Any Major Disadvantage to Not Knowing Much about Sports?

I know this might be an unusual question.

In terms of IB recruiting, how important is it to know about the latest news in sports (more specifically football and basketball)? Considering that I have not followed sports from a young age, whenever I start talking about the latest sports news, the other person ends up knowing way more than I do about sports, and the conversation ends rather quickly.

Thanks!

 

Join a fantasy league for football baseball and basketball to start. Put some money in it ($100 or so). Once you have skin in the game following it to make sure you're on top of your players will be second nature.

Think about it: you probably didn't care what m&a deals or IPOs were going on during interview season, but once you got the offer you probably started to follow stuff more to see what your firm is involved In

 

Start with a sport that interests you the most. Forget about learning everything about every sport. Pick a sport that you can talk about passionately and coherently.

My example is basketball, which I followed since I was 9. I lived in New Jersey in the 90s but moved back to New York in 1999... that alone would be the start of an interesting conversation.

"All I've ever wanted was an honest week's pay for an honest day's work."
 
Best Response

............... Watch sports. Follow teams in the area that you live in. If you work in NY you want to watch the giants for football (jets fans are poor people, rich people like the giants.) Football season isn't too long either and only requires 3.5 hours a week. The day after the game watch sports center while getting ready for work so you get the recap of who made what plays. What else happened in the NFL that week is mostly meaningless or you can contribute to you being busy.

Baseball season.... yankees obviously. Season is too long and there are too many games to ask you to watch them all. Watch the big games. Play fantasy baseball. Read the paper before work / watch sports center in the morning for great plays. KNOW. EVERY. SINGLE. PLAYER. ON. THE. YANKEES. AND. THEIR. POSITION.

Hockey.... who gives a fuck. just say you like the rangers and then if someone says anything just walk away. chances are they aren't important. or they're canadian, same difference.

Basketball.... it's 50/50 on this one. Usually the people at work who are into it are really into it. If you hint that you're a fan you'll get exposed in no time. Just say you casually watch it, and for this just get a fucking app for your phone. On the elevator ride to your floor see who the knicks played and what the score was. If anyone says "yo bro did you see that time when so and so made that crazy basket" you can be all like "yeah man he like totally took that shot and it went in, so sweet bro."

You'll be fine. If you get stuck in a sports debate, just take the same side the other dude is taking. If you start doing this too much you can take the opposite side of the argument, and take whatever the other person said and invert it. When they question you just be like "bro bro bro you don't know shit bro"

Follow these rules and you'll have mad bread to break up, otherwise, 25 years on the wake up.

 

Actually I heard Jets fans were rich, in an article by WSJ (edit). And more likely to be Republican-leaning.

Cookies With Milken:
............... Watch sports. Follow teams in the area that you live in. If you work in NY you want to watch the giants for football (jets fans are poor people, rich people like the giants.) Football season isn't too long either and only requires 3.5 hours a week. The day after the game watch sports center while getting ready for work so you get the recap of who made what plays. What else happened in the NFL that week is mostly meaningless or you can contribute to you being busy.

Baseball season.... yankees obviously. Season is too long and there are too many games to ask you to watch them all. Watch the big games. Play fantasy baseball. Read the paper before work / watch sports center in the morning for great plays. KNOW. EVERY. SINGLE. PLAYER. ON. THE. YANKEES. AND. THEIR. POSITION.

Hockey.... who gives a fuck. just say you like the rangers and then if someone says anything just walk away. chances are they aren't important. or they're canadian, same difference.

Basketball.... it's 50/50 on this one. Usually the people at work who are into it are really into it. If you hint that you're a fan you'll get exposed in no time. Just say you casually watch it, and for this just get a fucking app for your phone. On the elevator ride to your floor see who the knicks played and what the score was. If anyone says "yo bro did you see that time when so and so made that crazy basket" you can be all like "yeah man he like totally took that shot and it went in, so sweet bro."

You'll be fine. If you get stuck in a sports debate, just take the same side the other dude is taking. If you start doing this too much you can take the opposite side of the argument, and take whatever the other person said and invert it. When they question you just be like "bro bro bro you don't know shit bro"

Follow these rules and you'll have mad bread to break up, otherwise, 25 years on the wake up.

"All I've ever wanted was an honest week's pay for an honest day's work."
 

