Seriously, is it that crazy to think that watching T&F is more exciting than watching some whiny kids yell at the refs every 3 seconds because they didn't get a foul called?
Seriously, is it that crazy to think that watching T&F is more exciting than watching some whiny kids yell at the refs every 3 seconds because they didn't get a foul called?
Trollin' trollin' trollin'....
goo wrote:
Seriously, is it that crazy to think that watching T&F is more exciting than watching some whiny kids yell at the refs every 3 seconds because they didn't get a foul called?
They're right.
I hope they're still laughing.
Wendell Gee wrote:
goo wrote:Seriously, is it that crazy to think that watching T&F is more exciting than watching some whiny kids yell at the refs every 3 seconds because they didn't get a foul called?
They're right.
If they are a 15 seed that is beating a 2 seed they are.
I'm an avid runner and track and field fan myself, but I have to agree that March Madness, or just basketball in general is more, shall we say, fan friendly. Sorry, it just is. That doesn't mean it always will be. As things are packaged now, however, it is no contest.
I was at the recent NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville and I gotta say, it was not the most exciting event I'd ever attended. Can you imagine being at an event where the majority of the seats were positioned such that one could not see the entire competition field? At a basketball game, you might be in the nose bleed section, but you can most likely see the entire court, or enough of it to tell what's going on. For this to not be the case at an indoor track meet, a high-level championship meet in this case, is simply ridiculous.
Even as a fan TRYING to follow all the action at the meet, it was not an enjoyable experience. It was difficult to keep up with the team competition, who advanced out of the prelims, what the standings in field events were, etc. I could get into this more, and perhaps I will in another thread concerning some of the tangential issues, but I gotta say, any game of basketball at the NCAA Div. I tournament is more fan friendly and exciting than any track meet at the same level. This is something our sport must address unless it wants to continue being relegated to filling stands of small venues half-full with mostly competitors who are only there out of necessity.
And I don't even like basketball--at all--but I gotta call 'em as I see 'em. Would be interested in others' thoughts on this.
Everytime I see trolling mentioned in relation to the internet I think of this.'
Sung to the tune of "Rawhide"
Walleye fishing song
United States Catfish Association on FacebookTrollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin', Walleye
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Lakes and streams are swollen
Fingers nearly frozen, Walleye
Through wind and rainy weather
We're in this boat together
Six packs, lures and leeches by our side
I've been drowning shiners
Searching with depth finders
Tryin' to get a big one on the line
CHORUS:
Bait 'em up, cast 'em out
Cast 'em out, bait 'em up
Bait 'em up, cast 'em out, Walleye
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up
Fry 'em up, gut 'em out
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up, Walleye
Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
We'll find out where they're schooin',
Walleye
My heart is contemplatin'
A big fish that's a-waitin'
Waitin' at the end of my line
Don't try to understand 'em
Just set the hook and land 'em
Soon we'll be listenin' to 'em fry
Bait 'em up, cast 'em out
Cast 'em out, bait 'em up
Bait 'em up, cast 'em out, Walleye
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up
Fry 'em up, gut 'em out
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up, Walleye
(lead guitar solo) Bait 'em up, cast 'em out
Cast 'em out, bait 'em up
Bait 'em up, cast 'em out, Walleye
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up
Fry 'em up, gut 'em out
Gut 'em out, fry 'em up, Walleye
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin'
Trollin', trollin' trollin', Walleye
Track and field is in need of an extreme make over. Promoters have figured out a way to make car racing fun and interesting for spectators yet track has been allowed to languish. I go to a few track meets a year and if I look at it objectively I have to say most track meets are boring and probably confusing for the uninitiated. Perhaps that is just the nature of the sport but something tells me there has to be a better way. Creativr minds need to knock heads and come up with a reformation in track.
