Ben-DutkaFormer ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd got a lot of flak for criticizing competitive gaming and gamers in general. It prompted this piece of satire from us.
But Cowherd is at it again, this time working for Fox Sports and ripping into the pro gaming scene.
The comments are in response to TBS forming its own gaming league and planning to broadcast weekly matches, and Cowherd first says it's the "nerd equivalent of 'band on the field.'" Co-host Kristine Leahy interrupted by saying competitive gaming is a "huge deal" and is in fact "bigger than the Super Bowl in some countries." But Cowherd wouldn't be deterred; here's his mock play-by-play:
"Now he's going upstairs to his room, a room where a girl has never entered. He sits down–look at that Star Wars collection!–and goes to town on the Hot Pocket; there is your esports champion."
Yes, well, the sad part is he isn't entirely and completely wrong. It's true, competitive gaming is not a sport and I've said I can't stand watching it . But this Cowherd guy just sounds like a dope.
A bunch of old stereotypes and he is right? Most gamers, even some of these esports champions, are parents. So his stupidity about all gamers being virgins is dumb as hell. He has no concept of anything, maybe he is jealous that these guys have fun and he doesn't. Seems like a bitter old man that wants children of his "damn lawn".
Given the nebulous concept that is 'sport', and the fact that I could be just as versed in the tactics of Starcraft II as anyone on the planet and still lose to professional players because I am literally physically incapable of doing what they do, I think it's kind of weird to state authoritatively that videogames cannot ever qualify as a sport.
If you want to hit 400 Actions Per Minute in a professional Starcraft match, which is what the world-best South Korean champions do, you better be physically training for hours per day. You need an insane amount of physical speed and dexterity to compete at that level.
That said, I find the whole pro-gaming scene stupid and boring. I just consider them stupid and boring sports.
I get criticizing it as not being a sport, but to go to great lengths to publicly insult people is kind of 1950's high school jockish behaviour, is it not?
Being a prick in public has never gone out of style.
Yeah, that's true. But even then you'd expect it to come from a point of disagreement. He's not even really debating with people. His argument is esports is not a sport because gamers don't get laid and eat pizza pockets in their parents house while gaming.
Tell someone their idea is terrible is one thing when you can support your opinion with logic, but to tell people their idea is terrible on the basis that they are terrible and based on nothing…
Even I don't like being a prick for the sake of being a prick. lol
Last edited by Underdog15 on 9/29/2015 1:01:30 PM
Being an irrational jackass never went out of style, either. In fact, people like Cowherd make their living from it. He's basically following the Rush Limbaugh School of D-Baggery. Say something baseless and incendiary, backed only by your own ignorance, wait for outcry, then double down. Ups your listeners, increases your ratings, makes you money, and all you had to do is be a butthead to people you already thought you were better than for no reason.
Only it's funnier coming from a guy who covers sports, which fandom is comprised entirely of people who take personal pride in the physical accomplishments of others, mocking people who go out and physically compete.
Good point comparing him to Rush. lol. Of course, the only place I've ever heard Rush talk was on The Daily Show.
If you ever want to feel your brain cells slowly committing suicide, tune into his radio show one day and listen to the people who call in.
@Bio
I've never understood the allegiance people have to sports teams. Its like they say YAAAY!!! we won!!!…no the team won, you did nothing but sit and drink a beer you dink. I dunno I hate it.
Also when people criticize the athletes, rip into the plays and the mistakes, I want to punch them.
I'm an athlete and I coach competitive gymnastics…and this stuff happens, people make mistakes. I hate people who coach or try and play from their living rooms, it drives me nuts.
Xenris, if you don't understand fandom and what teams do for building a sense of community, how teams and the entire sport business relies on fans, etc. etc. then there's a lot about athletics you don't understand outside the fundamentals of your own discipline.
There are entire university studies and courses that talk about it. If you ever get the chance, take a sociology of sport course. Guaranteed they'll talk about it, and it makes excellent sense.
I took psychology courses, on top of that my father is a psychologist and I am constantly learning a lot from him, we have great talks and he has taught me so much through my life.
I understand what is going on in the brains of these people. I just think it's a silly human behaviour, much like a lot of human behaviours. I don't feel like my identity is attached to a team. Some people get enraged when you make fun of their team or a player, violent even. Its pretty sad in my opinion.
Humans love building communities in anything, if you like this thing and I like this thing it makes us feel connected. It is why churches have such influence over people, and other organizations. It is why the community here is generally awesome, we share a common interest.