You'll be working your ass off in IB, if you aren't into sports don't give it a second thought... I know virtually nothing about sports and make it clear when people start banging on about some ball related stuff, I have no intention of spending what little free time I have reading up on something as marginal and uninteresting to me as sports, just to fit in with some sports fans, that are too weak to do it themselves

But from my experience, people who watch and do sports usually respect if you tell them you dont know sports and dont give a fuck, rather then pretend and force yourself into it.

 
thor1000:
You'll be working your ass off in IB, if you aren't into sports don't give it a second thought... I know virtually nothing about sports and make it clear when people start banging on about some ball related stuff, I have no intention of spending what little free time I have reading up on something as marginal and uninteresting to me as sports, just to fit in with some sports fans, that are too weak to do it themselves

But from my experience, people who watch and do sports usually respect if you tell them you dont know sports and dont give a fuck, rather then pretend and force yourself into it.

Interesting you should say sports knowledge is not important for finance...

Was told by a highly respected woman who has spent decades working in PE both on the Fund side and LP side that the most important part of any investment pitch was the five minutes before the pitch actually started spent BS-ing about golf/sports, demonstrating some personality and making a social connection. Sports is great small talk and sorry no one wants to do business with a robot.

As far as learning about sports goes, I knew nothing about the NFL before playing fantasy for the first time this fall. had a great time with my buddies, started following the league pretty closely and learned a ton. hopefully next year there wont be a LOCKOUT (very important issue to read up on) and ill make some $$$

also I was fortunate to go to a college with GREAT sports so its very easy to connect to alumni/any sports fan over that. def came in handy in interviews/networking.

 

Dude I assure you, it is more lame to read/watch sports to fit in than to actually develop your personality with things you like doing. Come on man. If you really can't small talk and bond with other guys without the aid of sports, you have bigger problems. I am sure you have interesting things going on that you can talk about. But if they ask you about sports mention how you don't follow but you hit the gym/play. Being fit/athlete is about 1000x better than being the rapidly expanding fanboy.

Develop other interests, talk with other guys, know a little about the world, and you will be golden. If you aren't into sports, you aren't into sports. No harm done.

 

Footballsfuture.com forums

Best comprehensive site about college football, draft evaluation, and (some) great individual NFL team forums. Supplement that read with the official forum for any nfl team and you will be beyond set for football. Being educated about football makes it 100x more enjoyable- you start seeing subtle details with your eyes instead of just following the ball.

 

Don't get me wrong i'm definitely not doing it to fit in, I have many other ways of relating with people aside from sports. My main goal here is learning more about something I know little about but have a growing interest in (hence the post.) I want to be able to carry on intelligent conversations with people on the subject without stumbling over basic knowledge and player positions.

 
eriginal:
Don't get me wrong i'm definitely not doing it to fit in, I have many other ways of relating with people aside from sports. My main goal here is learning more about something I know little about but have a growing interest in (hence the post.) I want to be able to carry on intelligent conversations with people on the subject without stumbling over basic knowledge and player positions.

Videogames to the max

 
eriginal:
Don't get me wrong i'm definitely not doing it to fit in, I have many other ways of relating with people aside from sports. My main goal here is learning more about something I know little about but have a growing interest in (hence the post.) I want to be able to carry on intelligent conversations with people on the subject without stumbling over basic knowledge and player positions.

You're assuming that one can have an "intelligent" conversation about sports haha. Unless you're talking to someone who played at a high level or is a broadcaster, analyst, etc. even the most ardent fans aren't able to say anything more substantive than regurgitating what they've read or seen on ESPN -- and coloring it with their own bias.

If you don't have an intimate knowledge of the sport, you're best to just TAKE SIDES. Talking sports really is just about conversation -- you either get into a heated (but in good fun) argument with the guy, or you're preaching to the converted even if you say something without merit (i.e. telling a NY Giants fan that Tom Brady is a douche -- that fan isn't going to say "hey now, that's unfair!" He's going to agree with you.).

The key to getting into a compelling (I didn't say "intelligent" but compelling or interesting) banter about sports is understanding what the most polarizing narratives for that sport are -- and taking sides. If you don't take sides on a storyline that is known to be polarizing, that is when the other person will feel you don't really know much about that sport (again, unless you can take the "I don't have a strong opinion" and back it up with intelligent detailed analysis, but even if you do, the guy will likely twist your words to suit his own opinion, or just call you a "homer" for taking the other side haha)

Here's a quick rundown of the biggest narratives in the major sports:

BASEBALL: the Yankees - they're either your #1 team, or you hate their guts. No in between. You think they are the evil incarnate, or they're a classy team with a rich tradition. No in between. That's baseball in a nutshell. The other main narrative is the legacy of steroids - should the roided up guys get in the Hall of Fame (Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, etc.). These are the two most polarizing stories that will garner the most discussion. Otherwise, it becomes more regional (i.e. feel sorry for the Cubs. Dodgers are a mess. Red Sox fans are obsessed. Tampa has no fans, etc.).

