Had an interesting private conversation...

[Kirill]

Or one that would cause grown men to go on an internet forum and argue and fall out so much with others who share the same hobby.

You clearly haven't been on many messageboards inhabited by grown men

[twranger]

Can't understand how it can be seen as a hobby. Surely a hobby is something you can take or leave. Can't think of any hobby that would possibly evoke such excitement, passion, emotion, anger, frustration and either put you in a good mood for a few days/weeks or make you as miserable as sin when things aren't going to plan.

Or one that would cause grown men to go on an internet forum and argue and fall out so much with others who share the same hobby.

Of course it is a hobby.....by definition.....
"hobby1


/ˈhɒbi/


noun

noun: hobby; plural noun: hobbies



1.



an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure"

Surely this is what going to QPR or any football is.....isn't it?
If it stops being a pleasure, stop going!

[Bluehoop]

Of course it is a hobby.....by definition.....
"hobby1


/ˈhɒbi/


noun

noun: hobby; plural noun: hobbies



1.



an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure"

Surely this is what going to QPR or any football is.....isn't it?
If it stops being a pleasure, stop going!

This is where you differ to so many on here TW, and I don't mean that in an offensive or detrimental way.
You provide a dictionary definition of hobby and it pretty much fits with your involvement with the R's - you do it regularly and you enjoy it, ergo it must be a hobby. Black & white - and that is how you see the world in general. I suspect it is the reason you clash with various other forum members, because they don't see the world in quite the same way. That's life I guess and it would be so boring if we were all the same.

For many of us, supporting Rangers is rarely a pleasure because for so many years the whole thing has been such a car crash. Yes, we get pleasure when we win but quite the opposite when we don't. Indeed, this season some have struggled to take pleasure out of victories as well. There are those that stop going when times are tough - whether that be financially or performance based. Relegation reduces the gate for most teams and relegation form during the season has a similar effect and those that drop off must therefore fall into the hobby category - but what about the thousands of s that go through thick, thin and even thinner. It is impossible to enjoy the bad bits, the two year stint in the PL recently was hardly a pleasure for any of us, albeit a few games/results will obviously stand out as providing immense pleasure. But when it's bad and anything but a pleasure the hardened fan does not simply stop going because it no longer fits the dictionary definition of a hobby.
So, I suggest it is a hobby for some but, statistically (numbers that go now we are doing well against the relegation season in the PL and even the bleak old days of league 1) those that class it as a hobby by definition are in the minority.
Having said that, I don't quite know how I describe it really, it's inbuilt and part of my way of life, but I never have and never would include it in my list of hobbies.

[brightonr]

You clearly haven't been on many messageboards inhabited by grown men

No mate, you would be correct. Only football ones, so it's a moot point.

Of course it is a hobby.....by definition.....
"hobby1


/ˈhɒbi/


noun

noun: hobby; plural noun: hobbies



1.



an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure"

Surely this is what going to QPR or any football is.....isn't it?
If it stops being a pleasure, stop going!

TW, I know that is how you genuinely feel. And I wish it didn't affect me as it does.

Sadly, I don't ever think that will ever be the case for me. But in all honesty, if I were able to be that detached from it, I doubt if all the good times would feel anything like as good.

Despite their infrequency.

PS: Just seen Bluehoop's less rushed post which pretty much sums things up for me.

[QPRDave]

Of course it is a hobby.....by definition.....
"hobby1


/ˈhɒbi/


noun

noun: hobby; plural noun: hobbies

Can't see it being a hobby tw. It's more than that. Hobbies are knitting, stamp collecting etc. Hobbies don't p*ss you o

1.



an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure"

Surely this is what going to QPR or any football is.....isn't it?
If it stops being a pleasure, stop going!

No can't agree with that tw, more than a hobby mate. Hobbies don't p*ss you off, if they did you'd stop doing them

[twranger]

No mate, you would be correct. Only football ones, so it's a moot point.



