Unpopular Opinions You Hold

[Finnegan]

On 26/02/2023 at 21:39, LestahGOAT said:

I find it weird how Rugby is held up as being an honourable type sport by people who dont like football when the reality is that its a lot of meatheads decking each other.

 

Not sure rugby can be held up as an example of anything

 

It's predominantly class snobbery, lets be honest. Rugby is a traditionally middle/upper class game in England and football is historically a working class one. A lot of snobbish rugby fans look down at football and football fans through class based elitism and it's not got much to do with the sport. To illustrate this last point, the particularly archetypal English rugby fan you're thinking of looks down on Welsh rugby the same way it looks down on football because the stereotypical Welsh rugby player and fan is from the working class S. Wales coalfield. They'll sneer at everything from the fashion sense of Welsh rugby players to the Welsh fans booing a kicker or any other 'uncouth' behaviour.

 

I'd say a similar class snobbery exists in cricket where a certain type of English fan gets all pompous about the way the Indians or Australians enjoy the sport, you'll hear a lot of sneering at 'bogans', the likes of Warner and Kohli are battered for their attitudes because they don't behave like nice public school English chaps. Then there's the whole argument about "mankading" which is way more about class, culture and probably even race than it really is about actual sporting values.

 

With all of that said - just for some balance here - as a fan of both sports, there definitely is still more civility and honourability in rugby as a whole. The sport might be more hostile in its nature but nearly always everyone gets off the pitch and drinks together in the same bar, the fans are sat together in the stands side by side having a bit of banter and they'll go to the pub afterwards, sing each other's songs and share a beer. Football is infinitely more hostile. Nobody's ever thought they might genuinely get decked on their way off the pitch playing amateur weekend rugby but if you've played Sunday league on the Saff or Brauny and you want to claim you've never seen GENUINE hostility from some "meathead" that just wants a scrap then you're full of shit. 

 

And that's without looking at the endless violence surrounding football which every year leads to actual deaths around the world. 

 

Rugby is held up as an example BECAUSE it's people decking each other for 80 minutes and they STILL manage to cool off by the end and everyone's mates by the final whistle and nobody takes it personally and starts lifelong beef over it. 

[LestahGOAT]

14 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

It's predominantly class snobbery, lets be honest. Rugby is a traditionally middle/upper class game in England and football is historically a working class one. A lot of snobbish rugby fans look down at football and football fans through class based elitism and it's not got much to do with the sport. To illustrate this last point, the particularly archetypal English rugby fan you're thinking of looks down on Welsh rugby the same way it looks down on football because the stereotypical Welsh rugby player and fan is from the working class S. Wales coalfield. They'll sneer at everything from the fashion sense of Welsh rugby players to the Welsh fans booing a kicker or any other 'uncouth' behaviour.

 

I'd say a similar class snobbery exists in cricket where a certain type of English fan gets all pompous about the way the Indians or Australians enjoy the sport, you'll hear a lot of sneering at 'bogans', the likes of Warner and Kohli are battered for their attitudes because they don't behave like nice public school English chaps. Then there's the whole argument about "mankading" which is way more about class, culture and probably even race than it really is about actual sporting values.

 

With all of that said - just for some balance here - as a fan of both sports, there definitely is still more civility and honourability in rugby as a whole. The sport might be more hostile in its nature but nearly always everyone gets off the pitch and drinks together in the same bar, the fans are sat together in the stands side by side having a bit of banter and they'll go to the pub afterwards, sing each other's songs and share a beer. Football is infinitely more hostile. Nobody's ever thought they might genuinely get decked on their way off the pitch playing amateur weekend rugby but if you've played Sunday league on the Saff or Brauny and you want to claim you've never seen GENUINE hostility from some "meathead" that just wants a scrap then you're full of shit. 

 

And that's without looking at the endless violence surrounding football which every year leads to actual deaths around the world. 

 

Rugby is held up as an example BECAUSE it's people decking each other for 80 minutes and they STILL manage to cool off by the end and everyone's mates by the final whistle and nobody takes it personally and starts lifelong beef over it. 

I gave up on the local football scene years ago. Too old to play anyway now, but it always seemed like people were more interested in a scrap and promoting the image of being a "lad" than actually playing football.

 

Ive no idea what possesses anyone to want to take up refereeing either.

