[Mudcat]

What I am wondering is how interested people would be in sports if not for betting.

About 20 years ago, I was probably a 9. I could be counted on to know all the stats and standings and every coach/GM/stadium name for every major team (and a lot of minor ones). I could rhyme off records. I had favorite teams and I cared about them a lot.

Over the years, I have grown cynical and jaded to the point where I consider myself a 2. I no longer have favorite teams. If I put on almost any sporting event, I'll be looking for the clicker within 2 minutes (that includes when I have a bet on it BTW).

I think the baseball strike of '94 may have been a big turning point, although I suspect it only sped up an inevitable process.

There are exceptions so I'm not calling myself a 1. I do enjoy some curling and international hockey and the Sunday of the golf majors. I think I might still like the NFL if I didn't have bets on it (although it's been so long since I wasn't in some kind of NFL pool, it's hard to say for sure).

I'm obviously very glad that sports are thriving, but a fan? No, not really.

[isetcap]

I have to say I concur wholeheartedly with Mudcat on this one, although I am still happy to see a game here and there as long as I can FF the commercials.

[Willie Bee]

Gave myself a 9. There's always room for 'improvement,' but I love watching sports whether I've got a betting interest or a rooting interest. I understand what you're saying about becoming more jaded and cynical over the years, Mudcat. But no matter how angry and upset I get at the owners or players in baseball, I can never shake my love and interest in the game. I don't pay much attention at all to the NBA, can't stand to watch golf on TV (but love to go to tournaments), tennis is pretty boring to me, don't really understand soccer but like to watch World Cup action and had a blast in '94 up in Dallas at the Brasil-Dutch match.

But if it's baseball on any level --- including my umpire duties in Little League --- or college football/hoops, I get all of it that I can (as long as I'm not burning up brownie points at an exponential rate with the wife ).

[Tchocky]

I've never really considered myself that big of a sports man. Wagering on the outcome changed all that. You can never watch a game or a match the same when you stand to win or lose a significant amount of money.

[onlooker]

I would consider myself around a 8. I watch a lot of sports from Football to Nascar. But my favorite teams are starting to become just another team. I dont let them get in the way of my capping of games and dont bet like a homer. If its not cartoons or sports on tv, Im not watch. Well CSI, Las Vegas and House I will make a exception for.

[Illusion]

When I was a bit younger I was a 11, but now I'm a 10. I eat, live and breathe sports.

[bigboydan]

i'm probly a 8

i would have said i'm probly a 7 but, usualy by the all-star breaks most sports. i do take break from betting, and study up on the next sports that start with in about the next month or two.

[JoshW]

voted 3, I like betting more, I like other stuff on TV more. I do enjoy watching football, NFL and college. Boxing would give myself a 6, but don't get around to watching that much even then.

[natrass]

Its a fact as you get older you take watching sport less seriously. Partly due to maturity and partly due to the fact that when you are 8 it might be one of the first championships youve seen, when your 40 you have seen it year after year after year.

Put me down for a 4 there i think.

[isetcap]

Put me down for a 4 there i think.

Put yourself down for 4, you 5-letter C-R-E-D-I-T spelling catkiller!

[natrass]

Put yourself down for 4, you 5-letter C-R-E-D-I-T spelling catkiller!

Catkiller?? How many times do I have to tell people, those charges were not proven !!!

As you may have guessed, like Johnny W., I can only count to five anyway.

[adriano]

i voted 5.
The golden middle, same here as i get older going down on the scale each year .
After watching more than 3000 soccer games last 16 years, i can't stand soccer with one notable exception, FC Barcelona. As for the WC, last time in Japan/Korea the tournament was a joke. Let's hope Germany '06 is a classic one, otherwise i quit this sport altogether.