It can't hurt the level of excitement over the Stanley Cup series, that one team is from the US and one is from Canada. Not only are the home towns fighting for their title, but the country's are as well.
Facebook, Twitter, and the like, have been littered with anti-canadian messages, more than the typical jab to our neighbors up north (and likely the same towards the US also). I have the feeling that it wouldn't be as tense or hostile if it was just another team in the US. Hostile still? Sure, it's hockey! However, I think this takes on a whole new "them" and "us" dynamic that is hard not to get wrapped up in.
Due to the intense first 4 games, and the much anticipated next 2-3...I figure I'd talk a bit about sports, and get this off my chest...
Okay, I admit it.
Fair Weather Fan. Bandwagon Fan. Woman. Whatever you want to call me.
I prefer the term, Sports Layperson.
I have lady bits, okay? Sue me. I can't name all of our players. I can't tell you the stats from 20 years ago, or even really last year. Sometimes I forget who my team is playing that night or what the final score was yesterday.
I can, however, follow the games, understand the rules, get excited and cheer, get pissed and swear, get wrapped up in a good match and enjoy watching/being at a game, and I at the very least wish I knew and could remember all the details...Isn't that good enough?
Hey look, someone who enjoys the entertainment value of sports (but doesn't know our key baseball player's RBI this year, and doesn't want the other team to die) has an opinion! Weird.
Even though it is mid-June essentially I've so enjoyed this extended hockey season. Actually hockey is like wine. I'll take it however I can get it. My heart lies with college hockey, but pro hockey is a lot of fun on a big screen or in person. There is something about the speed of the game that keeps me enthralled with it. And if I'm being honest, even though I'm anti-violence in day-to-day life, the fights can be exhilarating and I eagerly await them.
I have little to no desire to watch golf on TV, but I've been to several pro golf tournaments and enjoyed them greatly (especially in VIP tents). I of course stereotypically like golfers who wear flashy colors, are attractive, are Australian, and who haven't gotten caught railing 20 women who aren't their wives. Surprising, I know. Don't get me wrong I think Tiger is a phenomenal player, but there is no way around the fact that he's also a phenomenal player. I feel like I'd like to try playing golf, I will probably get frustrated as I do when I'm not good at something, but in the off chance that I like it and can play okay, I think I should give it a shot.
Opposite to golf, I think I prefer football on TV. There you can see everything, you don't have to be either in the blaring heat or the blistering cold. Plus, in the nosebleeds the field looks as small as your TV anyway. I've loved having Sunday Funday's with my girls from home, eating and drinking together and watching the games. There is something special about football nights and I like that it's on a couch versus in the snow. Consistent with other sports' final games, the Superbowl is really fun to watch.
Baseball, because of my upbringing, is an institution. I enjoy it, it makes me think of summer and it's a thrill to be at a game and be part of what feels like history in the making. My grandmother is one of the most avid fans that I know, I'm pretty sure she's called the trainer for our team to tell them medical advice when our pitcher hurt his ankle a few years back. I mean, she's invested. I realize in my city it's blasphemy but I admit unless it's a very close game, once the 7th (sometimes 4th) inning comes around I'm ready to leave the park for bed, or to change the channel.
I like soccer/footie partially because of my European roots, but also because there are very few things that are as exciting as the World Cup. I think there is something about this that rivals all other sports because it becomes about nationality versus just a game (kind of like the Stanley Cup this year but on a much larger scale). This past World Cup, the Netherlands were in the finals and I felt very proud to have been born there (despite their ultimate loss to Spain). It's more in line with the Olympics and how it can feel like pride and solidifying one's place in the world is riding on each goal.
Basketball. Oh basketball. I wonder if it's because I'm not particularly good at it, or because the 1pt, 1pt, 3pt, 1pt, 1pt, 1pt, 1pt, 3pt pattern of the game maxes out my excitement early on...and then is only reinvigorated in the last 2 minutes. I really enjoyed the couple of pro basketball games I've been to, but I'd rarely chose to watch it on TV with the exception of March Madness (since that peeks my gambling interest).
I suppose my attention span is really only maintained when the game is very intense/close, the team is in the finals of some sort, or I feel particularly tied to the team for personal reasons. I'm sorry, but this is the truth. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, however being from an area where sports are religion I'm sure many people would not admit to it.
Everyone here appears to be a die hard.
Jumping on the bandwagon, is said like it's this horrible phenomenon. There is a reason why there is a term for it, a lot of people follow this route. I guess I'd rather be a fan when things are close or are going well for my teams, so that I'm being more efficient. It's better than not being a fan at all, right?
Women who are sports nuts? They're awesome. I'm jealous. I have some friends who grew up with older brothers who seem to know everything there is to know about sports and keep up with it all. I think it's really a skill and I wish I could do it, but alas, I can't. I have a hard time maintaining dates and names of major wars, never mind battles on the pitch.
I think the majority of men are sports obsessed. There is probably a healthy balance and some people take it a bit far. When it's the finals, by all means go all out and watch with unwavering focus. However, with sports like Basketball and Baseball when there are 1,000 games a season (I know this isn't accurate), you can calm down and save some time, energy, money by varying your interests slightly and taking up another hobby.
This is rare, but in the situation where you happen upon the guys who are "eh" about any sports or any sports team, I wonder. I wonder if they feel they don't have an allegiance to a particular city, if they didn't play sports as a kid or if they are more interested in the Ballet (not that there's anything wrong with that). I mean I think that some enjoyment from watching and keeping up with sports is a good quality in a guy...but who am I to judge. They don't need to be able to answer trivia about it to be okay in my book. Frankly I don't even have a book or I'd be able to keep track of these damn sports stats.
Anyway, I do really like sports. I'd even say I love sports when they are exciting (by my definition) and bring us together.
Will I be able to tell you who scored in tonight's hockey game? Probably not. But like some of you I'll likely blame it on on the beer.
Until next time,
E
No comments:
Post a Comment