The Cubs and Me
I have never been much of a spectator sports fan, likely because I’m not very good at sports. I’m blind in one eye, and my coordination is generally sub-par. As a kid I never imagined become a sports superhero, and I never looked at an athlete as a role model.
I accept the fact that many athletes do demonstrate exceptional skill and dedication, but since I couldn’t relate to their efforts, these attributes fell flat on me.
The roar of the crowd tends to grate on me, and I often find my mind wandering when I obligingly watch a game with others.
There is an exception to my laissez faire attitude, that exception being when a local team moves into a championship competition. It is odd to me that I can go from completely uninterested to very interested in short order. And so it is with the Chicago Cubs.
I am suddenly watching games, texting comments during the game to friends, and looking up information on the internet. Normally, my attitude towards a sporting event is lower than neutral. After all, the outcome will have little impact on the real world. With the Cubs in the World Series I feel differently. A 108 year drought, hexes, billy goats and bad karma… and I sit, and watch, and wait.
Last night I was certain that the Cubs would lose and I unconsciously found myself doing other things. That is until I got a text message with the simple statement, “Go Cubs.” I ran upstairs and flipped on the TV and watched slow action and slow motion collide into a magical dance of interest. Eventually, I went to bed waiting to be greeted by bad news in the morning. In contrast I was welcomed by their win. Now, they have to win two more games… just two more. I’m uncertain if I can stand it.
Perhaps the reason that I don’t watch spectator sports isn’t because I can’t identify with the athletes or their teams, perhaps it is because I become over invested. Another demonstration of my compulsivity. To have a life I need to detach and focus on other things. Two more games or will it be one more game… and then the Presidential election comes… ARGH!