Fella’s, advice needed... How can I retire as a sports fan? On Friday night, my evening was completely ruined by my football team losing to a team with 14 players missing. We lost to their reserves. The pain and shame was immense. Saturday night I backed up and swore and cursed as the Sydney Swans lost in the Australian football... Sunday, I barracked for England as they gave the game away v Sweden. Monday...shattered. The sacramaneto kings lose in OVER TIME to the team I hate more than any in sorts, the LA Lakers. Throw in my football team last won a championship in 1969...and that I was born in 1970. In the soccer, I am a Tottenham Hotspurs supporter...last championship 1960. Add in that I love the Australian soccer team...who have failed to qualify for the world cup for 28 years...and all it is is PAIN. The only team that I have ever supported with any success is the Rocks. I am 31. I have a beautiful wife, a decent job, a degree and good friends. Why do I care if some sport team wins or loses? I shouldn’t. And yet I get fired up every weekend. I am turning my attention to ART and CULTURE. Those things don't smack you in the face and piss on your soul each week... Help!
First, I want to point out the irony of appealling to a sports BBS with a sports-related addiction. Ahem, moving on... I actually had a similar problem with basketball a couple of years back. I solved it by taping games and checking CNN for the score before watching the game. I did this for nearly 2 full seasons. I wouldn't read recaps or anything, just the score. That way, I knew who won and who lost and I could just focus on the GAME. I actually found myself enjoying sports MORE because I wasn't obsessed with the winning and losing. I just got to enjoy basketball. Plus, the games got shorter because I could fast forward through the commercials and free throws (except when the game was on the line). Also, I was able to rewind and look at things from different angles. I actually learned the game even more. Finally, it made a difference for my wife because I wasn't beholden to the game whenever it came on. If we wanted to do something else, we did and I watched the game whenever. Now, I tend to watch them as they come on (though I still tape them if I'm out) but I am just not as emotionally involved. Oh, I'll still yell and stuff when it is close but it isn't the stressed out panic mode I remember from my remote-control-breaking days.
Nice idea Jeff...I think I'd miss the 'rush' though...and I don't have a video recorder I have settled down now. I am over the friday night loss...the weekend games all going against me...and over the Lakers winning. I have accpeted that I am cursed to follow crap teams...and that any team I hate with a passion will win anyway. I am getting desperate enough to use reverse pychology... Thus...go LA in the finals. Beat those NETS. Go Shaq! Go Kobe!
Screaming Jet, aren't you Australian? Your country has the best rugby and cricket teams in the world, if that is any consolation. I am accutely aware of this because my wife is a kiwi who loves those sports and her mortal enemies are Aussies. My theory about being a sports fan: you deal with losing far more than winning and that makes winning more meaningful when it happens. Being a Lakers, Yankees, or Manchester United fan is like having no soul, in other words
Do what I did, SRJ...have kids. I live my sports life vicariously thru my children's teams. It's much easier to accept a loss when you have to be upbeat. You don't want your children to get a "sore loser" mentality. Plus, you get to celebrate when your child plays great in a losing effort. Pro sports don't have the same attraction when you get to see your son get a base hit to drive in two runs and help his team overcome a 5 run deficit and win 7-6 in the bottom of the 6th inning (like mine did Saturday night). What a thrilling game!
That's really kinda the point. You are too emotionally attached to the success and failure of the teams you love. You need to step back from that and see what happens when the rush is gone. For me, I found that I was MUCH happier when my life wasn't ruled by some coach's decision or some player who makes a whole helluva lot more money than me. I still feel a charge of emotion when the team is successful. It's just that my high's and low's are manageable. Life is much better that way.
Elvis...yes, I am an aussie and our cricket team is sensational. I am a big cricket fan...but it's not the same thrill as club sports. There's only so many times you can beat NZ and still cheer;-) Very true about being a Lakers, Manchester United fan etc. Without the pain of defeat, they have no soul. Makes me feel better to back loser after loser. Behad...Kids!! My wife was very 'sympathetic' to my sorrow last night...ahem...now I am worried ! LOL My friend at work actually said the same thing yesterday. She was saying how she was physically ill when he team lost the grand final a few years ago...but now, having just had a son, is more relaxed about it all. (Now, only resorting to praying on her knees before the television set during close games...!) LOL Jeff...you are such a calm, passive sort of guy anyway. I can't imagine you ever getting worked up about something as trivial as sports. How bad did you used to be? I know from your posts over the years that social issues are important to you. As much as I get into sports, those things are much more important.
I'm not that calm. I'm just open. I get freaked out over Rocket games. Ask Mrs. JB. I'll scream and yell and throw things. Very un-Zen of me, I know. I've just learned to appreciate and enjoy that emotion while it is happening but not carry it with me later so it affects what I am doing then. Come to think of it, maybe that is Zen of me.
quote "Come to think of it, maybe that is Zen of me. " very cool! My wife is a very devout Buddhist...so that calmness rubs off on me sometimes. Mind you, she follows one sport massively...that being soccer...and she is a mad Liverpool fan, so she hasn't had to deal with 'loss' like I have. I am converting her to the Rockets also...so maybe she'll start to empathise with not winning more LOL
Don't necessarily believe that... sure, the Lakers may have won, but in the last nine months Duke, the Yankees, and the Rams all lost... three out of four isn't bad.
Actually Cat...YOU helped me get through the pain of the Lakers win. I was sitting there, about to punch out my work monitor, when I thought to myself "hey, at least there's a guy on the other side of the planet feeling worse than me!" Damm Lakers...
retire as a sports fan??? not possible... just like MJ, you'll be back! i know i can't live without the thrills of victory and agonies of defeat!
they always come crawling back! welcome back ScreamingRocketJet... you picked the perfect time! how can you not be a sports fan this weekend? french open women's finals, world cup, 2 NBA finals games, 1 NHL finals game, Tyson v. Lewis (IS ON, as of friday night of course), Belmont and possible Triple Crown winner (first in 24 years!)
Behad said: Pro sports don't have the same attraction when you get to see your son get a base hit to drive in two runs and help his team overcome a 5 run deficit and win 7-6 in the bottom of the 6th inning (like mine did Saturday night). What a thrilling game! I had that experience, too.
Its Amazing what beeting Argentina will do for a man I only hope I can continue my high flying sports ways with The Nats playing Korea tonight. Go USA