 

Remember watching a team of Polish players v an english pub team and it was just racism with a ball essentially.

 

[Tommy G]

What is the point in horse racing?

[Finnegan]

11 minutes ago, LestahGOAT said:

I gave up on the local football scene years ago. Too old to play anyway now, but it always seemed like people were more interested in a scrap and promoting the image of being a "lad" than actually playing football.

 

Ive no idea what possesses anyone to want to take up refereeing either.

 

Remember watching a team of Polish players v an english pub team and it was just racism with a ball essentially.

 

 

Yeah, so, that's why rugby is held up as being a more "honourable type of sport"

 

But like I said, I do understand why football fans particularly in this country get annoyed at the attitudes of some rugby fans. But it's not really about sport, these people are just elitist posh pricks. You wouldn't like them even if you enjoyed the same sport.

[Finnegan]

1 minute ago, Tommy G said:

What is the point in horse racing?

 

Gambling.

[Tommy G]

8 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Gambling.

Yes, I get that, I just think personally it's cruel just for a bet

[HighPeakFox]

32 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

What is the point in horse racing?

Posturing for the rich too. 

[marbles]

6 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Christ no, we don’t need more Americanisation ruining the game. ‘Post match UNFILTERED match play referee coverage bought to you by Wendy’s for $3.99 per game day supported by AIG. At Wendy’s enjoy 2 tonnes of fried chicken in our breakfast meal deal for only $1.99. Wendy’s - where dreams are made’ 

umm, you do ralize that there is massive sponsorship already in football?

So, what would make it Americanized?  The fact that its Wendy's instead of a gambling site? 

Edited 28 February 2023 by marbles

[grobyfox1990]

4 minutes ago, marbles said:

umm, you do ralize that there is massive sponsorship already in football?

So, what would make it Americanized?  The fact that its Wendy's instead of a gambling site? 

Read again 

 

‘more’ Americanised is clearly written 

 

a clear dig at the goofy and low intellect nature of US ads ‘nutri-genix, you’ll like it and she will too!!!!’ ‘Stoppage time bought to you by Lexus!!!!!’ 
 

The concept of a paid service to listen to the ref was the main part of my Americanisation point anyway

[Finnegan]

13 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Read again 

 

‘more’ Americanised is clearly written 

 

a clear dig at the goofy and low intellect nature of US ads ‘nutri-genix, you’ll like it and she will too!!!!’ ‘Stoppage time bought to you by Lexus!!!!!’ 
 

The concept of a paid service to listen to the ref was the main part of my Americanisation point anyway

 

The refs mics should 100000% be broadcast on the TV, we should especially be able to hear the conversations between the ref and the var. That's not up for debate it should definitely happen. 

 

But charging a subscription to hear it is a vile idea yes. 

[marbles]

5 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

The refs mics should 100000% be broadcast on the TV, we should especially be able to hear the conversations between the ref and the var. That's not up for debate it should definitely happen. 

 

But charging a subscription to hear it is a vile idea yes. 

It was just an idea to get around the censoring of foul language, that had been brought up.  

One I shoulda known wouldn't fly on a site in which people regularly look/ask for free streams to watch games.  My mistake. 

[Guest Basildon Fox]

Grown women that do baby voices at work for comic attention should be sacked on the spot.  Absolutely insufferable  day after ****ing day!!

[grobyfox1990]

17 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

The refs mics should 100000% be broadcast on the TV, we should especially be able to hear the conversations between the ref and the var. That's not up for debate it should definitely happen. 

 

But charging a subscription to hear it is a vile idea yes. 

Agreed and agreed. Charging already fleeced fans more money for a discretionary service is bonkers, but yes thanks and glad you didn't presume I don't like the idea of a mic'd up ref, because I certainly do. It would be great

[grobyfox1990]

11 minutes ago, marbles said:

It was just an idea to get around the censoring of foul language, that had been brought up.  

One I shoulda known wouldn't fly on a site in which people regularly look/ask for free streams to watch games.  My mistake. 

How would a paywall censor bad language. Surely a censor can censor bad language

[marbles]

Just now, grobyfox1990 said:

How would a paywall censor bad language. Surely a censor can censor bad language

It wouldnt.

I was suggesting two options.  A free, yet censored version.  Or a paid, uncensored version. 

[Finnegan]

8 minutes ago, marbles said:

It was just an idea to get around the censoring of foul language, that had been brought up.  

