Episode Seventeen: Available Now

Things are getting kind of nutty on the Sports Talk Underground front these days, so I've been kind of dragging ass with this next episode. But I still plan on getting one out this week, may not debut until the weekend but I will get one done.

If there is anything you guys would like for me to cover this week, feel free to toss your ideas here. Aside from the obvious Barry Bonds topic and some news and notes from training camp that I can dig up, throw anything else you guys think would make for a good topic out there.

Well work faster! Don't make me get the whip!

Ummmm, no thanks.

I'm a straight meat and potatoes man, I'm not into the rough stuff.

But thanks though.

Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't actually have a whip.

Not into that sort of thing either. Pretty vanilla, come to think of it.

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I'm a straight meat and potatoes man

Hey, baby.

Looks like a good time to bring this up...
You should do a "performance review" of the KISS condom.

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Well if it makes you feel any better, I don't actually have a whip.

You may borrow one of mine if you promise to flog Larry with it.

It's the "one of" that gives me pause. And yet, I find that I'm not the tiniest bit surprised.

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You should do a "performance review" of the KISS condom.

Hey now.

(I'll bring the potatoes if you...oh, sorry. )

Unfortunately, haven't had much cause to test out the KISS condom lately.

Anyway,

Got some free time today so I will more than likely get Episode 17 done tonight and get it up sometime tomorrow.

You're not going to talk about Barry Bonds, are you?

I'm not too proud to beg here.

It was originally going to be my main event as a way of binging and purging this subject once and for all, but not anymore.

I will mention it in the County Fair and that will be it. 2 minutes tops, I promise.

Got episode 17 done late last night and have been busy all day, BUT, it is uploading as we speak and will be available for all to hear very soon.

Took the ball and ran with the Relationships and Sports thing in my Main Event, give a listen and get my take on it.

Enjoy!!

I just finished listening to the show. I have a small lurching feeling in my gut.

I think...I think I was just very tacitly insulted.

I do believe that my femininity was quietly and wordlessly called into question.

That may not have been your intention, but that's kind of how I took it.

I think I'm actually upset. I have too many thoughts right now, and I'm shaking a little. I think I'm going to have to post later when I'm a little calmer.

Okay, I'm calmer. I have inhaled, I have exhaled, I have had a wee nap. Most importantly, I got mad at the draft system this morning, and that just took it all out of me.

I will, however, admit to being just a tiny bit cheesed about the stereotyping of female sports fans. I love my Bengals, and I make a point of knowing what I'm talking about, because when I am in the company of men, I have no desire to be that annoying girl. However, I am all woman, as are all of my girlfriends who also happen to be sports fans.

You may not have been talking about me in that group, Whit, but it's still an awful stereotype. The only place that the majority of female sports fans are one (very short!) step below Rosie O'Donnell is on television. Just because we happen to enjoy a phallocentric pursuit doesn't mean we're a good pair of hiking boots away from Muff Madness. :)

And like I said before, just because we love sports too doesn't mean we don't understand the importance of male bonding. We have lives; we just like to make room for our fellas in them. You're a nice, comfy addition.

But...the fact that you got a response means that you did your job. So, good show.

I've got some thoughts on this that I'll post at lunch. I definitely have some staggering disagreements and some questioning of Larry's reasoning for football being his thing...

Nothing like Mike Greenberg tease to not be filled until three hours or so from now.

Good lord...do we need to hear about Larry's sex life too? Sounds like another show: "Sex talk with Larry D". THAT would be a ratings monster.

CPH....you might be on to something...

CardinalPackerHoosier wrote:

Good lord...do we need to hear about Larry's sex life too? Sounds like another show: "Sex talk with Larry D". THAT would be a ratings monster.

Nah. All you have to do is hang around here to get that. We're a rowdy bunch.

Alright as we've mentioned before, this is a place of freedom for thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Larry has aired his out on his show and he admittedly said his thoughts would not be popular. Here's my take on it.

It looks like most of us agree that men and women both should have some things of their own and time of their own. It's healthy for a relationship. Larry said his was football. I would say that's true for me as well, but I'm capable and excited to share these particular events with Kylene as well. We've watch two of the past regular season Colts-Patriots games and we went to Indy to watch the Superbowl. Great times and wouldn't trade them for an experience with the guys. However, this is what Larry holds true and dear to his heart and selfishly admits doesn't want to give that up. I honestly see no problem with this.

