Underrated sports.
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Really depends on region as to what counts as "underrated" I think. For instance, of the three you mentioned, in Australia, soccer is overshadowed by every other football type (AFL, League, Union), baseball is practically non-existent, and basketball doesn't get much spotlight. In contrast, cricket is really big here for instance, as well as in countries like India, Pakistan, and the UK, but I'm guessing it doesn't get much attention in the US.
So, on the local level, I'd say soccer, if only because it's my favorite football type, but is overshadowed by its counterparts. Globally, I can't really say.
So, on the local level, I'd say soccer, if only because it's my favorite football type, but is overshadowed by its counterparts. Globally, I can't really say.
Something like that. To be honest, living in Australia I've only seen a few games and have no idea of the rules or anything, I just found it to be a ton of fun the couple times I did watch.VG_Addict said:
Breaking (or as it's commonly referred to, breakdancing).
You might say that it's an art form and not a sport but competitive breaking is definitely a sport.
It's one of the most physically demanding activities in existence and you also have to be able to move to the music AND you need to be creative since only doing moves which have been done before is frowned upon.
These people are literally defying gravity yet even some of the best in the world have to get part time jobs like delivering pizzas to be able to survive.
You might say that it's an art form and not a sport but competitive breaking is definitely a sport.
It's one of the most physically demanding activities in existence and you also have to be able to move to the music AND you need to be creative since only doing moves which have been done before is frowned upon.
These people are literally defying gravity yet even some of the best in the world have to get part time jobs like delivering pizzas to be able to survive.
Judo. I fuckin' love watching Olympic Judo. In fact the last couple I've seen, the women's matches were more interesting than the men's. Maybe it was because of the weight divide, but the blokes just kept trying to bull rush each other but the sheilas were actually using technique.
lmao, sheilasGordon_4 said:
OP:
Volleyball. Oh man is it fun once you get into it. Diving for balls, being able to bump that overhand smash. You feel awesome.
Badminton. Just loads of fun, and actually really good cardio, haha.
I would say martial arts in general, but they are making a comeback so I wouldn't say they are underrated any more.
And since I am from Canada, I find it blasphemous that you didn't include hockey as one of the popular sports.
Fencing. I dabbled in it during my teenage years, and it's basically a Western martial art in terms of mindset. Watching a match between high level fencers is often quite entertaining. There's a palpable tension and fluidity to it as they gauge each other's styles and attempt to exploit openings in the other's defenses.
Boxing, for me.
Sure, it's a sport everyone's heard of, but these days few have anything good to say about it, largely due to its market share being gradually swallowed up by MMA, and the fact that there hasn't been a charismatic face for the sport in decades.
All that said, it's still my martial sport of choice. Sure, MMA is more grounded in actual self defense and martial arts, but here's the thing: real self defense and martial arts aren't designed to be fun to watch, they're designed to be effective. Boxing isn't a martial art due to all the various rules it has its fighters follow, but those rules aren't to protect the fighters, it's to make it a bigger spectacle for the audience.
Since MMA tends to favor the most effective means of victory, the matches largely come down to grapples and submission holds... and if all I wanted to do was watch two men hug for 90 minutes, I'm sure I could find some porn like that somewhere on the internet... or watch a Mayweather fight.
Sure, it's a sport everyone's heard of, but these days few have anything good to say about it, largely due to its market share being gradually swallowed up by MMA, and the fact that there hasn't been a charismatic face for the sport in decades.
All that said, it's still my martial sport of choice. Sure, MMA is more grounded in actual self defense and martial arts, but here's the thing: real self defense and martial arts aren't designed to be fun to watch, they're designed to be effective. Boxing isn't a martial art due to all the various rules it has its fighters follow, but those rules aren't to protect the fighters, it's to make it a bigger spectacle for the audience.
Since MMA tends to favor the most effective means of victory, the matches largely come down to grapples and submission holds... and if all I wanted to do was watch two men hug for 90 minutes, I'm sure I could find some porn like that somewhere on the internet... or watch a Mayweather fight.
The correct answer to this question is Darts. Darts has it all drama, excitement, heartbreak. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGGGHHTTYY!
Yeah, I was being cheeky, more than serious. Hence why I took a jab at boxing at the end of my hugging complaint. XDGlongpre said:
I enjoy both sports, nostalgia just makes me miss boxing's heyday
I recently discovered that team medieval combat is a sport. I think its definitely underrated
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhF1i23vwps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhF1i23vwps
Well, I'm a huge ice hockey fan. But it doesn't really qualify as "underrated" really. Not as much as...
Court handball. A nice mix of basketball and hockey. Way more fun than basketball and frankly better for spectators.
Sepak takraw. I've never seen a sport that requires more skill just to perform the basics of the game. A mix of volleyball, football, and hackeysack. Imagine a game of volleyball played entirely with the feet. Where spikes are replaced with a series of volley shots and bicycle kicks.
And as an American, I don't understand why we need our "own" sports. I generally prefer world sports to the U.S. versions. American football is ok, I guess. But football (soccer) and Ice Hockey are way better. Its just a mindset. In U.S. sports (specifically basketball and football) its all about offense. Scores are high, teams are expected to come away with points every time they have the opportunity to. In sports that I prefer defense is a huge part of the game and actual scoring opportunities are more rare, and therefore more exciting and special because it requires more skill to create that opportunity.
Court handball. A nice mix of basketball and hockey. Way more fun than basketball and frankly better for spectators.
Sepak takraw. I've never seen a sport that requires more skill just to perform the basics of the game. A mix of volleyball, football, and hackeysack. Imagine a game of volleyball played entirely with the feet. Where spikes are replaced with a series of volley shots and bicycle kicks.
And as an American, I don't understand why we need our "own" sports. I generally prefer world sports to the U.S. versions. American football is ok, I guess. But football (soccer) and Ice Hockey are way better. Its just a mindset. In U.S. sports (specifically basketball and football) its all about offense. Scores are high, teams are expected to come away with points every time they have the opportunity to. In sports that I prefer defense is a huge part of the game and actual scoring opportunities are more rare, and therefore more exciting and special because it requires more skill to create that opportunity.
Honestly I think it comes down to weight classes: big heavyweight boxers or really big MMA fighters tend to be looking for that one opening to just go 1,2,3,Floor end of match. Not disputing the skill, I'm not that arrogant (I hope) but when I watch two lighter fighters in either boxing or MMA they just seem to bust out more technique. More ducking and weaving, more changing of positions on the ground, longer strike combinations etc. Still, boxing is just one of those sports that isn't ever going away: it's been around since fucking Ancient Greece in one form or another.Glongpre said:
Yeah, body composition is a big determinant of a fighters gameplan. That's why everyone is flabbergasted by Cain. Dude is a heavyweight but his cardio is amazing. And lighter fighters generally have a harder time knocking people out so swinging for the fences does not work as well for them.Gordon_4 said:
There is skill to say, Mark Hunt or Overeems striking. But as one goes up the ranks, the punchers chance increases due to the increased power that fighters wield, so less talented fighters can get by with looping haymakers.
Every weight has it's skilled guys. Miocic, Weidman, Jacare Souza, Yoel Romero, Frank Mir (at one time), etc.
But you certainly won't find guys moving like Tj Dillashaw for a whole fight in the higher weight classes, their mass just doesn't allow it.
And isn't it Pancrase that is from ancient greece?