I'm an international student and have no clue for american football or baseball / basketball. I'm currently interning at a middle-market PE firm and everything they talk about is sports, and I have no clue.
What sports should I follow to fit in? Additionally, what show/media/news should I watch so that I can keep up with the conversations?
Thanks
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The big four are football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.
ESPN should be sufficient to at least start to follow the news.
However, don't be surprised if golf, tennis, or soccer come up.
Listen to what they say and Google it. You'd be surprised how much you will learn.
where are you from and what sports do you like there? if you're not into sports period, don't feign interest if you've given it a chance and it doesn't stick. if you like sports but just don't know american sports, watch a game at a friends house, take them up on an offer to go to a game in person, and when the time is right, ask them how the game works.
I don't mind explaining to outsiders little nuances of baseball and football, but don't ask me what DPI is with 90 seconds to go in the 4th quarter, just like I wouldn't ask a european friend of mine soccer rules if it's towards the end of PKs in the UEFA cup.
if I were you and you want to fit it, do basketball first. March Madness is just around the corner, great time to build some relationships and learn about the game. baseball still in offseason (opening day early april), football in offseason (first preseason games not til august), and I'm not a fan of hockey so I'm no help there.
UEFA cup doesn't exist any more. It's called Europa League. But I guess you're referring to the Champions League final. BTW. What's DPI?
you caught me! I know nothing about soccer.
DPI - defensive pass interference
Agree here. Start with college basketball, try and get into the office bracket pool if your coworkers have one, and maybe ride a favorite team you like. I'm from the northeast where nobody really has a team and most just gamble on random games. If picking a team, please just not Duke or UNC because that is cringe if you didn't go there... From there, maybe get into the NBA (playoffs in the spring/early summer) then the NFL next year.
Most office talk in the NBA is around the very top teams, top 5-10 players in the league, and local team if they are winning. Do NOT bandwagon the Warriors or the Lakers. I'd just start pulling for the team in your city and learn some of the players... you don't need to watch every game cus the NBA product is horrible until the final stretch (IMO). Maybe try and catch a game with your colleagues?
For football, definitely watch the Super bowl to start... usually in big games commentators explain rules thoroughly. Fantasy football a great way to learn about players, positions, sport in general.
Sports (Originally Posted: 12/23/2011)
So this might be a silly question, but for those in banking now, what sports are typically the ones that people in banking follow? From what I hear from a friend in banking, tennis is pretty popular (even though it isn't too popular among America as a whole). What else do you guys find is talked about a lot among the obvious sports, i.e. Hockey, Basketball, Football, Baseball, Soccer, Golf?
Honestly, if you are unfamiliar it will be hard to fake it. So I would just try and get familiar with the team names in the area. Look up the rules or just simply ask how the game is played. I think it would show an interest in the group you are working with and help you bond with them as well.
pocketpool
dude, this is the united states. you should already know that football is the most popular sport - followed by basketball. every sport is played during a different season, so there is plenty to discuss during your stint.
it's not like the majority of bankers follows one sport. that's stupid. the sports calendar is structured in a way where everyone benefits. we're currently in football season. spring/summer is basketball. summer/fall is baseball. then back to football. soccer is followed by very few throughout the year. only losers like hockey and very few really watch golf tournaments.
so to answer your question, you follow whatever is on!
From my experience, Football / Basketball / Baseball are the three that are talked about the most. Everyone has their individual interests. Tennis can be popular, but not everyone follows it (same holds true for hockey). fez is right about soccer -- even when the World Cup was on and the USA was doing well, soccer still got very little mention in a professional capacity. Besides a handful of die-hard soccer fans, most folks don't seem to care.
fly fishing ftw
edit: I'm actually an avid fly and offshore fisherman. Anyone else in Manhattan like slaying fish? WSO fishing trip? I'll buy the whiskey.
Why no love for hockey fez? I suggest you tune into the HBO 24/7 series following the Rangers and Flyers to get a better appreciation for the great game!
I actually attended my first Rangers game a few weeks ago and loved it. You guys think most senior bankers would be Rangers fans since they live/ work in the city?
Start by looking up maybe a top 10-20 list of active players in the four major sports (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey). Just good to have some name association for when you hear them pop up. I'd focus on current sports like someone else mentioned. Even though NFL (Football) is easily the biggest and most popular, the season is over so there won't be much talk until the draft and then summer. Baseball is soon around the corner, March Madness (College Basketball Tournament) is very soon too. Wouldn't worry about knowing too much about College Ball besides top 5ish teams.
Big picture is just find what interests you. Watch some basketball or hockey and see if you enjoy it. Find a team, easier to be actually interested and constantly involved that way.
.
Random thought, anyone ever watch Aussie rules football? Better yet, anyone from Australia on here?
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