some sporting events give me the irrational rage

[hermionepotter]

I have no idea why

notably the winter olympics and wimbledon

I'm sure IABU but am I the only one?

Could you expand a little? For example is it just the kind of sports that only posh privileged types get to do - eg tennis, skiing etc.

todayisagoodday that is a revelation - I've never made that connection but yes that is exactly what it is - I also have similar feelings about say henley regatta/glyndebourne/the proms

thankyou it makes sense more. Insightfulness of MN

No problem YANBU btw.

I've always said that we'd have had far more Wimbledon champions if tennis clubs weren't so stuck up, expensive and clique. At least with football everyone gets a chance.

YABU, it's not all privileged, Jenny Jones, who just won GB's first Olympic medal snowboarding today, learnt to board on a dry slope in Bristol at 17 then went to work as a chalet maid where she got better . I loved watching her competition this morning, fantastic athletes, amazing sense of camaraderie between them all - great female role models IMO.

Jenny Jones - hardly silver spoon type

That's just fine, As long as I'm allowed to start a very very very many thread on the first day of the World cup.

Tennis was the only game in town growing up, for girls, not elitist, cheep council courts, a cheep LAT sponsored summer holiday course, nice OR teachers who let us play every summer OR lesson and every break and tolerant neighbours who let us learn the basics before that.

ok there was one Dragon who kept our balls if we asked to get them back, so we just didn't ask.

Football - I can't bear it even when I@m a pub if they have it on telly, I feel furious.

Love Tennis and the Winter Olympics though, and rugby and F1, and showjumping and swimming and athletics.

It really is just Football. Oh, and wrestling (although that's not a sport).

I work in a tennis club, sorry but the whole stuck up clique thing is rubbish. We would have more champions if kids were encouraged to stick to one thing instead of playing tennis football and swimming all in one week.

YABU OP. Things that might be elitist here for lack of climate or facilities are very run of the mill in cold countries, e.g. skiing, cross country skiing, skating, curling, etc. etc.

Yes YAB a tad U, but it's kind of understandable as in this country winter sports hols are definitely a bit out of reach financially for most ordinary folk (barring an occasional one off, maybe) and so totally have a 'sponsored by daddy, darling' rep.... That said, loads of young athletes are making it Good through the dry slopes these days, (Like Our Jen) or snow domes, then doing seasons, all of which costs v. little, is amazing fun and really addictive (I speak from experience after learning at Tamworth, then doing 15 seasons, only stopping to have my wee one!). Also, it's not considered super elitist in countries that actually have proper snow & mountains as it's generally a lot more affordable if you're local. I think it's fab that the winter Olympics is getting some good positive coverage for us Brits - hopefully it'll I inspire our kids to get off their butts! :) oh & YABU about the tennis thing as well - costs 3 quid an hour at my local courts (&even less if you join the club...!)!

Yabu and a sort of snob.

So you perceive that only the rich and privilege play these sports and consequently you hate them?

Ugh, what a horrible way to perceive the world OP.
Those rich folk showing off again?
I just love the feeling on MN that if you have money you are a spoilt, lazy slacker that lives off Daddy. Daddy probably works bloody hard, and in my experience passes this work ethic off to his kids.

lots of people also work bloody hard and are not rich

anyway I just don't like those sporting events, I don't hate rich people

I kind of agree op. I have a colleague who is continually boasting that his dd is in the GB age group lacrosse team. Big ducking deal. So, out of the 200 kids who get a chance to play this, she makes the team. About the equivalent if being in a village football team

What about 3 day eventers and formula 1? Very privileged lifestyles for those that compete in these sports.

I don't care tbh. I thoroughly enjoy the Olympics.

So you don't hate rich people but you hate that they might love and be very good at their chosen sport

nope

I just don't want to watch the sports myself and the media coverage annoys me

I kind of enjoy the madness of the winter Olympics, with strange events like curling and that thing where you ski and shoot. Anyway, it's pretty much the only time you ever see most of that stuff.

The sport that gives me irrational rage is football - it's just so bloody omnipresent. Even if you don't go to games, or watch them on TV, the damn stuff is just spread everywhere from news programmes to papers to popular culture in general. Some fan behaviour can be fairly unedifying (recent brush with some Millwall supporters), and I admit to getting very impatient with the kind of man (because it is almost always a man) who makes everyone's life a misery all week because 'his' team went down 2-0 to some underling team.

And anything that encourages middle-aged men with beerguts to wear those clingy, slightly shiny replica strips shouldn't be encouraged...

People say this about horse riding. Yes it is extremely difficult to get into the top echelons of any of the equestrian disciplines but is a very accessible sport for anyone on a reasonable income. Lots of people juggle horses and jobs and kids - even more like me pay to ride at a riding school and don't have the hassle of owning s horse. Getting to the top in every sport is expensive -it doesn't stop people who aren't rich also enjoying it.

In fact if non of these events were televised then kids (and adults) wouldn't have any exposure and wouldn't get into it in the first place.

Curling isn't expensive.

YABU, I love the winter olympics because they are sports I didn't have to do at school! I especially love the downhill tea tray.

I don't really understand what your problem is with these sports tbh. You stated above that it is to do with them being sports for the rich and privalaged, now you just don't like the fact that there is media hype. Do you feel the same about the six nations? Or the ashes? These also get a LOT of media coverage.

Any way at least I can agree with your op in one sense- your rage is irrational and as such you could just try turning over that way you don't have to feel so ragey. HTH

Good old football, sport of the working man and lower classes eh? It's so bloody corrupt these days. Disgusting salaries, match fixing, obscene ticket prices and don't even get me started on the merchandise.

I think I'd prefer tennis, swimming and athletics to be honest.

Wimbledon gives me the rage!

I hate people going on about it, I hate them planning for it, I hate the talk of starberries and Pimms.

It GRINDS me.

Yet I am was a posh privileged person, shooting, dressage, sailing etc. So can't be the posh thing!

Maybe the southern thing? Only people of the south get it / go? Though thats not true either as I spend a lot of time south now and SIL loves it, she's welsh.

No sorry can't help but can sympathise.

YABU

I bet there are loads of things you enjoy that give other people the rage. Live and let live, and don't be so judgemental.

Have you any idea how hard all these athletes/sports men and women train? I'm sure they love your easy and mean dismissal of their achievements.