TW, I know that is how you genuinely feel. And I wish it didn't affect me as it does.

Sadly, I don't ever think that will ever be the case for me. But in all honesty, if I were able to be that detached from it, I doubt if all the good times would feel anything like as good.

Despite their infrequency.

PS: Just seen Bluehoop's less rushed post which pretty much sums things up for me.

Thing is B, perhaps im just lucky, but I still revel in the goods times with QPR and it really lifts the spirits, but the bad times and losses still p's me off of course but I can brush it off very quickly and it doesn't ruin anything. Best of both worlds.

[TBLOCKRANGER]

From my initial perusal of the options, my first thought as the most applicable option was hobby and thus agree with TW.
A hobby doesn't always have to be pleasant it can be tedious and frustrating at times such as golf. However a hobby can also bring joy.
Also supporting QPR is fluid, it changes as you get older. Even though I'm a ST holder the way I follow the club now is different than say 20 yrs ago as I now have competing interests such as work and most importantly family which leads me to miss games.
However hobby IMHO is the most fitting, you can discount the others:
It's not
A religion - as fans of various religions follow the club. It also has no god unless bobby Zamora is a god as he moves in mysterious ways and like religion our squad attracts the old, infirm and inflicted.
A curse - it's can't be this as QPR gives us more joy than misery, we even mess up in style.
A chore - I always enjoy going whatever league or position we are in.

The something else for me would be "way of life" in a Quadrophenia type of way.being QPR is very personal for each of us, it's not about where we live, how many games we go to, how upset we get by losing, how long we've supported them...the common factor is it's part of all of us, whether we like it or not it binds us together.

[MattyRangers]

To quote somebody I personally believe is not only the most handsome poster on this forum, but also the a personal hero of mine:

"Religion is for lonely simpletons"

Which is why I voted religion.

[superhoop67]

i voted curse because i had no choice in following QPR ,plenty of people change religion ,but the curse can,t be broken [which I'm glad of] but Hobby ,thats stamp collecting or origami

[twranger]

From my initial perusal of the options, my first thought as the most applicable option was hobby and thus agree with TW.
A hobby doesn't always have to be pleasant it can be tedious and frustrating at times such as golf. However a hobby can also bring joy.
Also supporting QPR is fluid, it changes as you get older. Even though I'm a ST holder the way I follow the club now is different than say 20 yrs ago as I now have competing interests such as work and most importantly family which leads me to miss games.
However hobby IMHO is the most fitting, you can discount the others:
It's not
A religion - as fans of various religions follow the club. It also has no god unless bobby Zamora is a god as he moves in mysterious ways and like religion our squad attracts the old, infirm and inflicted.
A curse - it's can't be this as QPR gives us more joy than misery, we even mess up in style.
A chore - I always enjoy going whatever league or position we are in.

The something else for me would be "way of life" in a Quadrophenia type of way.being QPR is very personal for each of us, it's not about where we live, how many games we go to, how upset we get by losing, how long we've supported them...the common factor is it's part of all of us, whether we like it or not it binds us together.

A very eloquent post TBlock and sums it up perfectly for me......better than I have done!

[QPR71]

pastime, habit, inheritance, occasional purgatory

[Bluehoop]

To quote somebody I personally believe is not only the most handsome poster on this forum, but also the a personal hero of mine:

"Religion is for lonely simpletons"

Which is why I voted religion.

Remind us all Matty, which budding Socates produced that gem

[vanhoop]

Of course it is a hobby.....by definition.....
"hobby1


/ˈhɒbi/


noun

noun: hobby; plural noun: hobbies



1.



an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure"

Surely this is what going to QPR or any football is.....isn't it?
If it stops being a pleasure, stop going!

Unbelievable!!

[bushcelt1]

Being rangers means so much,more than a hobby. Something that is part of your life for nearly 40 years can't be classed in the same way as stamp collecting or the like.

[Factamondo]

you can divorce your missus but rangers is for life.....for richer for poorer...in sickness and in health!