Unpopular Opinions (sports edition)

[DTComposer]

Ivy League schools and Military schools shouldn't have sports like football because, one very bad tackle in football and you are no longer able to serve in the military. As for the Ivy League schools, those schools are for geniuses one very bad tackle in football and you are no longer a genius.

I feel this isn't really an opinion you hold, this is just saying stuff to say stuff.

No I have been wondering this for a few years now

Why just Ivy League schools? What about other universities whose academic standards are comparable to (or exceed) the Ivies? Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Cal, UCLA, Michigan, etc. are all regularly ranked in the top 20-ish academic universities in the country.

Those schools have a bit of a party scene, especially Cal.

First, Cal or Stanford as a "party school" is laughable.

Second, why would that even be relevant? They are all top-tier academic schools, regardless of how much the student body parties or doesn't party.

[Max Rockatansky]

Ivy League schools and Military schools shouldn't have sports like football because, one very bad tackle in football and you are no longer able to serve in the military. As for the Ivy League schools, those schools are for geniuses one very bad tackle in football and you are no longer a genius.

I feel this isn't really an opinion you hold, this is just saying stuff to say stuff.

No I have been wondering this for a few years now

Why just Ivy League schools? What about other universities whose academic standards are comparable to (or exceed) the Ivies? Stanford, Duke, Northwestern, Cal, UCLA, Michigan, etc. are all regularly ranked in the top 20-ish academic universities in the country.

Those schools have a bit of a party scene, especially Cal.

First, Cal or Stanford as a "party school" is laughable.

Second, why would that even be relevant? They are all top-tier academic schools, regardless of how much the student body parties or doesn't party.

I can assure everyone is in the crowd that the party scene at Michigan kind of sucks ass.  Despite being a Michigan fan myself I had a lot more fun at parties up at Michigan State.  Those Ag majors know how to party and what drinks are good.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The Manningcast isn't for me. It's easy to get lost in the middle of discussion if you're not following it closely. It just seems like it's run its course anyway. I don't get the hype around it.

[NWI_Irish96]

The Manningcast isn't for me. It's easy to get lost in the middle of discussion if you're not following it closely. It just seems like it's run its course anyway. I don't get the hype around it.

I agree with all of that, but it's still better than listening to Buck and Aikman.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

The MLB should recognize the AAGPBL!

[kphoger]

The MLB should recognize the AAGPBL!

It doesn't?

Oh, you mean in record books...

[formulanone]

The MLB should recognize the AAGPBL!

It doesn't?

Oh, you mean in record books...

That acronym is way too long, so I'm interpreting it as a cry for help or a keyboard malfunction.

[NWI_Irish96]

The MLB should recognize the AAGPBL!

It doesn't?

Oh, you mean in record books...

MLB should not even recognize MLB before 1947. Was not a true open league until then.

[ZLoth]

Since I live in the Dallas area.... the Cowboys will spend another year watching the NFC championship. Also, the Dolphins and Browns will spend another year watching the AFC championship.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

[kphoger]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

The coronavirus tried that, but it was only temporary.

[GaryV]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Fine. We'll just play post season games, all the way until next season begins.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

OK, give me an example that isn't NASCAR's clash (which is great entertainment).

[gonealookin]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

OK, give me an example that isn't NASCAR's clash (which is great entertainment).

Baseball spring training.  Pitchers need to progressively build up their endurance; they can't just come out of the winter break and be ready to throw 100 pitches in a game.  Hitters can get ready more quickly, and spring training is longer than they need.

It's also a big economic driver for the Phoenix area and the areas in Florida where teams play their games.  I find the games boring if I'm sitting at home watching on TV, but in person, it's a lot of fun to be sitting in pleasant sunny weather watching baseball in early March even though the who wins/who loses part of it doesn't matter.

[JayhawkCO]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

OK, give me an example that isn't NASCAR's clash (which is great entertainment).

Baseball spring training.  Pitchers need to progressively build up their endurance; they can't just come out of the winter break and be ready to throw 100 pitches in a game.  Hitters can get ready more quickly, and spring training is longer than they need.

It's also a big economic driver for the Phoenix area and the areas in Florida where teams play their games.  I find the games boring if I'm sitting at home watching on TV, but in person, it's a lot of fun to be sitting in pleasant sunny weather watching baseball in early March even though the who wins/who loses part of it doesn't matter.

