I'll Pass On The Foot(y) Please

My friends, here is yet another in my long series of public internet confessions.
My name is Ash.
I'm not a footy fan.

Not to say that I don't like the game. I happen to think it's truly one of the most international sports in the world and that it is a beautiful team game. Sadly though, I belong to that shrinking minority that is absolutely clueless about the fan culture surrounding football or any kind of sports for that matter.

I think it's evident enough in just about everything I do. When I get my hands on a newspaper, I don't scro- (ooops!) I mean flip towards the sports section first (in fact, I can count on one hand the times I do that in a month). I start at the beginning, and stop right after the entertainment section. I don't subscribe to the sports channels on Astro unless there's something really good (ie heavyweight boxing match, footy/rugby world cup) and even that is a rarity. I can't make heads or tails out of any discussion involving buyouts, transfers and the like.

Sometimes I wish I could be a part of the worldwide camaraderie. Sometimes I wish I too could say I support some team or other and have the vast historical knowledge that seems to be inherent in every hard core footy fan. Truth is however, I don't.

Which brings me to the question:

Am I a freak? Will other guys not want me to hang around them since I'm not manly enough to be madly in love with football and its players, clubs and statistics? And perhaps more importantly, am I doomed to a life of endless, dateless Singledom because I have broken a cardinal rule of manliness which is a passion for sports? Will girls view me as a weakling for not being able to embrace the culture that is popular sports? Are these questions making sense? Should I stop now?

Ack.