Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)

TheHighwayMan3561 · July 14, 2026, 11:38:40 AM

College conferences probably made sense when many of them (or at least the precursors to some of the modern ones) were founded back around the turn of the century when travel was more difficult. By the 1970s-1980s they were probably obsolete in that regard.

NWI_Irish96 · July 14, 2026, 11:48:38 AM

Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 14, 2026, 11:38:40 AMCollege conferences probably made sense when many of them (or at least the precursors to some of the modern ones) were founded back around the turn of the century when travel was more difficult. By the 1970s-1980s they were probably obsolete in that regard.

It was really more than TV money than travel difficulty that killed the regionality of conferences.

TheHighwayMan3561 · July 14, 2026, 12:04:56 PM

Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on July 14, 2026, 11:48:38 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 14, 2026, 11:38:40 AMCollege conferences probably made sense when many of them (or at least the precursors to some of the modern ones) were founded back around the turn of the century when travel was more difficult. By the 1970s-1980s they were probably obsolete in that regard.

It was really more than TV money than travel difficulty that killed the regionality of conferences.

No doubt.

TheCatalyst31 · July 15, 2026, 10:12:59 PM

Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on July 14, 2026, 11:38:40 AMCollege conferences probably made sense when many of them (or at least the precursors to some of the modern ones) were founded back around the turn of the century when travel was more difficult. By the 1970s-1980s they were probably obsolete in that regard.

All the way back in 1959, there was a proposal to form an Airplane Conference among what were considered some of the top schools at the time, and it only failed because the service academies backed out.

kphoger · August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PM

Lacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

JayhawkCO · August 03, 2026, 01:54:06 PM

Quote from: kphoger on August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PMLacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

That's why lacrosse is the most popular sport in the world!!

kphoger · August 03, 2026, 02:02:36 PM

Quote from: kphoger on August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PMLacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

Quote from: JayhawkCO on August 03, 2026, 01:54:06 PMThat's why lacrosse is the most popular sport in the world!!

Note the thread title.

Scott5114 · August 04, 2026, 06:32:39 PM

Quote from: kphoger on August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PMLacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

How exactly does one go about watching lacrosse? I recently made friends with a high-school lacrosse referee, and I've been wanting to watch a game or two to try and learn enough about it to have something to talk to him about.

NWI_Irish96 · August 04, 2026, 07:15:23 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2026, 06:32:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PMLacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

How exactly does one go about watching lacrosse? I recently made friends with a high-school lacrosse referee, and I've been wanting to watch a game or two to try and learn enough about it to have something to talk to him about.

College lacrosse is pretty prevalent on ACCN and ESPNU in the Spring. There's also a pro league that has games on TV in the summer.

kphoger · August 04, 2026, 10:04:25 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2026, 06:32:39 PMHow exactly does one go about watching lacrosse? I recently made friends with a high-school lacrosse referee, and I've been wanting to watch a game or two to try and learn enough about it to have something to talk to him about.

It's been on one of the TVs at the gym a couple of times recently. But I don't watch live TV at home, so I honestly don't even know what channel.

JayhawkCO · August 05, 2026, 10:53:22 AM

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2026, 06:32:39 PM
Quote from: kphoger on August 03, 2026, 01:52:49 PMLacrosse is like soccer, except it's actually fun to watch.

How exactly does one go about watching lacrosse? I recently made friends with a high-school lacrosse referee, and I've been wanting to watch a game or two to try and learn enough about it to have something to talk to him about.

Drive to a game.

(I would assume Vegas high schools probably have lacrosse teams there. It's way more popular in the Northeast than the West, but it's getting more popular here.)

kphoger · August 05, 2026, 01:06:20 PM

Quote from: Scott5114 on August 04, 2026, 06:32:39 PMHow exactly does one go about watching lacrosse?

Quote from: JayhawkCO on August 05, 2026, 10:53:22 AMDrive to a game. (I would assume Vegas high schools probably have lacrosse teams there. It's way more popular in the Northeast than the West, but it's getting more popular here.)

https://www.lvla.us
https://www.lasvegasdesertdogs.com

ZLoth · August 07, 2026, 08:35:32 AM

I wonder, with the impending lockout after this season, if major league baseball is on it's way to becoming a dead sport .

kphoger · August 07, 2026, 09:36:17 AM

Quote from: ZLoth on August 07, 2026, 08:35:32 AMI wonder, with the impending lockout after this season, if major league baseball is on it's way to becoming a dead sport.

It's already dead. Dead boring, that is. They just stand around most of the time.

* kphoger ducks for cover.

JayhawkCO · August 07, 2026, 10:30:27 AM

Quote from: kphoger on August 07, 2026, 09:36:17 AM
Quote from: ZLoth on August 07, 2026, 08:35:32 AMI wonder, with the impending lockout after this season, if major league baseball is on it's way to becoming a dead sport.

It's already dead. Dead boring, that is. They just stand around most of the time.

* kphoger ducks for cover.

And the stats nerds (of which I am one normally) killed baseball. Just home runs and strikeouts now.

News:

Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)