In the coming weeks, the authors of East Coast Bias, along with some of our favorite blogger brethren, will present navel-gazing looks into why we spend so much time watching and writing about sports. First off, Brien:
I've been a sports fan for as long as I can remember, but before I started blogging I never really questioned why. My dad loves sports, my brothers love sports, and I never really understood why someone wouldn't be a sports fan.
Some people love watching strategic battles. Some watch sports to see athletic excellence. For me, it's all about the chance to see something special. Whenever I turn on a baseball game, I'm hoping that I see a no-hitter. Every single basketball game I see, I'm hoping for a buzzer-beater. Hockey? Triple overtime. NASCAR? Photo finish. Football? 95 yard rushing touchdown. Golf? An eagle. Every sports event is potentially a topic of conversation 10 years from now. "Remember when Chalmers hit that shot to win the NCAA Tournament?" "Yeah, I was sitting at the bar and the place went nuts!"
Everyday life is full of the mundane, the ordinary, and the boring. Not to go all Bob Costas on you here, but sports transcends that, giving you frequent glimpses into what makes life exciting.
For me, that's what watching sports is all about - the anticipation of something surprising. What about you?
7 Responses:
I love sports for all the reason's noted in my MySpace blog.
blog.myspace.com/paulmweiner
Fellas, I'm looking forward to the series.
I've misplaced my myspace address but may I offer: because there is an element of certainty, clarity, finality and logic to sports.
We may not get our girlfriend, boss, the economy or politics but we sure as hell know exactly why our favorite team choked-away that big lead in the 4th. At least, in our own minds we do and that's all that matters.
And only out of that perceived order and structure does the extraordinary, as Brien spoke of, happen.
... putting my own inner Bob Costas to bed for the evening.
I watch sports for nights like last night.
Chris Osgood has no idea who the hell I am but I have known him for 17 years, since he was 18. I see Kris Draper celebrate with his son and my wife turns to me and says, "he has gotten so big! I remember when he was born." I have never met Nick Lidstrom but he is one of the greatest guys I know, if that makes any sense.
These guys are like family and to see them hoist the Cup is like seeing a member of the family do it. We've been with them through the ups and down and I am not going to miss out on celebrating with them when they achieve the ultimate goal.
So I don't know if I can pinpoint why I became a fan in the first place. I am sure if my dad didn't watch sports, I wouldn't either. But now that I am, these guys are such a big part of my life. I watch so I can enjoy nights like last night.
So anyway, parade is tomorrow :)
I'm glad something good happened for Detroit.
The best part is that Detroit got what they wanted the most. Now the Tigers, Lions, and Pistons can lose without too much shame, and other cities can get some playoff action in the sports they care about.
This takes the sting out of the D-Train's failures and the Pistons' departure and the fact that Kitna is still the Lions' QB.
I couldn’t agree more with Brien. Sports gives you the chance to witness something amazing, and an escape from daily life. Recently I have been telling people that the monotony of daily life is sucking the life out of my soul. Sports are one of the only things that save me from that.
They are moments that transcend time. I still remember being 13 years old, watching Francisco Cabrera singling off of Stan Belinda in the 9th inning of Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS, with Sid Bream scoring the winning run. In Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals, when the ball was tipped out to Robert Horry, who hit the 3 at the buzzer to win the game for the Lakers over Sacramento, that was one of the greatest moments of my life…and not just in sports.
Sports are always there for us. They won’t fire us (like bosses) or dump us (like girlfriends). They are a constant. They are always there, and there is always a game on. And there is ALWAYS the chance to see something spectacular, and to remind you why life is exciting.
I not only remember the Sid Bream play, I remember I was at my grandmother's house sitting on her floor so I could adjust the antenna as needed.
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