My particular problem with this Main Event was his reasoning for why he wants football to be his thing. For this particular listener, I felt like Larry missed his own point or his reasoning just didn't work for me. There's so much to comment on so bare with me....and maybe this was Larry's problem from the get go.

He was on the right track when he mentioned he hated explaining the rules and all the random questions during a football game to his high school girlfriend. While this can be a fun thing, I can understand why during a playoff game between Warren Moon's Vikings and the Bears Larry would be annoyed. Anyone one of us, man or woman, would not want to go down that road at that time. You want to watch, enjoy and go crazy during the game. I particularly enjoy watching a game completely by myself and dissecting each play as it unfolds. If thesewere his sole reasonings on why he wants it to be his thing, no issues here. Though I do think if the girl has interest, find a game like Bills vs. Cardinals or for me, it was a high school game and break down the game and answer a lot of questions at that time. It can be a fun experience if picked for the right game at the right time.

So for me, he was on the right track early. But then it took a weird turn for me personally. The argument of not wanting a woman who likes football because they are plain jane and not feminine struck me as quite stereotypical especially in 2007. I can't argue that Larry doesn't like those types of women because that's what he is or is not attracted to, but I can argue that there are plenty of good looking, feminine women these days that enjoy watching football. He mentions the 3 reporters in the NFL media field are the exception to the rule, but I just don't think the rule applies. (Sidenote: Strip away the makeup from Suzy Kolber and put her in HD and tell me she's still attractive Larry ) In short, there are plenty of attractive women that are watching football these days and can be found right under his nose down in the city of Chicago. I think a sense of city pride might even help getting a more diverse group of fans.

Second, and this is what really didn't make sense to me as an arguement as to why sports can't be watched with women, was men watching football together is no place for a woman because men talk like Pirates and Pigs during games. Do they? I can't remember the last time a bunch of my pals were sitting around watching a game talking about every girl that is hot on TV and in the bar and what we'd do to each and every part of them. What does that have to do with football? Could it happen while watching? Sure. But if that's the reasoning for why sports and relationships don't mix couldn't you technically make it anything in the world you like? Couldn't you gather up a bunch of guys and go to the movies and act like pigs? Couldn't you get a group and go to the beach and talk like a sailor? Go fishing? Hell, you can do this anywhere with a group of guys if you choose to do so where women are or are not present. It could be sports, but it does'y have to be. So for me this reasoning doesn't not work for strictly Sports and Relationships must be separate. Suddenly it sounds like football is just an out to really curse and make comments about women for 3 hours. What about just wanting to watch the games with a group of guys who are all die-hard fans? I don't think that point was ever made.

On to acting like Pigs and Pirates ( I need one more P-word for some good alliteration..whodey, any ideas?)...Now its true most men may loosen up a little bit when their women are gone. With that said if you are going to act like a completely different person because you want to remain a gentleman in front of women, I ask why lead two separate lives. How about acting like you do in front of your guy friends? Obviously don't call your woman names and stuff, but let loose in front of them right from the start. Then, if she still likes you, your life is going to be that much easier and you're going to feel that much more comfortable around them. At the same time, you need to keep the rules fair and allow your woman to make comments about Brad Pitt, George Clooney or whoever the guy is these days? You can't have it your way on both accounts.

In all, I just felt like the argument of why "Relationships + Sports Don't Mix" got lost in a real argument of Guy Time vs. Relationship Time. I know the two correlate somewhat, but I was looking for specific reasons on why "sports" was the one that could not be mixed with a woman. I never felt that argument was told even though it got started in that direction.

Like whodey said though, Larry has struck a chord here with the topic. Keep these intriguing topic ideas coming.

I agree with your question about living double lives. I guess what I'd have to wonder is, would that be for her sake, or for yours? I mean, a woman who genuinely loves a guy is going to know that he can be pig when he's with his friends, because he'll sometimes be a pig around her too. That's the definition of true intimacy, being with someone with whom you aren't afraid to be yourself, good and bad.

I would honestly have to say that if I were in a relationship with someone who was totally different when I wasn't around, I don't think I'd stick around once I found out. It's a bait and switch (which guys FLIP OUT about, and rightly so), and it's a sign that the man I'm with doesn't trust me enough to be himself.

Admittedly, that part of the discussion smacks not so lightly of double-standard.

