I haven't looked at the link but just by going on the precis I can do all the above and watch sport. I enjoy sport, it's part of me time and it doesn't detract from me doing something productive and worthwhile. I could argue that writing this article is a bigger waste of time than watching sport because it's bollocks.

Hey...hey. Hockey is not dumb.

I totally agree that to much time ,energy, and money are wasted by watching rich people throw balls around while poor people throw money at THEM.

Lol Looks like you certainly stirred up the passions @BeeHappy. Lots of lovely points.

I rather watch any group of little kids play a sport than watch professionals.
It's way more humorous and way less dangerous.

I just can't watch professional sports because of TBI. And thinking "OMG the arthritis they are going to have?".

My Dad loved to watch sports. He also ripped the arms out of a rocking chair trying to do an "assist" on a televised football match. His first words were to my Mum "I'll fix it honey!". rofl

A short, very cool story: We had a frig repair guy over last month, he had a Detroit Red Wing key chain, I said, "oh a fan huh?" He said, "more than you know, I named my son after Stevie Yzerman,"...I followed with, "so you have all the recent Stanley Cup hats from Detroit right?"...he said, "I did, my ex-wife burned everything of mine". I hooked him up, he walked from my house that day with the 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008 official locker room championships hats, plus four others, three jerseys, a jacket, and two hard to find, collector edition books....he almost cried.

Sports is the only time some people are able to relax and get away from their problems. Therefore it does serve a purpose. What is redicuious is the millions of dollars paid to them. For those of you uninformed it was the sports world that started these very high wages paid to CEO"S who stated the work I do is greater than these sports players and off we went. These players choose to play in a sport that can injure them for life. Do they do more than those who defend our country for peanuts? We have our priorities mixed up I would surmise.

It's just as dumb as anything else anyone likes.

The Earth Day 2000 was managed in Seattle. The office was on my way home from work so I volunteered. There were mostly young, idealistic people working the program and the theme was energy. Many felt that if we solved our energy problems everything would be fine (Enron was the problem). At the same time the famous Kingdome had been demolished and a new baseball stadium was being built (along with a parking garage and convention center). Most of the guys were sports fans and I asked them if they thought there might be an environmental impact for sports. They all thought I was crazy but here was a huge building(s) being built, an old one being taken to a land fill. Not to mention the traffic, garbage and on and one. Often after games there are riots and destructions happening (as my link showed). Sports are not benign. They have a huge negative impact on society and the environment.

They took a child's game and made a business out of it. College and Professional sports are nothing but business transactions designed to extract money and devotion from you. Personally, I'm not a very willing victim of salesmanship. No, I don't watch sports.

If it weren't for watching Cubs games I would not have had any relationship with my grandfather.Now, I watch them with my family. Maybe, it is dumb, but I really don't care. I'm already an agnostic, liberal, Cubs fan living in a religious, conservative, Cardinals area.

It was right on. My dad was not a sports fan and none of his kids are either. We all think it is a waste of time, energy and money and often is akin to drug addiction. I just read a similar article in "The Atlantic".

When I was in HS I was on the Track and Tennis varsity teams. I liked toplay but watching is soooo boring.
[theatlantic.com]

Well, I see watching soap operas dumb, very dumb. Do not watch sports anymore, not even scores.

What about thoae people that use their love of sports to make a living. I don't mean playing sports. I mean those that watch the games as journalists? Or those of us that pick sports winners for money? There are alot of things that are a waste of time. It really depends on what people enjoy doing. I love being outdoors. Some could day that is a waste of time. It depends on what you like. So those people that have a problem with sports, keep it to yourself. I am sure you could find better ways to spend your time than complaining about sports.

I don't watch sports and am averse to anyone ridiculing or chastizing anyone who does. What it comes down to is fun. It's fun to play and it's fun to watch. I will occasionally watch a tennis match because the game involves tactics, skills and finesses that I appreciate. It makes it more interesting. I know that many games involve these elements to a certain degree but it's what I find interesting that counts. To say that watching sports is dumb or a waste of time is wrong because of the fun factor. The enjoymnt and excitement it creates is worthwhile. I usually have something else I'd rather do than watch sports making it a low priority in my life. I don't agree that watching sports is dumb or a waste of time.

In the "grand scheme of the universe" that "philosopher" is still a dick! LOL

Remember how the Romans distracted the citizens with "circuses" at the Colosseum? We replaced the gladiators with football players.

I've never cared for watchign sports and kind of am on the side of the really drearty guy here.

I've been giving this some more thought since my initial response.
I'm more than a little irked. I really resent the implication that the things that some people enjoy
are a "waste of time", i.e. watching sports/tv, gaming, working on cars, meditation, crafting, reading, writing poetry, or any other damned thing.
What right does anyone have to tell anyone else they could be using their time "better"?
I think lots of activities are "dumb" and a waste of time, but that would be a waste of MY
time, because I hold no interest in those things.
What anyone else wants to do is entirely up to them. I wouldn't presume to tell anyone
else that I think something (which they obviously enjoy doing) is dumb or a waste of their time.
Okay, rant over. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Sports and memes are all I know...and beer.

First, I used to watch a lot of sports, but no more. This is a hard question because it boils down to what you want from life. I would say in a sense everything is a waste of time - reading, traveling, wine tasting etcThe only thing that may not be a waste of time is doing something immortal - writing a book, poetry, music that lasts, or do something in politics that will effect changes in the long run, after you're gone. Another is charity or making others happy. Sports for some people is basically a religion, it gives them an identity, and you have instant "friends", it's tribal in nature and helps people avoid the unhappiness of life.

I think it is but allot of entertainment is a mindless waste of time sports being one of them

I agree, I used to be a big hockey fan, grew up in Flint, Mi. playing it, went to Red Wings games, moved to L.A. saw the RW when they played the Kings even touched the Stanely Cup on The Tonight Show at NBC in 2008, but now I realize the drama, the ups and downs, highs and lows and I am sooooo over it.

The big team sports that get shoved down people’s throats has turned into a social control mechanism, like religion is.

Sports aren't my thing but I'm not going to say it's a waste of time either. I like to read books and crochet blankets, people could easily say that's a waste of time.