. Used to follow it and can happily watch a game if it is on, but wouldn't go out of my way to watch it.

[Alverton]

Test cricket, Rugby Union, Pub games and fishing as a spectator, MMA, Baseball, Polo

[DungBeetle]

Just don't get the excitement of rugby league either.

 

[Longy]

Sailing as a spectator sport seems pretty brutal, when I have watched at the olympics. Though I am not sure anyone really watches it, so presumably the vast majority don't get it.

[TightEnd]

I love lots of sports that people don't get (test cricket, rugby, F1 etc)

but


Drag Racing

Two aeroplace engine powered cars line up side by side

The driver presses the accelerator

Five seconds later he presses a button to let out a parachute to slow him down

That's it


Repeat all day

and people pay to watch it at Santa Pod and other places?

[bobby1]

Deal or no deal (ok, I'm expanding here) its a game that should take 5 minutes that last for 45 and nobody ever finishes the game properly, they just call it off halfway round when it suits  and then everyone claps and opens the unopened boxes.

Actually that last bit is a bit like Italian football too.

I agree with Longy re Sailing too.