11/25   Nerds getting excited about Cal football:  My new theory is that the
        school spirit thing makes nerds feel like they're a part of something
        for the first time in their lives even though everyone involved in the
        game they obsess over couldn't care less if all the nerds live or die.
        My other theory is that it's some sort of homoerotic submissive thing
        for the weakling and mostly white&asian nerds to worship the very big
        and mostly black players but that seems too controversial a topic for
        the motd to discuss seriously without screaming racism or simply
        censoring the whole topic without a single thought, especially if
        there's a grain of truth to it.
        \_ Why is this something that needs a long, convoluted theory to
           explain?  Perhaps the reason that you're getting so worked up over
           this has more to do with your own issues than with the people that
           enjoy spectating.
           \_ No, it's purely academic.  I don't have any issues.  I don't care
              what other people do with their own time in that sense.  I simply
              find it bizarre and seek an explanation.  I find it interesting
              how incredibly defensive so many have been and who try to go off
              topic with various personal insults against me without making the
              slightest attempt to engage in real discussion.  If it isn't at
              all important to you then I suggest just ignoring it.  -OP
              \_ Perhaps people are reacting defensively and flaming you
                 with OT crap as a result of your insulting presentaion of
                 your 'academic' interest.  Try a less accusative method of
                 discussion if you really want intellectual debate.
        \_ back to your favorite Counterstrike server where
           you came from!
           \_ OT, ignored.  -OP
              \_ right.  since you're ignoring his post, you had to tell him
                  that so he'd KNOW that you're ignoring it and didn't read it.
        \_ There's nothing here I would argue with.
        \_ And this differs from any other sports team how?
           \_ it differs from a cross country team in that they
              are largely nerds.
           \_ Because it appears to me that only the football team at Cal has
              this sort of fanatic nerd following.  -OP
              \_ How about the football and basketball teams at 'Furd?
                 Or sports fans in general of any major sport?
        \_ we're sorry. we'll resume back to getting excited about
           perl and open source, you fucked up sports fan wannabe.
           \_ OT, ignored.  -OP
        \_ If you want to know more about this whole sports subculture, I
           strongly recommend, "Influence: the psychology of persuasion"
           by professor Cialdini.  He did extensive studies of college
           sports fans.  The results will suprise you.  Basically the lower
           the self-esteem and sense of achievement a person has, the more
           likely that person would be a big sports fan.  It has to do with
           identifying oneself with a team and experiencing a sense of
           accomplishment through the team. A must read if you like
           psychology and self-improvement books.
           \_ Thanks.  I'll check it out.  Did you read it?  Do his methods
              seem valid? -OP
        \_ Obvious someone who's a little insecure about other people having
           a good time. It's okay guy, someday you might be happy too.
           \_ Wrong but a good guess after getting a C+ in Psych 1. -OP
        \_ How is it different from any other spectator sports, or even any
           other sports that the viewer doesn't participate like the Olympics?
           \_ There's nothing homoerotic about looking up Kristi Yamaguchi's
              skirt.
              \_ I still remember her "Got milk?" ad.  (And you think that was
                 milk.)
        \_ How are "nerds" different from any other sports fan in this way?
           \_ Because as a nerd you're the a member of one of the few sub
              cultures in their fan base that they'd squish out of existence
              if they could, whereas the typical Joe 6 Pack isn't. -OP
              \_ That's true. I would. -- Kyle Boller
              \_ I think you have been watching too much "Revenge of the Nerds"
                 Most of the jocks I have known could care less about nerds.
        \_ During the maturation process, most human beings learn to
           identify and care about things larger and greater than their
           personal, individual self. Identifying with a sports team,
           either as a proxy for something else (in this case the
           University) or even for it's own sake, is generally a healthy
           progression on the path to beoming a full member of society,
           capable of forming psychological bonds with other adults,
           being able to form families, joining and advancing group
           goals, and taking on the rights and responsibilities of
           citizenship. Some nerds are capable of moving on this
           progression towards community responsibility. Most are not,
           hence the popularity of extreme indviduliast philosophies
           such as libertarianism and other kooky forms of self
           adoration amongst computer geeks.