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"Sex talk with Larry 8======D". THAT would be a ratings monster.

Fixed.
(I'm so sorry... it was just too easy)

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Second, and this is what really didn't make sense to me as an arguement as to why sports can't be watched with women, was men watching football together is no place for a woman because men talk like Pirates and Pigs during games. Do they? I can't remember the last time a bunch of my pals were sitting around watching a game talking about every girl that is hot on TV and in the bar and what we'd do to each and every part of them. What does that have to do with football?....

And so on...
Ryan read my mind here. I'm glad you said, you know, all that stuff first. It saves me the trouble of having to type it all out!

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The argument of not wanting a woman who likes football because they are plain jane and not feminine struck me as quite stereotypical especially in 2007.

Well... the man did admit he was being old fashioned a couple of times. So he's sort of agreeing that his opinion isn't popular opinion :)

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Well... the man did admit he was being old fashioned a couple of times. So he's sort of agreeing that his opinion isn't popular opinion

And that's true, but its one thing to be old-fashoined and another to be old-fashioned and be blind to the many good looking feminine women that may exist who wnjoy and understand football. Believe me, I thought LD3's radar worked way better than that!

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I would honestly have to say that if I were in a relationship with someone who was totally different when I wasn't around, I don't think I'd stick around once I found out. It's a bait and switch (which guys FLIP OUT about, and rightly so), and it's a sign that the man I'm with doesn't trust me enough to be himself.

You're assuming that Animal Mode is his natural state, and he has to willfully restrain himself when around The Lady. If you are naturally tame in the calming presence of a loving woman, and naturally animalistic at a sports bar full of beer and stink, then he's not putting on any sort of facade.

This point of Larry's I can clearly see. Everything else is a bit murky :)

Understandable meathorse, but shouldn't the woman know that exists to, or not? Maybe I'm wrong on that one?

Larry, really bringing some fodder to board the past 2 days.

I felt from the beginning that this would have been a better topic for a STU show than just my show. And I felt this way even when I was recording the segment, I knew I wasn't getting my point across the way I wanted and would have loved to have someone there to bounce my ideas off of. I feel I painted myself into a corner with a lot of the things I said.

As far as the way guys act when guys are alone thing. You're right, it isn't just football, it's whenever guys get together in general that this happens. Just think back to when we used to get together for the wrestling pay-per-views and our buddy would bring his girlfriend to be the only one in the room with ten guys. Did any of us feel comfortable acting the way we normally did when she wasn't around? No, and it took away from the fun in my opinion. Not because she was a prude or anything like that, but because it didn't feel right acting that way in front of her. Saying that Trish Stratus had a sweet ass in front of a woman just didn't sit well with me so I didn't do it.

And it's not a double life I'm trying to live by acting one way around the guys and another with my woman. Like I said, I just don't feel comfortable acting that way in front of a woman. It's not out of fear that she might go racing for the door after she hears me swearing like a sailor or commenting on the bartender's tits, I just don't like speaking that way in front of a lady. Call me old fashioned, I've just never been okay with it. But I am also a guy seven months away from his 30th birthday who still can't bring himself to swear in front of his parents unless I'm directly quoting someone. I find it disrespectful.

And I have always had a long-standing offer to any of my girlfriends who want to learn about the game. Jennifer just picked the worst game ever to take me up on it. Even if she had waited until the afternoon game that followed that Bears/Vikings game, I would have told her anything she wanted to know.

But like I said, the topic got away from me and became more of why it doesn't work for me personally than why it doesn't work in general. It came off more like my argument for why I hate baseball than anything else.

meathorse wrote:

You're assuming that Animal Mode is his natural state, and he has to willfully restrain himself when around The Lady. If you are naturally tame in the calming presence of a loving woman, and naturally animalistic at a sports bar full of beer and stink, then he's not putting on any sort of facade.

This point of Larry's I can clearly see. Everything else is a bit murky :)

I'm not making that assumption at all, actually. Whether Animal Mode is a man's natural state or not, the point is that this particular state exists for him, and not as a once in a while thing. Being unwilling to admit that this part even exists in front of his lady is still a facade of sorts.

I will admit that my experiences color my view of this a bit. I have always had more male friends than female, and have had to hold my own and be raucous around them, so I know firsthand how men can be, as do most women. I guess it's just that idea that if guys think they're fooling us, they aren't. The secret's out.