...not sure. could make the argument that HN attracts more 'intellectuals/non-sports fans', if we're making that classification. And therefore it's a topic of universal interest here (not that that makes it topical)

worth noting though, that the separation of the two groups [educated/non-sports] and [sports] is probably related to cost of activities ($basketball < $computers or tutors) and also related to the simple probability that top x% intellectuals and top x% athletes aren't likely to overlap. Everyone in-between is then forced to pick sides/friends...and sports-talk is super social/accessible.