Maniacal, obsessive, restless, and addictive: these are the trappings of the mind of a true sports fan. We are always looking for the next score. It is a never ending hunt to spike up.
Sportscenter in the morning, trolling through the latest sport product on the Internet first thing upon waking—the cravings begin with the dawn.
As I wade through another work week, my mind goes no longer than five or ten minutes without an invasive sports thought creeping in.
When I'm driving the hour commute to and from work and then pretending to listen to a co-worker discuss a really exciting data-collection project, my head is filled with the inner dialogue of a man addicted. It's a cacophony of past and future contests, random stats and speculation—and it blocks everything else out.
My boss is hyped up on gourmet mud and talking about three-year unit and departmental plans. My head is unfocused, pounding with craving.
I wish round three of the NCAA tourney would start already. Will Tiger win at Augusta, or will a camera flash on his back swing break his conditioned mind? Is my NFL team going to get enough prime-time slots when the schedule comes out for the fall?
Boy, Phil Michelson has one hot wife.
I wish I were out grilling and drinking beer at a Brewers game right now. Monday nights suck after football season ends.
Who's going to end up in the final four? Does Floyd Mayweather really carry that much cash on him all the time?
Why the hell couldn't Brett Favre have stuck around one more year...for me?
Most importantly, how many hours until the next event?
We can become junkies when we inject sports into our lives. The temporary thrills are never enough!
A predictable cycle plays on us superfans every year.
The Super Bowl is over. Okay, I can watch free agency unfold as I wait for the draft, which will give me a reason to watch the newbies in preseason until that first, magical weekend of NFL football, when every team is undefeated. That first game of the season is like salve to a burning wound—euphoric.
Then college football rolls around, bringing with it an excuse to take every Saturday to the next social level. Never a dull moment there. And the New Year will never be a bust, because so many dimebags of bowl fare lay in wait to comfort a hangover.
Once college and professional basketball lift onto the scene, there is never a dull weekday evening. A small prize awaits the end of each workday in the form of a game I will watch whether it is primo or chopped-to-the-hilt crap.
Come spring, baseball is a surefire buzz—the sheer number of games played guarantees that. And if your boys are in the pennant race, game on!
My point is this: Every sports fan has his or her alma mater, his or her home teams, and his or her favorite athletes. We all want to feel the ecstasy of a championship.
However, every fan is ultimately looking to get doped; looking for an escape from the mundane; looking for an instant and easy fix. Before the pleasure of a victorious game or season even wears off, we are already in search of the next high.
Our product is always available, because when one sport ends, another begins.
So, a gentle warning to all my fellow sports fans: enjoy in moderation.
Spend more Sunday afternoons with family and friends than you do with Bill Belachick. Get more excited about your own personal successes than those of your favorite teams. Worry more about your own health than that of your quarterback. And for the love of Mike, get more involved in the lives of people who actually know your name.
Otherwise, at some point, you will feel empty. Even if your team does go all the way, the euphoria will be hard to find twice.
Don't let the sports control your body, mind, and social life until everything else fades into the background
This is not an intervention, and not a call to quit. These are just my humble words of experience offered to keep us all balanced.
By the way, could the third and fourth rounds of the NCAA tourney go ahead and start already? The wait is unbearable. But that's okay. I can always start drawing up my fantasy teams for 2008.
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6 months ago
I do now, but when I was younger I was nuts about sports
As people get older and tired and worn down, enthusiasm begins to wane
but I still watch anyway
from 6 months ago
John, isn't it true. A little thing called real life seems to hit you harder if you're putting your mood on the line for the outcome of the games. Moderation - perspective. But I also know I will keep watching anyway.
6 months ago
Ah...and it's not even fantasy football season yet. I can't wait.
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