Chicagoist: Newsflash: Some Women Actually Like Sports

Spook

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:56:33 -0600

Now that the intellectual midgets have climbed back into their tiny cars, let me end this. Its funny how the choice for women is between the stupid Fields of Wriggly or sunning on the beach? What about at a book store? Or doing art? But the author is right in many ways. It’s about women’s maturity as opposed to that of men’s Even western women have been more mature than western men, less aggressive, less inclined to be part of the silly pack. Less violent, until now. Heck just remember Lysistrata, who wanted an end to endless Peloponnesian(sp?) war, along with the rest of the Greek and Spartan women. So they closed their legs and barricade themselves in Acropolis until the men stopped fighting. Today's women who want to play cheerleader if not joining the fight! Women in the past were not sports crazy until as of late. Those of you who are saying that a subconscious desire for sports is not part of white male patriarchy are just culturally blind. Women now want to play Nascar! Who are they getting this from? It’s like Black folks wanting to play golf. It’s not out of a love for the game, but from a need to assume the roll of the oppressing class

Dude II

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:07:32 -0600

Wow, HuffPo is really racking up the Dumb Sports Column prizes early... John Cusack Column As for me, I didn't/don't understand the attraction to "Sex In The City", the series OR the movie. So I think me and Miss Alphabet Soup have some things in common.

lamgray

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:01:08 -0600

John the article was fine in her distaste for sports, UNTIL at the end when she questioned the female sports fans intentions asking if they were in it for the actual games, or for the men in their lives. Frankly, as a woman who has played and watched sports all of her life (despite the men in her life), I find that insulting. Had I said, do you write b/c you enjoy it or for to bond with men? Wouldn't she equally find that insulting?

JD84

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:11:50 -0600

My only complaint about women and sports is the marketing of pink "official team merchandise". I guess that purchase of a light pink Rex Grossman jersey wasn't such a wise investment...

JohnNash

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:50:44 -0600

Hi Margaret, do something for me. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and exhale. That's good ... now one more time ... gooooood. From your post above, I gather that you like sports. Right? And that Bahar Takhtehchian doesn't. So what? I've read Bahar's post. I don't recall her making any broad conclusions about female sports fans so much as asking why Chicago seems to have a disproportionately large female sports contingent compared to most areas of the country. She didn't seem to be putting you or any other sports fan down. So first, stop crying. All better? Good. Did you really infer from her post that because SHE doesn't like sports, she believes that no woman likes sports? I think she was just asking the same question I've asked since moving here. What's the deal with so many female sports fans in this city? I've lived in Tennessee and New York. Neither compares to the number of female fans here. Bahar's a chick. I'm a dude. She doesn't like sports. I do. But we do have one thing in common. Like her, I don't understand why so many more women here love sports. All she was doing was asking a question, so chill out, Marge. Ingrid put it best above. There aren't many women dying to watch sports without the company of others -- which is a pronounced difference from men. And I think that's the point Takhtehchian was making with her final comments. And so what if she finds tanning more appealing than spending a Saturday afternoon in a sports bar. I hate sports bars too, but I love sports. But why do you care so much? All she seems to be doing is expressing how alienated she feels as a woman who doesn't like sports in this city. I don't think she's judging women (or, as you have so obviously made clear taking this so personally, YOU). She's simply trying to understand the appeal of sports -- and being a woman, to women in particular. And of course she's not concerned with men's interest in sports in this article - because Bahar is a woman. And newsflash, Margaret: more men like sports than women. So it wouldn't make much sense for Bahar, as a woman trying to relate to and understand other Chicago women, to write a post about why men like sports. Now would it? That kind of post would probably be as interesting as your own misguided and illogical response above. "Nothing Takhtehchian mentions in her story applies more to female fans than male ones — except for her degrading conclusion." Right, nothing except the degrading conclusion. And that she herself is a woman trying to understand the typical Chicago female sports fan. What genderless society do you live in, Margaret? Some women like sports. Some don't. But more -- than usual -- seem to like them here in Chicago. Takhtehchian is simply pointing that out -- and how she doesn't fit that mold. So she lists her likes and dislikes. And one of her dislikes is sports. "That's fine," you say. That's right. It IS fine. Because this is an opinion piece, a personal essay, a blog post -- not the broad characterization of or attack on women that you seem to claim it is. How about this? You stop criticizing columns for not addressing issues that YOU want them to address (but that they're not at all discussing), and I'll stop breaking down your weak and pathetic arguments against them? Deal? Seriously, Margaret, is everything alright at home? As for all the commenters, I think Takhtehchian seemed to acknowledge female sports fans just fine. Did you read her actual post or just the response from this bitter hack Margaret Lyons? She doesn't need to move on. She's not angry. You all are for some reason. Please, please. Don't be like Margaret and take a simple blog post so personally. It's unhealthy. Oh, and AnnieF ... I don't think you're unenlightened because you watch sports. I think you're unenlightened because you can't pronounce "Takhtehchian." And because you like Chopin vodka, which is absolutely horrible. But go Cubs!