Connecting with your fellow team mates is fine, cheering on your son or friends team makes sense too. But sitting on your couch arguing about whos the best player, having fights over whos team is better etc is stupid in my eyes.
" then there's a lot about athletics you don't understand outside the fundamentals of your own discipline."
This sentence doesn't make much sense. Fandom, and social studies of sport has nothing to do understanding the fundamentals of sport. I don't need to know or study about why fans tip cars when their team wins in order for my gymnast to learn free hip to handstand giant giant fly away. I don't need to know why peopel love Sydney Crosby in order to increase a soccer players kicking power by 5%.
TLDR;
I understand psychologically whats going on, and socially. I just think it is stupid and it in no way affects my ability as an athlete or coach.
Pfft. He tries to mock but his insults are out of date. It's become cool to be a geek. It's in style.
Back when this dude were young the nerd were the typical loser. Today nerds are the new heroes and are found everywhere; in books, movies and TV series. The losers of today are the beefs that spent all their time in the gym and barely can read.
I imagine his audience must be older, retired coaches who yelled at their child-athletes a lot.
Cowherd's audience is all meatheads who still think the nerds were the villains in Revenge of the Nerds.
Amen, nerd stuff is mainstream now.
@Under: Yeah. The old-school "masculine".
@Bio: LOL!
@God: It really is. I've been a nerd since the 80s so I've experienced this shift and it's quite amazing.
Here the other day I overheard a conversation between to girls (!) at the playground nearby, and one complained to the other, "nooo, now it's MY turn to be the nerd! You've been her all the time!".
I'm drop dead serious. My jaw dropped.
I have seen bowling on espn. I think gaming is harder then bowling.
He must think he's somehow above these people or better than they are. It's funny that his job takes less effort to perform than playing a game as simple as Pac-Man.
Just an old man stuck in old times.
These people just dont get how much skill and dedication it takes to play competitive games takes. And need to get that newer generations are brought up on video games because they are popular mainsteam now. The whole nerd stereotype has never been less relevent.
League of legends alone fills out stadiums and gets insane coverage, you would think a guy like that would get with the times and become more educated on the subject.
Yeah this Cowherd guy is a joke, there is a 17 year old at my gymnastics club, he is a provincial level athlete and is absolutely massive, could knock this Cowherd guy out in one punch most likely oh and guess what? The kid plays Counter-Strike:GO professionally on the side.
He could be better at either "sport" if he chose one but still he can juggle both of them, and he makes a decent amount of money playing CS:GO.
This Cowherd guy obviously just likes trolling, I mean he must no he sounds like an idiot right?
I have seen bowling on espn. I think gaming is harder then bowling.
Pfft. He tries to mock but his insults are out of date. It's become cool to be a geek. It's in style.
Back when this dude were young the nerd were the typical loser. Today nerds are the new heroes and are found everywhere; in books, movies and TV series. The losers of today are the beefs that spent all their time in the gym and barely can read.
I imagine his audience must be older, retired coaches who yelled at their child-athletes a lot.
He must think he's somehow above these people or better than they are. It's funny that his job takes less effort to perform than playing a game as simple as Pac-Man.
Yeah this Cowherd guy is a joke, there is a 17 year old at my gymnastics club, he is a provincial level athlete and is absolutely massive, could knock this Cowherd guy out in one punch most likely oh and guess what? The kid plays Counter-Strike:GO professionally on the side.
He could be better at either "sport" if he chose one but still he can juggle both of them, and he makes a decent amount of money playing CS:GO.
This Cowherd guy obviously just likes trolling, I mean he must no he sounds like an idiot right?
@Under: Yeah. The old-school "masculine".
@Bio: LOL!
@God: It really is. I've been a nerd since the 80s so I've experienced this shift and it's quite amazing.
Here the other day I overheard a conversation between to girls (!) at the playground nearby, and one complained to the other, "nooo, now it's MY turn to be the nerd! You've been her all the time!".
I'm drop dead serious. My jaw dropped.
Cowherd's audience is all meatheads who still think the nerds were the villains in Revenge of the Nerds.
Given the nebulous concept that is 'sport', and the fact that I could be just as versed in the tactics of Starcraft II as anyone on the planet and still lose to professional players because I am literally physically incapable of doing what they do, I think it's kind of weird to state authoritatively that videogames cannot ever qualify as a sport.