One I shoulda known wouldn't fly on a site in which people regularly look/ask for free streams to watch games.  My mistake. 

 

It's got nothing to do with "people regularly looking for free streams to watch games", which I'll get back to in a second, it's just a fvcking stupid idea that absolutely comes from a place of commercialism. You could make a service opt-in if you were worried about language without charging for it. That's what Red Button services are for. Sports Broadcasting has had alternative views for decades now, absolutely years ago Sky Sports were offering "Fan Cam" or views where you just watch a specific player on a focus lens or all sorts of other gimmicks. You could easily just switch refs' audio on and off via a remote button without actually charging people extra to hear it.

 

As for your quite blatant jibe at FT posters for asking for pirate streams, wind your neck in pal. As an overseas fan you've got no idea how bad football broadcasting is in this country. For a start, we've got the protected timeslot of 3pm kick offs on a Saturday meaning the majority of games can't actually legally be broadcast in this country anyway. Then even beyond that, we've got a monopoly from two broadcasters that don't offer a subscription viewing model and are stuck in the past charging extraordinary rates to see Premier League games as part of a wider sports cable package.

 

It's harder and more expensive to follow your Premier League team on TV in the UK vs literally any other country in the world, which is absolute madness. You can live a mile from Leicester's ground and find it harder to watch their games than if you live in Texas. Clearly that's not OK. People would watch football in this country legally all the time if it was far more practical to do so.

[grobyfox1990]

1 minute ago, marbles said:

It wouldnt.

I was suggesting two options.  A free, yet censored version.  Or a paid, uncensored version. 

Hence we have come full circle back to my Americanisation point. Why should the uncensored version be charged, there is no logical reason for it. Put it behind the Sky parental lock if broadcasters are worried about naughty language.

 

No idea if you love, hate or don't care about America, but after working there for 1.5 years and seeing the rabid and publicly accepted 'fee creep' in every part of life, it's frustrating that it is happening so much in the UK now. Keep the stinking practice in the US, and hope we have enough of a backbone to stand up against it, not encourage it!!

[marbles]

1 minute ago, Finnegan said:

 

It's got nothing to do with "people regularly looking for free streams to watch games", which I'll get back to in a second, it's just a fvcking stupid idea that absolutely comes from a place of commercialism. You could make a service opt-in if you were worried about language without charging for it. That's what Red Button services are for. Sports Broadcasting has had alternative views for decades now, absolutely years ago Sky Sports were offering "Fan Cam" or views where you just watch a specific player on a focus lens or all sorts of other gimmicks. You could easily just switch refs' audio on and off via a remote button without actually charging people extra to hear it.

 

As for your quite blatant jibe at FT posters for asking for pirate streams, wind your neck in pal. As an overseas fan you've got no idea how bad football broadcasting is in this country. For a start, we've got the protected timeslot of 3pm kick offs on a Saturday meaning the majority of games can't actually legally be broadcast in this country anyway. Then even beyond that, we've got a monopoly from two broadcasters that don't offer a subscription viewing model and are stuck in the past charging extraordinary rates to see Premier League games as part of a wider sports cable package.

 

It's harder and more expensive to follow your Premier League team on TV in the UK vs literally any other country in the world, which is absolute madness. You can live a mile from Leicester's ground and find it harder to watch their games than if you live in Texas. Clearly that's not OK. People would watch football in this country legally all the time if it was far more practical to do so.

 

I dont know how hard or expensive it is for you to follow the Premier League

 

Here, I have to pay the following monthly to follow Leicester City

Internet $89/month

SlingTV + NBC (regular season games) $59/month

ESPN+ (FA Cup) $10 month/month

Paramont (Europe games) $10/month 

 

That's $168/month to follow Leicester City, if they play in Europe.  $158 a month if they don't.

Not too mention that with USD exchange rates and shipping, it can cost me nearly $200 to get a new kit every year.

 

I dont even know what a protected time slot is.

What I do know is that most games here can start as early as 6am and sometimes as late as 9am - there is an occasional 1pm kickoff, but that's the midweek games. 

 

 

 

[marbles]

10 minutes ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Hence we have come full circle back to my Americanisation point. Why should the uncensored version be charged, there is no logical reason for it. Put it behind the Sky parental lock if broadcasters are worried about naughty language.