I don't think Track / XC will ever be a fan friendly sport if there is no gambling or drinking involved. Seriously, I know a lot of people who will watch games only because they decided to bet money, or they are going to tailgate it. They otherwise have zero interest.
well we should all face the truth, bottom line is you can make the sport as fan friendly as you want, but it really does not have anything to do with that. The sport is not popular because a huge chunk of american society are fat sedentary attention deficited people with no respect for real athletic effort and or endeavors. People in this society would not be excited about a 3,000 meter record being broken because it is alien to them. It's a consequence of most folk's lifestyles. That is why you can watch poker on espn most of the time even when there are incredible sporting events that could just as easily be shown.
I don't have an opinion about the gambling, but I definitely agree about the drinking part. We need to get over our hang up about alcohol in this country. At the Oly Trials in '08 you couldn't take your beer into the stadium, but they at least had a beer garden just outside (but within the perimeter). Plus, there was a great brew pub just a block away. We'd have a couple of beers before going to the meet each day. On Flotrack's coverage of some of the European meets, there were beer gardens at the track and people enjoying a few pints while watching the meet.
I used to be a huge fan of basketball (NCAA and NBA), but could care less anymore. I'll look at the scores during March Madness, but I doubt I'll end up watching a single game. At the same time, I can't imagine the general public, even much of the track community, thinking track is more exciting. As others pointed out, we need to improve the flow and presentation of the meets we do have.
Do you mean you couldn't care less?
Yes, unfortunately I noticed it after hitting the "post message" button.
Here is the great thing about March Madness, filling out brackets. Thanks to brackets, it makes games we otherwise wouldn't care about important. Bragging rights (and money) are a huge part of March. Like others have said, unless track comes up with a way to make wagers on it people won't care.
So would track and field brackets work ? Would that make people care more about track ?
LOL...LOL...
pathetic!
I love track but...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Brackets wouldn't help, but betting on the races would make it completely worthwhile. The amount of money that could change hands during the national championships is intriguing. Plenty of "informed" individuals would be confident enough to throw cash around and the fact that only a few of the favorites actually win would only make it more interesting....
Or not...
brogan1 wrote:
I don't think Track / XC will ever be a fan friendly sport if there is no gambling or drinking involved. Seriously, I know a lot of people who will watch games only because they decided to bet money, or they are going to tailgate it. They otherwise have zero interest.
I think you have a point. Any time I watch a T&F meet in a public lounge where people are studying or something, it seems to grab their attention. If I were just watching a basketball game, they probably wouldn't be nearly as interested. But like you said, there's no gambling or drinking involved, and beside that no one is interested because they can't show off doing it. You can try to be good at football or basketball, but when it comes to track, if you're not willing to do the work, you're just the person who's watching and it has no relevance in your life.
Shes a rebel wrote:
brogan1 wrote:I don't think Track / XC will ever be a fan friendly sport if there is no gambling or drinking involved. Seriously, I know a lot of people who will watch games only because they decided to bet money, or they are going to tailgate it. They otherwise have zero interest.
I think you have a point. Any time I watch a T&F meet in a public lounge where people are studying or something, it seems to grab their attention. If I were just watching a basketball game, they probably wouldn't be nearly as interested. But like you said, there's no gambling or drinking involved, and beside that no one is interested because they can't show off doing it. You can try to be good at football or basketball, but when it comes to track, if you're not willing to do the work, you're just the person who's watching and it has no relevance in your life.
1) You make it sound as if there is no work involved in football or basketball. You are seriously delusional.
2) A reasonably smart person can turn any activity into a gambling or drinking opportunity. Heck, I used to attend baseball games with a group. We would bet on what the last out of the inning was going to be. We would bet on whether or not at the end of the inning the ball would be rolled onto the mound and stay on top of the mound or not. (Yes, we were borderline degenerate gamblers, but stakes were usually $1). Back when Rawson was announcing track, you could drink every time he said "lap" and have to down the entire drink if he has "high school track".
3) I saw plenty of people showing off during track--mostly sprinters.
However, most people do not find track interesting. Heck most of the people filling out brackets probably watched less than 10 hrs of college basketball all year long. It is just something everyone does like give presents at Christmas even if you are not religious or celebrate St. Patty's Day even if your name ends in "ski".