The Intimidation Factor

While most people are sleeping in NYC (or just getting to bed), I’m awaking to a new day at 3:30AM, trying to find something constructive to do with my time before I have to head into the office. I decided that since my body will be thrust between European time zones and NYC’s time zone, it’s best to just come up with a medium time…and that time is 3:30AM.

So this morning while I was going through the photos that required some modeling of my Valentino eyewear for ideeli.com, I was listening to the radio and a topic came up that I have sworn to my girlfriends time and time again was true.

It dealt with women and sports.

Now, for most women, they think that a woman who knows or likes sports is an ideal woman for any man who loves sports.

AU CONTRAIRE!

The male radio host piped in and said that men are in fact intimidated by women who love sports.

Men that I’ve met over the past couple of years love the notion that I’m a writer. Downer to the conversation if they’re trying to pick me up…what I write about.

When they find out that I’m a hockey columnist, the interest plummets faster than a speeding bullet. Now, if you a) work in hockey or b) play hockey…that’s actually a turn on…a woman that knows and understands the sport like you do.

But for all those other men out there…serious downside to picking up a woman is finding out that she writes about a sport that you may or may not love and understands it better than you do. They feel intimidated by her.

It’s almost like it attacks their masculinity that a woman has a better grasp on a sport than they do! It makes them feel inferior.

Now, if I hang out long enough in the NHL store or the NHL Starbucks, I’ll get picked up. No joke.

If I go to a sports bar…no way in hell a man will pick me up…unless I leave out that I write about hockey. Granted, I would have to make my girlfriends swear up and down to not mention anything about hockey.

I’ve learned that even though my life is surrounded by hockey, in the real world…I can’t talk hockey without scaring people off. Even my friends change the subject when a fan comes up and wants to talk about my career with me. The girls don’t like the subject of hockey. It’s a banned subject wherever we go.

Really, you can’t blame them. Talking sports chases the real men away and they’re trying to lure them in.

So for the ladies into sports…remember, if you know your sports, leave that conversation for after the third month. 😉

[Guys…feel free to chime in here or on Twitter (@MichelleKenneth). So far the intimidation factor has proven correct.]

About Michelle Kenneth

Michelle Kenneth is the voice behind PerfectionistWannabe.com.