Your favorite sport(s) besides figure skating?

[Arriba627]

One of my favorite comments ever (I think it was for skeleton) was "You could tell he was really nervous on his sled!" I never could figure that one out! HOW?

 

[alexocfp]

I‘m a huge sports fan, so I have a few tiers.

The first tier is the sports I follow religiously no matter what and no matter who is playing. Football, ice hockey, alpine skiing, tennis and Moto GP will be on this tier.

These are the sports I can sit at watch whatever the competition, Watch every MotoGP race, watch hockey even when the rangers aren’t playing (and not just the NHL, I have a subscription to the KHL as well), and football even if Olympiacos aren‘t playing. I mean, there aren’t many people living in the USA that pay for the Moldovan league or follow the Azerbaijani or Estonian or Nicaraguan Football leagues besides me. I sit and watch my 6 year old Godson‘s matches. I’m that crazy.

The next tier is the sports that I follow only when there is an important competition like Women‘s Volleyball (champions league finals, turkish league playoffs), water polo, table tennis, rugby, cricket, field hockey, cycling, handball, athletics or the just finished floorball world championship. These are sports where I will watch a handful of matches each year, and will check out the highlights unless it’s super important, like a Rugby or Cricket World Cup final.

Next tier is the sports I only watch when my teams are playing, like Euroleague basketball if Olympiacos makes the playoffs or American Football where I watch Nebraska and Chicago Bears games and watch no other games or watch any other highlights for the most part.

 

[Walt FSHunter]

One of my favourites is, of course, soccer too. I wonder why you haven't included it into the list.
As for other 3 of my favourites, they are 1) artistic gymnastics; 2) tennis; 3) biathlon. In all of these sports my countrymen have some success.

 

[Weetos]

The four main sports I watch, and have made the effort to go watch in person - figure skating, (artistic) gymnastics, equestrian sports and... rugby

Edit: Have also watched ballet but I don't think of that in the same way... they weren't marked at the end

 

[Tina T]

Dressage! It’s my hobby also. It’s nice to do some sports at age of 67. Skating I left behind 15 years ago, but I’m still a heavy fan.

 

[Weetos]

Equestrianism, especially dressage.

And I wanted to ride, particularly show jumping, but was allergic to the hay and straw, so now I watch that at a safe non-allergenic distance on TV. Love the quirky jumping styles and personalities of the equine partner in that sport! Not much into team sports, but I watch hockey, of course (being Canadian), and tapes of my Scottish relative's rugby and camanachd (shinty) games.

Especially horse dancing!

Road cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, three day eventing (which is a type of equestrian event combining dressage, cross country and show jumping)

Definitely equestrian sports, mainly eventing and carriage driving (yes, that's a sport too!)

Dressage! It’s my hobby also. It’s nice to do some sports at age of 67. Skating I left behind 15 years ago, but I’m still a heavy fan.

Not me stalking the thread making note of the fellow equestrian fans... I will watch all of it, though eventing is my favourite. I am surprised how much crossover there seems to be

Rather sad to discover the BBC are not showing the carriage driving this year from not-Olympia. I don't follow it normally but I liked watching it at Christmas! At least they are still showing the puissance.

 

[FlossieH]

Not me stalking the thread making note of the fellow equestrian fans... I will watch all of it, though eventing is my favourite. I am surprised how much crossover there seems to be

Rather sad to discover the BBC are not showing the carriage driving this year from not-Olympia. I don't follow it normally but I liked watching it at Christmas! At least they are still showing the puissance.

The BBC haven't shown much equestrian stuff the past couple of years. The coverage of Burghley and Badminton is pathetic now.

 

[Weetos]

The BBC haven't shown much equestrian stuff the past couple of years. The coverage of Burghley and Badminton is pathetic now.

I know, I miss the days of Hickstead being on the TV. But I'm sure the driving was still shown as recently as last year... sigh.
I wouldn't mind so much paying a small subscription to see all the events but they are all in different places, Badminton and Burghley both have their own thing, so I end up not watching much. Luckily I am not too far from some of the major events and get to watch them in person. But it seems the same as figure skating, it is getting harder and harder to watch. Instead the BBC shows some repeats of Flog it and more football. Sigh.

 

[Sai Bon]

I know, I miss the days of Hickstead being on the TV. But I'm sure the driving was still shown as recently as last year... sigh.
I wouldn't mind so much paying a small subscription to see all the events but they are all in different places, Badminton and Burghley both have their own thing, so I end up not watching much. Luckily I am not too far from some of the major events and get to watch them in person. But it seems the same as figure skating, it is getting harder and harder to watch. Instead the BBC shows some repeats of Flog it and more football. Sigh.

