Sports Geek Culture

I never really realized how big of a "nerd" I am until last class when we lectured about Geek Cultures.  Being a geek today doesn't have the same stereotypical meaning like it did when it was used in a negative way.  People used to think that being a geek meant you wore glasses and got bullied and loved to do homework.  Today, being a geek is really just someone that truly is passionate about something and isn't afraid to show it.  People are passionate about many things, video games, school, comic books, movies, and many more.  In my case I am a huge nerd, a sports nerd.  I could sit and talk about sports, watch sports, and look up Youtube videos of college basketball recruits.  I could look at my fantasy football waiver wire and look at players that I might pick up for hours, and I'm fully invested, money and time wise, in the teams that I root for.

Being a sports geek is just like any other person that says they are part of a certain geek culture.  When I go to St. Louis Cardinal baseball games, I feel like I'm in my safe zone and comfortable because I am around people that are just like me and enjoy the same things.  Total strangers become my friends because we all have such a deep connection with the team and we root for the same things.  I am also a UK basketball fan, and I have been rooting for them since I was born because my Dad taught me the importance of UK basketball and then it became a part of me in a way.  Kids that adopt the video game geek culture they grow up playing video games and learning that the games are comforting to them.  Playing video games becomes something that they do every day, and they become fully submerged in it.  they play online video games and create bonds with the people they meet and they have each others backs.  Being a geek has never seemed so cool now, and it is on the upward swing for a while.  I love being a geek.  When I was younger I never thought that collecting baseball cards, looking up stats on my favorite players, and going to sporting events could be nerdy.  I look at it now and wonder what the difference is between that and loving video games or something that is stereotypical of being nerdy.

I hope that the trend of being a geek, no matter what kind, keeps being a positive thing.  It should be a good thing when someone embraces something they love and isn't afraid to show it.  I will always show that I love everything about sports and I don't care what anyone thinks of it.  Who cares if I can sit on the computer for hours and look up meaningless stats about college basketball or professional baseball.  It has never seemed so cool to do that until now, and I don't see that changing any time soon.  So, when I have kids I will tell them to embrace the things that they love, no matter what it is, and show the world how cool it really is.