I also believe that sports play a huge part in shaping the lives of midwesterners. Since a lot of bands and the sub genre’s namesake come from the midwest, many identify with the settings of growing up in working middle class homes where sports become a television showing tradition and seeing games is one if the few ways young people can come together like throughout high school. I remember a lot of times trying to hit on girls at or after games and spending good times and bad times with friends after games. Its a cornerstone of midwest culture
i started a musical project and wanted to be the “hockey” band. i enjoy american football, soccer mommy, and modern baseball, and wanted to be the hockey one
I always felt like it was something most of us really wanted to do. But never could because we never fit in or were tall/good enough at sports. Or at least I was for me
One of my favorite sports references is in We Could Die Like this by the Wonder Years. It's an example of how much Soupy looks back on old school Philly in the early 90's. Specifically how a Pro Bowl level player for the Eagles named Jerome Brown tragically died in a car crash during the offseason. These northeast winters make boys into men Staring out at snow-plowed mountains In the parking lots of churches The city just felt worn out No strength to pick our hearts off the ground We watched the '92 Birds take the field without Jerome Brown (We keep quiet when it gets bad) (We don't talk about the setbacks) (They only hear it when your voice cracks) The whole city coming together for a legend who meant so much for all of them.
Allen Yee thank you so much Allen, I forgot how good that song is until now. That was my sister’s favorite track off TGG. Take care man, I hope you have an outstanding night
immediately after I post a video, I like to go watch it from this account to reflect on what I want to improve on for the next video. It’s all about improving slowly, trust me. Just go back and look at how much my old videos suck compared to now. Not even saying my current ones are good, I’m just saying there’s noticeable improvement. If you wanna get really good at something, practice for a reasonable amount of time EVERY single day. Consistency is the secret. And also not giving up.
My personal theory has always been that they're both strongly tied to nostalgia, and it's a bit of irony as the "emos" tended to "clash" with the "jocks" - basically the last one you mentioned. I've always really felt it was an aesthetic thing, as well, considering so many bands over the years have used this type of imagery and aesthetic. But I enjoyed hearing your ideas, as well, honestly, I never thought about that stuff before.
It’s the old narrative of the cool jock and the loser, or emo kid who can’t play. It’s a juxtaposition that strengthens each side. Plus the all the emotion of high school that comes along side it - team sports definitely conjure associations with high school or middle school - which is arguably the quintessential emo point in our lives
i dunno the connexion always just kind of made sense to me. i grew up in the deep suburbs and kind of discovered this music in summers while aimlessly walking through fields, sidewalks and blacktops, seeing seemingly abandoned hoops, baseball diamonds and nets. and of course perpetually hearing some kid in the far distance slowly dribbling, it really echoes. it just works.
When I think of this subject I think of John Darnielle talking about why he writes music about wrestling sometimes and has such a close connection to wrestling. He talks about how when you grow up poor things like wrestling and sports were a good way to stretch your entertainment dollars as much as you could, and when doing so you form this emotional grasp to it. When thinking back on it the same is true for someone like me, born in 95', and grew up poor I was almost always attached to my OG gameboy with the garbage screen and no backlighting. Then upgrading to the gameboy color with pokemon crystal was so life changing to me. I maxed out my pokemon crystal cartridge with 999:99 (999 hours and 99 mins) play time. 1000+ hours of fun for the cost of the game boy color second hand, and pokemon crystal. Now I grow up and make decent money and I'm still playing video games, and recently the new pokemon that came out. It's like an emotional bond I have with them and the same seems to be said about alot of these bands that have members a bit older than myself where sports was their main entertainment
i think maybe it kinda follows the idea of the dichotomy of like nerds (or emos) and jocks or whatever that emo bands seem to love talking about; and that by naming urself American Football or sum shit that ur subverting the dichotomy kinda
@0:30, Nate what you described is a turnover on downs, which at least in the NFL is fairly rare. Turnovers also include interceptions and fumbles recovered by the other team.
You should start a podcast or series about music where you share snippets from songs you love and that sort of thing as well, you have a great speaking voice!