 

No idea if you love, hate or don't care about America, but after working there for 1.5 years and seeing the rabid and publicly accepted 'fee creep' in every part of life, it's frustrating that it is happening so much in the UK now. Keep the stinking practice in the US, and hope we have enough of a backbone to stand up against it, not encourage it!!

I was suggesting an option.  One that you can decline.

If you want to call it Americanisation, fine.  I'm okay with that since I am American.  What is normal to me, may not be normal to you.

Just like things you guys find normal, I find strange.

Edited 28 February 2023 by marbles

[grobyfox1990]

4 minutes ago, marbles said:

I was suggesting an option.  One that you can decline.

If you want to call it Americanisation, fine.  I'm okay with that since I am American.  What is normal to me, may not be normal to you.

Just like things you guys find normal, I find strange.

Ah you are actually American!!! In that case, apologies, I was not having a go at your culture, but I do find 'fee creep' a disgrace and never think the consumer should actively encourage it. 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, marbles said:

 

I dont know how hard or expensive it is for you to follow the Premier League

 

Here, I have to pay the following monthly to follow Leicester City

Internet $89/month

SlingTV + NBC (regular season games) $59/month

ESPN+ (FA Cup) $10 month/month

Paramont (Europe games) $10/month 

 

That's $168/month to follow Leicester City, if they play in Europe.  $158 a month if they don't.

Not too mention that with USD exchange rates and shipping, it can cost me nearly $200 to get a new kit every year.

 

I dont even know what a protected time slot is.

What I do know is that most games here can start as early as 6am and sometimes as late as 9am - there is an occasional 1pm kickoff, but that's the midweek games. 

 

 

 

Here, you can spend as much as you like on the most expensive Sky, BT and Amazon subscriptions and unless one of them sees fit to select one of our games, you're out of luck. For the majority of our games people aren't asking for streams because they're penny-pinching deviants, it's because they literally cannot watch the game otherwise.

[marbles]

1 minute ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Ah you are actually American!!! In that case, apologies, I was not having a go at your culture, but I do find 'fee creep' a disgrace and never think the consumer should actively encourage it. 

No biggie - like I said, there are things we both find strange about each other cultures.

"Fee creeps" have been going on so long here, that I think a lot of people dont even give it a second thought.

I'm sure we had the same mentality when it first started, but we've just grown accustomed, and accept it.    

[marbles]

2 minutes ago, Guest said:

Here, you can spend as much as you like on the most expensive Sky, BT and Amazon subscriptions and unless one of them sees fit to select one of our games, you're out of luck. For the majority of our games people aren't asking for streams because they're penny-pinching deviants, it's because they literally cannot watch the game otherwise.

Thanks for clarifying .  Admittedly I thought it was a case of penny pinching.

 

The NFL has a "Blackout Rule".

If the game is not sold out, they can choose not to offer the broadcast locally.

Other major sports have the same thing, buts its a rarity for them.

 

 

Now I am curious.  

The streams they ask for have to be broadcasting somewhere.  Is there not a way to access that?

For example, I cannot watch SKY Sports here in the US.  But with a VPN and UK address, I can subscribe and watch.

Is that possible with the stream sources?  

 

 

 

[grobyfox1990]

Just now, marbles said:

Thanks for clarifying .  Admittedly I thought it was a case of penny pinching.

 

The NFL has a "Blackout Rule".

If the game is not sold out, they can choose not to offer the broadcast locally.

Other major sports have the same thing, buts its a rarity for them.

 

 

Now I am curious.  

The streams they ask for have to be broadcasting somewhere.  Is there not a way to access that?

For example, I cannot watch SKY Sports here in the US.  But with a VPN and UK address, I can subscribe and watch.

Is that possible with the stream sources?  

 

 

 

Good idea on the NFL rule, I like that. The reason (and one which I strongly agree with) 3pm games are not broadcast in the UK is because it could/would mean lots of people stay at home watching the PL instead of going out to part with their money to watch their local teams.

 

Yeh, streams you get are usually NBC, BEIN sports or Optus Sport. Which is the point made earlier up the chain. You could live opposite the KP but the only way to watch Saturday's game would've been to find an NBC stream and listen to 'the two Robbie's' and Tim Howard drone on, with the benefit of being able to stare at Rebecca Lowe when they shut up

[Wymsey]

Money isn't the best measure of success in life.