Why do you support athletes

[BeTheReds]

Now everyone has a right to support whoever they want to support in sports. But one thing I simply will not understand is people who go hunting for the Asian athletes and blindly support them for no reason. Most of the time they are not Asian-American too. And if we are talking baseball, they are usually Japanese. I mean, I can totally understand another Japanese supporting them simply because they are Japanese, but I don't get it when ABCs or anyone who has no Japanese ancestry gets behind all these Japanese baseball players simply because they are Asian. Maybe it is because I have been to Korea and lived in Japan for a year and neither place gives a crap about the other's athletes in the states.

Now people are telling me I have to like Yao Ming and Hines Ward and Mike Nakamura, and Dat Nguyen. Well that's fine, but I have more reasons to like Donovan McNabb, Sidney Ponson, Marshall Faulk and Jay Gibbons rather than some mediocre pitcher or linebacker simply because he is asian. So really? What is it that makes some of you go searching for them?

[nonamerasian]

I don’t know much about sports fans, but this happens outside of that area as well.

Many Hispanics I know have changed their minds since then, but I used to argue with a couple of Hispanics who used to buy and support Jennifer Lopez stuff just she was a fellow Latina. They went to see Selena just because it was a movie about a Latina. They would patronize stores because they were owned by Latinos.

I know a couple of Blacks and Asians who do the same type of thing, but I can’t think of many examples right now.

Actually, quite a few minorities I know do that. I think they feel their “group” is underrepresented in whatever field and so they perk up and are ready to support one of their own when they see them. Or, perhaps they simply feel they relate to one of their own in whatever given field than they do with others.

I don’t know.

Perhaps people just when to support people they perceive as one of their own just because.

This happens in other countries, too. I’m not sure if this was covered in the news in the States, but years ago there was either a cricket or soccer match in Trinidad & Tobago playing against Indians.

You would think that the Trini & T-born and raised spectators of Indian descent would have been rooting for their country, however, they were largely in support of the Indians.

Is that kind of like your Asian-Americans rooting for Japanese players, or no?

*When I say group, I don’t necessarily mean the same ethnic group, although that happens. I generally mean racially.

[Danny]

I am a Charger fan and will always be a Charger fan, I was also a HUGE Seau fan, patly becuase of his Asian background, but also becuase he played for the Bolts... I think that if there is an Asian athlete that plays on my favorite team, then I root a little harder for them... but I will not go out of my way to support an asian athlete just becuase he is asian...

Jim Paek of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the stanley cup run in the 90's I did... hell he was the only Asian guy that I could play on NHL Hockey for the Genesis!

[BeTheReds]

yea man, that's a little how I feel. Home team first.. then really intriguing players, then Korean players.. THEN Asian players.

It's simply not a huge priority for me. Tho admittedly my love for the Arizona D-Backs shifted to the Boston Red Sox after the Kim-Hillenbrand trade. But I'm still an O's fan to the core.

[ConfuNiet]

bethered

well maybe becaz there is stereotype of asians not being in sports? we are all geeks and nerds?

second, this is a black and white sports world that is in this country today.

ALso, Asian sports figures help our image as AAs for beaking stereotypes...

geeezzz, do u not like idea of asians in media?