BASKETBALL: the Lakers - you either love them or hate them for the same reason as the Yankees. They may not always win, but any Lakers news is top NBA news. A sport built on individual stars. The Heat are like Lakers 1A - you either hate them or love them. No in between. Follow the storylines of the major stars: LeBron, Kobe, D-Wade, Dirk, Durant, CP3, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard. A lot of banter is about who is "the greatest of all time" -- will LeBron get there? Kobe or Jordan? Magic/Kareem vs. Kobe/Shaq?

NFL FOOTBALL: The NFL is so good at creating storylines so there's tons. But you have on one side glamor teams that you either love or hate (Cowboys, Patriots), or the blue collar teams that you either love or are somewhat indifferent to (Packers, Steelers). Or you have teams with thuggish fans (Raiders, Browns, Eagles). With football, watch the Sunday highlights during the season and you'll be all caught up with the week's storylines.

HOCKEY: in the US, the least casual fans of all team sports. But those who are fans are hardcore and know the sport well. If you must, know that the league is trying to follow basketball by showcasing its stars (Crosby, Ovechkin), which fans either love or hate them. The teams that garner the most news are the Rangers, Leafs, Canadiens, Bruins, and Red Wings as they have the strongest and biggest fan base. Add the Blackhawks with a recent resurgence in interest. Again, like the other sports, these marquee teams aren't always the best teams each year, but they tend to generate the most news and have the largest and loyal fan base.

SOCCER: Like the other sports, if you know and somewhat follow the marquee franchises, you'll be in good company with the Euros/Latin Americans in your office. The best players play in three leagues: English, Spanish and Italian leagues. The major franchises are: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal; Real Madrid, Barcelona; AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus. These teams are like the Yankees - they buy up pretty much all the best players around the world. For the World Cup, it's the following narrative: Brazil is usually the team to beat (most talent overall). Germany is constantly underestimated. England is more hope than reality. Italy has a fondness for diving (faking a foul) and defense. Spain recently got rid of the "choker" reputation and are best in the world right now (most complete team). Argentina usually has the best offense. Holland usually has the talent to win it all, but underperform. No one likes France except the French. There's usually one underdog that comes out of nowhere to make it far (but never wins it all).

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Know the main rivalries. Cal vs Stanford. Michigan vs. Ohio State. Alabama vs. Tenn. USC vs. Notre Dame. Oklahoma vs. Texas, Alabama vs. Auburn, Army vs. Navy (I'm forgetting a few). And bitch and moan about how the rankings system is so screwed up (no real elimination tourneys - just a compiled ranking done by a statistical formula), unless the team you're cheering for is #1.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: March Madness. Enough said. Most people's brackets are usually busted by the first round. Reason is more players moving to the NBA earlier, so the marquee teams aren't as stacked as they used to be with experienced juniors and seniors, giving room for some "underdog" to upset them. Having said that, the marquee teams are Duke (like the Yankees - you either love them, or hate them. No in between), UNC, UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, and a few others I'm forgetting.

That should give you some context when keeping up with the news-of-the-moment in sports.

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 

Like someone mentioned above, if you start playing fantasy baseball/basketball/hockey/football, especially if there's money involved, it kinda forces you to read up and learn what's going on.

I don't know about you guys, but my group is really big on MMA/UFC as well (If you'd consider it a "sport"). There's also a kid in my group who doesn't know anything about the major sports, but is a guru when it comes to talking shop about UFC. Maybe it's about finding your niche?

 
DXX:
Like someone mentioned above, if you start playing fantasy baseball/basketball/hockey/football, especially if there's money involved, it kinda forces you to read up and learn what's going on.

I don't know about you guys, but my group is really big on MMA/UFC as well (If you'd consider it a "sport"). There's also a kid in my group who doesn't know anything about the major sports, but is a guru when it comes to talking shop about UFC. Maybe it's about finding your niche?

I keep hearing that MMA is starting to become popular among finance guys. MMA is my specialty and I do BJJ.

 
eriginal:
DXX - I actually do like UFC because I wrestled in HS until I blew my shoulder out sophomore year, fun to watch
So you wrestled for a year...
If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

MMA is gaining more of a following on Wall Street and is being viewed less as an extreme sport. I actually know of an MD who is a Gracie black belt.

