Cigars at sporting events...

[PartagasGuy]

I would like to start a new discussion...if you guys don't mind.

I am not that old yet...only in my 30's. I've just been sitting here tonight bouncing back and forth between watching the Dodgers/Diamondbacks game on TV and reading this forum. And as I'm watching and listening to Vin Scully do the play-by-play, it reminded me of the guy behind home plate who used to do the speed gun at Dodgers Stadium. He'd be sitting there with a white rim hat on, charting the pitch speeds and working the gun...but doing so the entire time with a huge cigar in his mouth.

That leads me to where I'm going with this...

I remember a time when men could go to a ballgame and smoke a cigar. I wasn't old enough to enjoy one while at the ballpark, but as a kid, I can sure remember the guys sitting around, keeping score and smoking cigars. I even remember them selling cigars at the stadium.

I disagree with the second-hand smoke controversy attached with cigars and pipes. Personally, I love pipes in the winter and traditionally smoke more cigars in the warmer months. Cigarettes...yes I believe second-hand smoke is bad. There's a shitload of chemicals in cigarettes.

But are cigars that bad? Do I not think so because I enjoy them? Am I the only one who would love to go sit at a ballgame and enjoy a cigar in the stands?

[Shelby07]

Nope - you aren't the only one - I would venture to say that just about everybody here would love to light up at a game. I have season tickets to the rockies and the rapids (soccer) and would love to light up.

As for second hand smoke, I'm not smart enough to know - just ornary enoughto have an opinion. There are lots of studies out, some say it's bad, others say it has no effect. The bottom line is that every special interest group has their own agenda... and it usually comes down to money. Did you know that in order to be a non-profit organization only 6% of your income has to go to the cause? The other 94% can be used for salaries, consulting, administrative costs and whatever else is deemed "necessary" to run the organization. There's big money in non-profit.

Do I think that the person next to me in an outdoor arena is going to get sick because I light up? No. That's a bit far fetched no matter what you believe. But if you believe that second hand smoke from cigarettes is harmful, then you have to believe (at least I do) that smoke from any source is bad for you if you breathe enough of it. But, hell, you can OD on water if you drink enough.

Ahhh for the days when I could light up at my desk!!!

[bigpoppapuff]

the days of smoking a cigar at a boxing match are long gone...and they seemed to fit....
buffalo has a AAA baseball team.....on a nice summer day or evening,i'd love to go to a game in a special section for smokers.....it's bullshit that they can't give us a section in far rt field....i'd go to many games if allowed to smoke a cigar or two....

[PartagasGuy]

Hey BigPoppa...I've got to share this with you since you bring up boxing. There's a place in downtown Cleveland called Gray's Armory. It's on E.14th and Huron...not far from Jacobs Field and the arena.

Once a month on Friday night's they hold boxing matches and they'll also hold those mixed martial arts (ultimate fighting and cage matches) inside on occasion. Well, it's filled with smoke when they have boxing! It's got to be one of the last places in the country where you can go smoke a cigar and watch boxing in the same place...but my guess is it only holds probably 1,500 people at most.

[bigpoppapuff]

baseball,boxing and UFC.....my favorite sports......

[prophetic_joe]

See now this is the kind of post we like to see.

I agree with you on most of what you said, second hand smoke? come on if we're outside then fuck you my smoke isn't going to be concentrated enough around you to matter, and if we're in an establishment that allows smoking of any kind you damn sure better not bitch about my cigar. Unfortunatley we are in the minority on this and the laws seem to be coming after us and shortly we won't be able to smoke anywhere but at home.