happyfunball

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:10:18 -0600

My college psychology professor had a theory that men are so passionate about sports because it replaces our hunter-gatherer instinct that's been neglected since we've been moving to an industrial society, and thus, been further removed from our food sources or some other such blarney. I went to a bullshit state school, so what does he know? My point is pretty much men are supposed to be obsessed with the guys that can take down a mammoth while women are more "meh" on the topic.

lulu

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:47:24 -0600

I love watching MY teams, but I have plenty of female friends who love watching all sports. My best friend has refused shoe shopping at Nordstroms in favor of watching the NFL, and both she and my sister-in-law are huge fantasy football players. It sucks when women are the ones perpetuating this kind of crap.

annieF

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:27:12 -0600

Okay, I gotcha Ingrid. I guess I would only knock over (gently) my own child for the NFL football... I would probably prioritize ahead of other sports... maybe. ;)

Ingrid

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:08:12 -0600

Annie, You're pretty much making my point. The guys who are sports nuts will just about knock over their own babies to get to a TV that has ANY sport or ANY game from ANYWHERE. You're saying that you like to watch your ChicAHgo teams. That's pretty typical of a lot of Chicago females (their Cubs, their Bears, their Sox)...but for the testosterone ridden homo sapiens it is not about what team is playing...it is about ANY sport, ANY where and ANY time ANY place ANY weather. That is a trait that is pretty much male only.

annieF

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:42:50 -0600

Ingrid - you can count me first.... I don't even know where to begin with this dumb article of Takhtehchian's. (seriously, how in hell do you pronounce that?) Why do I love sports? Why do I sit in a bar for hours on end watching the Bears and love it? Why would I prefer to drink beer instead of Ketel & sodas (not always, but when I do drink vodka, I choose Chopin)? Why would I prefer an afternoon at Wrigley than at the beach? In the long run, I don't know... I know it's not for the over-simplistic and contrived reasoning she suggested. I developed my love for sports on my own too, definitely not from my father's influence!! As painful as it is to accept, my cheesehead mother has been a lifelong, legitimate Packers fan. I watched my brother play high school & college sports. I played sports in high school and college & worked sports camps during summers in college. I still go to as many high school, college & professional sporting events that I can attend because it's entertaining, not because I'm unenlightened. And not because I want acceptance from anyone! And my husband certainly doesn't mind! Ugh... I gotta stop. I feel dumb for commenting. I need to pay attention to the Cubs game. Damn! Pirates just took the lead!

Spook

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:22:51 -0600

I know lots of yuppie chicks who love sports, its how they submit and gain accetance in their culture

Ingrid

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:04:34 -0600

I can see where she's coming from. I've never in my life met a girl/woman who was into sports as much as the guys I know and have known. I don't think you'll find too many women who drool at the prospect of watching ESPN for every and any game they can find whenever they can find it....like lots of men I know...and lots of men I don't know! There are games I go nuts for...like the World Cup, Super Bowl, World Series (but only if there is a team that I care about is playing...I seriously got goose bumps when the Red Sox won the Series!!), Michigan vs Ohio State and that's about it. I bet you could count on one hand the number of women that would actually, when home alone, on their days off, savor the thought of a 12 pack and any game they can find on tv and then sit there like a zombie watching games without even realizing what is going on around them like men do, weekend after weekend, after weekend after weekend after weekend after weekend after weekend......

garlic

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:26:08 -0600

mmm.... pornography....

whet

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:40:41 -0600

I think the simplest explanation for the piece is that "what is the deal with [gender] + [stereotype]!?!?" is Web Troll Bait 101. That construction is the crystal meth of content, at least if you're not allowed to just post pornography.

Marcus Gilmer

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:32:44 -0600

The the bars she chose are Duffy's, Mullen's, Sluggers, and Durkin's should tell one all they need to know about her approach to the story.

Julene McCoy

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:29:30 -0600

she doesn't have to appreciate them - just acknowledge and move on. what does it hurt to have females that like sports? nothing. It says a lot more about her and what she's willing to do for a man than any of the ladies sitting at Wrigley Field or Comiskey.

lamgray

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:25:48 -0600

I imagine she is still single with that kind of attitude? Frankly, I find sitting in a candlelit lounge drinking vodka and sodas and staring at people quite boring, and I don't understand people that are obsessed with reading about celebrity gossip on a regular basis. To each his own. She's gotta learn to understand other peoples passions, and appreciate them.

Jacy Wojcik

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:21:51 -0600

Well said, Margaret.