Originally Posted by
uncertaintraveler
You generally don't need a long winded explanation to understand most sports. And most sports do not involve a self-selecting minority of viewers "discovering" hidden things that other viewers don't "get" because they are, in the view of the self-selecting minority, and for lack of a better phrase, unrefined, unsophisticated, or undeveloped.
I think that's completely wrong. Most sports do involve a minority of viewers "discovering" hidden things. You think most of the public appreciates the subtle moves that defensive linemen make in the NFL? Or the peculiarities of Belichik's defensive schemes? Football is a great example of a sport that becomes infinitely more interesting as you learn more and can appreciate what both sides are trying to do.
But I guess the larger point is this: just because one cannot appreciate subtlety in a given endeavor does not imply that no one can.