If you want to hit 400 Actions Per Minute in a professional Starcraft match, which is what the world-best South Korean champions do, you better be physically training for hours per day. You need an insane amount of physical speed and dexterity to compete at that level.
That said, I find the whole pro-gaming scene stupid and boring. I just consider them stupid and boring sports.
These people just dont get how much skill and dedication it takes to play competitive games takes. And need to get that newer generations are brought up on video games because they are popular mainsteam now. The whole nerd stereotype has never been less relevent.
League of legends alone fills out stadiums and gets insane coverage, you would think a guy like that would get with the times and become more educated on the subject.
Yeah, that's true. But even then you'd expect it to come from a point of disagreement. He's not even really debating with people. His argument is esports is not a sport because gamers don't get laid and eat pizza pockets in their parents house while gaming.
Tell someone their idea is terrible is one thing when you can support your opinion with logic, but to tell people their idea is terrible on the basis that they are terrible and based on nothing…
Even I don't like being a prick for the sake of being a prick. lol
Last edited by Underdog15 on 9/29/2015 1:01:30 PM
If you ever want to feel your brain cells slowly committing suicide, tune into his radio show one day and listen to the people who call in.
@Bio
I've never understood the allegiance people have to sports teams. Its like they say YAAAY!!! we won!!!…no the team won, you did nothing but sit and drink a beer you dink. I dunno I hate it.
Also when people criticize the athletes, rip into the plays and the mistakes, I want to punch them.
I'm an athlete and I coach competitive gymnastics…and this stuff happens, people make mistakes. I hate people who coach or try and play from their living rooms, it drives me nuts.
A bunch of old stereotypes and he is right? Most gamers, even some of these esports champions, are parents. So his stupidity about all gamers being virgins is dumb as hell. He has no concept of anything, maybe he is jealous that these guys have fun and he doesn't. Seems like a bitter old man that wants children of his "damn lawn".
Being an irrational jackass never went out of style, either. In fact, people like Cowherd make their living from it. He's basically following the Rush Limbaugh School of D-Baggery. Say something baseless and incendiary, backed only by your own ignorance, wait for outcry, then double down. Ups your listeners, increases your ratings, makes you money, and all you had to do is be a butthead to people you already thought you were better than for no reason.
Only it's funnier coming from a guy who covers sports, which fandom is comprised entirely of people who take personal pride in the physical accomplishments of others, mocking people who go out and physically compete.
Being a prick in public has never gone out of style.
Good point comparing him to Rush. lol. Of course, the only place I've ever heard Rush talk was on The Daily Show.
Just an old man stuck in old times.
Amen, nerd stuff is mainstream now.
Xenris, if you don't understand fandom and what teams do for building a sense of community, how teams and the entire sport business relies on fans, etc. etc. then there's a lot about athletics you don't understand outside the fundamentals of your own discipline.
There are entire university studies and courses that talk about it. If you ever get the chance, take a sociology of sport course. Guaranteed they'll talk about it, and it makes excellent sense.
I get criticizing it as not being a sport, but to go to great lengths to publicly insult people is kind of 1950's high school jockish behaviour, is it not?
I took psychology courses, on top of that my father is a psychologist and I am constantly learning a lot from him, we have great talks and he has taught me so much through my life.
I understand what is going on in the brains of these people. I just think it's a silly human behaviour, much like a lot of human behaviours. I don't feel like my identity is attached to a team. Some people get enraged when you make fun of their team or a player, violent even. Its pretty sad in my opinion.
Humans love building communities in anything, if you like this thing and I like this thing it makes us feel connected. It is why churches have such influence over people, and other organizations. It is why the community here is generally awesome, we share a common interest.
Connecting with your fellow team mates is fine, cheering on your son or friends team makes sense too. But sitting on your couch arguing about whos the best player, having fights over whos team is better etc is stupid in my eyes.
" then there's a lot about athletics you don't understand outside the fundamentals of your own discipline."
This sentence doesn't make much sense. Fandom, and social studies of sport has nothing to do understanding the fundamentals of sport. I don't need to know or study about why fans tip cars when their team wins in order for my gymnast to learn free hip to handstand giant giant fly away. I don't need to know why peopel love Sydney Crosby in order to increase a soccer players kicking power by 5%.
TLDR;
I understand psychologically whats going on, and socially. I just think it is stupid and it in no way affects my ability as an athlete or coach.