My favorite sports-music connection is Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, on NUMEROUS occasions, Aaron talks about how he and his dad bonded through watching the Bills. Something many men can attribute as a major part of their relationships with their fathers
I think it's because Midwest emo references small town life / youth and sports are a big part of that. On a side note, the video for say it ain't so by Weezer features the band kicking a ball around. Might be the first time I saw emo and sports connected like that
Personally I think that it has to do with childhood love or hate for sports. When I was a kid I loved to play baseball and even considered maybe going pro but my parents got me out of baseball to focus on my math grade cause I was absolutely terrible at math and I honestly don’t blame them. I look back at my baseball years and miss how easier those times were without me realizing. When the only biggest worry was if we’d lose the game or striking out. I know some kids were forced into sports sadly and they grew up to hate the specific sports or all sports due to overbearing parents. I definitely do think that is a reason why emo bands reference sports or involve sports in their band names.
sports are really emotional, there’s so much feeling in a 3rd attempt height at a school record for pole vault, everyone is thinking the same thing, everyones anticipating this jump,
I've always wondered this exact thing. Four minute mile by the get up kids was my final realization that made me go "what the hell is up with emo and sports?"
I always found it kind of ironic, like in like I hated sports for a lot of reasons, but sometimes they were good memories but mostly bad and overcompetitive bullying and judgement and anxiety. Sports can mean so many things for so many people. In a way, it may bring people who genuinely like sports and genuinely hate sports together in a place where like both is kind of ok? Energy, sadness, winning, loosing, community, competition, serotonin. I mean theres not a loooot of emo bands with women in as well like apart from football etc really only comes to mind, this might be a factor to think or talk about.
Keith from empire! empire! did track and field and mentions it in a few e!e! songs. I guess sports are a common part of society so feature in most people's memories of school/college etc (either loving them or hating them).
well as an emo - I love sports. I was raised a giant football and hockey fan and these days I added esports to my list of events to watch. all my favorite teams are dallas.
Im kinda of both im a serious runner and I am shirtless with short short on run when im not running i wear graphic kinda edgy shirt either longer short or jeans sometimes I wear like 100+ sneaker with them
Definitely the second of your theory for the most part in Mike's case and some copied the sentiment. I get sad thinking about how fun and easy life was back playing pop warner football as a kid even though I thought hated it at the time. I'm sure it's the same for a lot of people thinking back about little league (cap'n jazz ref) or soccer practice.
teams and bands are also similar because it’s not just one person most of the time. it’s a team effort and bands also see themselves as a team. sport teams and bands both require rolls. the qb/pitcher= singer the wide receiver/batter= lead guitar the runningback/catcher= drums the shortstop/cornerback= bass also because teams have really good years and really bad years. same for music, really good albums and terrible albums. and teams have players leave, bands have members leave as well.
Turnover also refers to a moment in rugby when a Fetcher steals a ball from the ruck after someone has been tackled and the ball has been stolen or Fetched
definitely the sport related names stick with my most more than other bands. I remember getting into modern baseball and front bottoms, but I would always remember modern baseball better because of weird the sport name was
I also feel it may be because they are both things that have a huge part in youth. People often play sports as kids and emo bands tend to sing about their troubled youth.
I honestly feel like it all comes from American football. Maybe some of the sports related names were coincidence but I think most of them were picked partially because they sound like American Football.
Did you forget Knuckle Puck (or even Title Fight for that matter)? Oh and a turnover actual applies to several sports not just football, primarily hockey and basketball. A turnover in football can be a fumble or interception, what you specifically described is turning the ball over on downs. Little trivia for ya 😂
Also I always have been under the impression that they did it ironically....like a "we're such outcasts we're not the cool sporty people" kind of thing
I really don’t think it has anything to do with togetherness since many many times sports is about debate, knowing who knows more / rivals between other teams. Basically many sports fans are elitists 🤷🏽♂️
I always thought it best suited that sports are tied to popularity. thought it was some kind of irony making fun of the stereotype football player highschool guys
They are both American 00s youth things. Do you know that nobody in the worls is so big on school sports as Americans, and most popular emo bands are from there anyway.