Similar story with pre-season futbol. To be able to go full intensity for 90', you need to build up to it.

[I-57/Route 66 Fan]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

OK, give me an example that isn't NASCAR's clash (which is great entertainment).

Baseball spring training.  Pitchers need to progressively build up their endurance; they can't just come out of the winter break and be ready to throw 100 pitches in a game.  Hitters can get ready more quickly, and spring training is longer than they need.

It's also a big economic driver for the Phoenix area and the areas in Florida where teams play their games.  I find the games boring if I'm sitting at home watching on TV, but in person, it's a lot of fun to be sitting in pleasant sunny weather watching baseball in early March even though the who wins/who loses part of it doesn't matter.

Two things:
1. Rod Brind'Amour agrees with me
2. Don't athletes train in the offseason anyway?

[wanderer2575]

Preseason games shouldn't exist

Then don't watch or attend them. You don't have to watch them just because you like the associated sport overall. Some sports have much more useful preseasons to their teams than the NFL does on the surface level anyway.

OK, give me an example that isn't NASCAR's clash (which is great entertainment).

Baseball spring training.  Pitchers need to progressively build up their endurance; they can't just come out of the winter break and be ready to throw 100 pitches in a game.  Hitters can get ready more quickly, and spring training is longer than they need.

It's also a big economic driver for the Phoenix area and the areas in Florida where teams play their games.  I find the games boring if I'm sitting at home watching on TV, but in person, it's a lot of fun to be sitting in pleasant sunny weather watching baseball in early March even though the who wins/who loses part of it doesn't matter.

Two things:
1. Rod Brind'Amour agrees with me
2. Don't athletes train in the offseason anyway?

1.  Well, in that case, it must be true.

2.  It's a TEAM game.  Players can do only so much training on their own, including building/maintaining endurance, but they also have to get back in the swing (pardon the expression) of working together.  It's the same reason that musicians practice and learn their parts on their own but the entire orchestra still has to rehearse together before a performance.

[kphoger]

Pitchers need to progressively build up their endurance; they can't just come out of the winter break and be ready to throw 100 pitches in a game.

Similar story with pre-season futbol. To be able to go full intensity for 90', you need to build up to it.

Don't athletes train in the offseason anyway?

That's what I was thinking.  After a few weeks to recover from injuries etc, don't they get back into training?  It's not like they just sit at home during the off-season.

But anyway, even if they need to not have real games during the off-season, then why can't each team just play against itself during the pre-season?  And still call it training?  It's not like each team doesn't have enough players to make that happen.

If the first few games of the actual season are a bit rusty, then so what?  Every team would be in the same boat.  There's nothing wrong with improving as a team as you go through a season.

[Max Rockatansky]

College football teams usually split their players and actually do full games against each other in the off season. 

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It makes sense to play other teams in preseason so you can learn how to game plan for playing a team you don't know anything about. 

[kphoger]

It makes sense to play other teams in preseason so you can learn how to game plan for playing a team you don't know anything about. 

But haven't the players been doing just that their whole life?  Did their high school football team have pre-season games against neighboring towns?  No.  Did their college football team have pre-season games against other colleges?  No.

[Max Rockatansky]

It makes sense to play other teams in preseason so you can learn how to game plan for playing a team you don't know anything about. 

But haven't the players been doing just that their whole life?  Did their high school football team have pre-season games against neighboring towns?  No.  Did their college football team have pre-season games against other colleges?  No.

But it probably contributes heavily to why college and high school teams look so sloppy in their first regular season game.

[kphoger]

Did their high school football team have pre-season games against neighboring towns?  No.  Did their college football team have pre-season games against other colleges?  No.

But it probably contributes heavily to why college and high school teams look so sloppy in their first regular season game.

Right, certainly.  I just don't think that's a problem that needs to be fixed.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

It makes sense to play other teams in preseason so you can learn how to game plan for playing a team you don't know anything about. 

But haven't the players been doing just that their whole life?  Did their high school football team have pre-season games against neighboring towns?  No.  Did their college football team have pre-season games against other colleges?  No.

Just so it's clear, they do scrimmage against each other plenty during the preseason. But it's not the same as playing someone from outside the organization, who have their own game plan, their own goals, their own strengths and weaknesses, etc. I don't see why this bothers people.