Being the lone fight fan in your group has its perks. Wall Street is a man's world and fighting is a manly activity. Men enjoy competing and demonstrating superiority over each other. Think about it: if you wanted to let a guy know that you own him, what would best fulfill that desire? Dunking on him or knocking him the fuck out?

So even if you're not too up on the mainstream ball sports, no one will treat you like a freak if you're into MMA. Chances are they'll respect your interest and ask you questions to get more familiar with the sport.

 
whateverittakes:
MMA is gaining more of a following on Wall Street and is being viewed less as an extreme sport. I actually know of an MD who is a Gracie black belt.

Being the lone fight fan in your group has its perks. Wall Street is a man's world and fighting is a manly activity. Men enjoy competing and demonstrating superiority over each other. Think about it: if you wanted to let a guy know that you own him, what would best fulfill that desire? Dunking on him or knocking him the fuck out?

So even if you're not too up on the mainstream ball sports, no one will treat you like a freak if you're into MMA. Chances are they'll respect your interest and ask you questions to get more familiar with the sport.

I'm going to agree with you on this one. I'm the lone person in my group who is extremely interested in fighting. I've boxed for 4 years,did MMA for a year., and played basketball for most of my life. Most people are fascinated by the fact that I'm interested in combat sports( I don't see why though considering I'm 6'3 250lbs of mucscle), particulary in the finance word. Wall Street is dominated by men and if they know that you like or participated in some form of combat, you are respected. Further, it shows dedication and confidence. Considering your size, you can discuss surfing. I'm sure future employers would be intrigued how a person your size can surf. I sure the hell can't.

 

If you have no interest in sports, who cares? If everyone in your office is a sports fanatic and you aren't, that's your fault for choosing to work there...should've focused more on where you'd fit in better.

Nevertheless, if you haven't actually played any sports, then there are only two sports worth watching regularly: College basketball and Pro football. Anything else is trash as far as you'd be concerned.

-Hockey: Yeah right. Unless you've been watching it since you were a kid or you actually played hockey, don't bother -NBA: Unless you're watching Kobe or Lebron dominate, don't waste your time with a tarnished league -Lacrosse: Is this a joke? Do people actually watch this on TV? Is it even on TV? -Pro Baseball: Same as hockey -College football: unless you're already into it, go with NFL -College baseball: what a joke -Golf: has got to be the most boring, most sleep-inducing sport to watch

Of course, if you would like to watch any of the above, a little money on the line could spark your interest...

 

if BSing about sports is your idea of demonstrating personality, then I sure am glad I don't know you. And if you don't do sports related small talk you're a robot? Do you read what you write? If everybody talks about sports before the pitch, that would just make them socially incompetent, for resorting to the easiest thing that they can talk about.. its neither impressive nor makes you likable...

Yes i'm sure the clients are very impressed by the superficial knowledge of some random sport of a random analyst and how he knows the results of the last game of whatever that was in every newspaper and discussed on 45 TV programs at once.

 
thor1000:
if BSing about sports is your idea of demonstrating personality, then I sure am glad I don't know you. And if you don't do sports related small talk you're a robot? Do you read what you write? If everybody talks about sports before the pitch, that would just make them socially incompetent, for resorting to the easiest thing that they can talk about.. its neither impressive nor makes you likable...

Yes i'm sure the clients are very impressed by the superficial knowledge of some random sport of a random analyst and how he knows the results of the last game of whatever that was in every newspaper and discussed on 45 TV programs at once.

Respectfully disagree... knowing sports won't make up for not having personality, but if your colleagues (or clients) are very interested in sports, then the fact is that knowing a little will help you connect with them. It's not about being impressive or likable. Not all clients will be 'impressed' by knowledge of sports, but a client who is a major sports fan will certainly appreciate being able to connect over sports. There's definitely some potential value in that.

 

Sure, like a client that's really into bondage or 18th century French poetry... that's specific... if he's into sports, every unemployed bozo out there can give him a worthwhile conversation.

 

Why are you worried about your sports IQ? I wouldn't try to become something you're not just to ease your way through otherwise awkward conversations. I guess you should start watching sports more frequently and if you like it, great, and the knowledge will come naturally. If its still not for then don't both forcing yourself to learn about something you don't like. If you choose the latter, you always have the easy out of a question with "I'm not a big sports fan, but...". Plus even the biggest sports fans should have more to connect over than that and if not, they're one-dimensional, and its their problem, not yours.

 

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