I am thrilled to meet so many equestrianism fans on Golden Skate!

 

[CellarDweller]

Skiing and snowboarding

 

[Dreamer57]

Football! love a good team sport.
I'd watch badminton too if there was any decent coverage of it.
Netball is improving, although there aren't as many European countries - Europe at the world cup was England, Scotland and Wales

 

[elbkup]

Not me stalking the thread making note of the fellow equestrian fans... I will watch all of it, though eventing is my favourite. I am surprised how much crossover there seems to be

Rather sad to discover the BBC are not showing the carriage driving this year from not-Olympia. I don't follow it normally but I liked watching it at Christmas! At least they are still showing the puissance.

I enjoy most equestrian events tho dressage is a favorite; one naysayer in my life says it’s like watching paint dry

 

[icewhite]

I enjoy most equestrian events tho dressage is a favorite; one naysayer in my life says it’s like watching paint dry

I love equestrian events and especially dressage. The big minus for me is the treatment of the horses which is often disgusting. So sometimes I even feel a bit guilty watching it. But I feel similar with some young skaters...

 

[elbkup]

I love equestrian events and especially dressage. The big minus for me is the treatment of the horses which is often disgusting. So sometimes I even feel a bit guilty watching it. But I feel similar with some young skaters...

I agree. Horse racing is the worst and I refuse to watch. One can usually tell if horse and rider are stmpatico; I watched one event where the rider emotionally hugged his horse in appreciation after they competed win or not. Kindness and care win the day always. If the horse doesn’t like enjoy what it’s doing then it’s wrong but sanctuaries ( and worse!) are filled with horses overused and discarded. Shameful

 

[LolaSkatesInJapan]

Football! love a good team sport.

I love football. I never had the desire or interest of playing it myself, not interested in female football teams, but I find myself glued to the television during major championships, especially FIFA World Cup, no matter what the time zone is.
I have no interest in many team sports such as volleyball, basketball, or rugby ... but there's something about football that makes it incredibly exciting to watch, at least in my humble opinion.

 

[FlossieH]

I agree. Horse racing is the worst and I refuse to watch. One can usually tell if horse and rider are stmpatico; I watched one event where the rider emotionally hugged his horse in appreciation after they competed win or not. Kindness and care win the day always. If the horse doesn’t like enjoy what it’s doing then it’s wrong but sanctuaries ( and worse!) are filled with horses overused and discarded. Shameful

I think @icewhite was referring to equestrian events (which fall under the remit of the FEI) rather than to horse racing, which is totally separate. Lumping horse racing with the equestrian events on the basis that both involve horses is a bit like putting ice skating with skeleton/luge/bobsleigh because they all involve ice.

 

[Sai Bon]

I think @icewhite was referring to equestrian events (which fall under the remit of the FEI) rather than to horse racing, which is totally separate. Lumping horse racing with the equestrian events on the basis that both involve horses is a bit like putting ice skating with skeleton/luge/bobsleigh because they all involve ice.

You are right, but the abuse of horses is in no way limited to racing.

 

[denise3lz]

Watching internet broadcast of professional shogi match.
Shogi is cousin of chess so it can be treated as mind sports.
Actually influential Sports medias treat this game especially after debut of young superstar 7 years ago.

 

[yuumagical]

I don't follow any sports as closely as figure skating, but I love watching the Olympics (both summer and winter)! In fact, I tend to hold a party with close friends on or around the opening ceremonies, it's the only time I host parties! To be more specific, some other sports I enjoy on a more casual level include:

Soccer: I don't appreciate soccer for the individual superstars; I appreciate the dynamics of soccer teams. There's something to be said about how a good team flows together in order to get the ball where it needs to go. I enjoy the sounds of soccer too, the singing and chanting of the fans in the crowd at major tournaments often draws me into watching soccer matches. My appreciation of it is on the national team level; there's so many club teams I don't know where to begin...

Short-track speed skating: Glorious fast-paced chaos! Perhaps my enjoyment of short track is similar to why I enjoy men's figure skating. Would love to watch more, but how does one watch both sports at the same time when their schedules overlap? Hmmm...

Badminton: More of a sport I like to play than I sport I like to watch, but there were some pretty exciting matches last Olympics. I definitely want to watch it and play it more often...

Rhythmic gymnastics: Clearly the figure skating of the Summer Olympics. If only I knew where to watch more of it...

Australian rules football: The players wear short shorts. Who likes short shorts? I like short shorts.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Australian rules football: The players wear short shorts. Who likes short shorts? I like short shorts.

For the benefit of those that are too young to get the reference:

The Royal Teens - "Short Shorts"

CaroLiza_fan