Crista Forest's Animals & Art: Time For Something Personal

Feb 6, 2014

Time For Something Personal - Football

I must admit it, I like watching football. I'm no expert, though, or even a fanatic. I don't know all the rules. I don't memorize all the teams and players. And, because of this, I'm sure I ask my husband an annoying amount of questions during a game. But I still find it fun to watch my preferred team make a great play or get a score. Normally I don't really care who wins a game all that much, or even watch all the games. But I'm from the Seattle area so this year it was a bigger deal. The Seattle Seahawks made it to to the Super Bowl so I watched their games all the way through the season. It was nice to see them make it. I watched the game on TV. I cheered on the Seahawks. I'm happy they won. But there it ends for me.

So, even though it was a bigger deal for me this year because it was my state's team that went to the Super Bowl, it wasn't life changing. So I'm a bit baffled as to why so many people's lives seem to revolve around sports, especially football in this country. I don't understand why someone gets so attached to a team they ride an emotional roller coaster through the whole season. I don't understand why someone pays hundreds or thousands of dollars to attend a game. I don't understand why someone would play hooky from work and fight the crowds and traffic to stand in the cold for hours just to get a 2-second glimpse of a player go by at the celebration parade.

If you're one of those people, why do you become "high" when your team wins, or literally depressed when it loses? I've heard stories of people being depressed for days, drinking themselves silly, beating their wives, etc, because "their" team lost. Why? It's not YOUR life. The next day you get up, have your coffee, eat breakfast, and go to work like any other day. Nothing's different for you. So why do you go nuts about it all?

So there's my view on football. It's like watching a TV show. It's entertaining. But when the show's over, I just go about my day as usual. I'll never understand the fanaticism of sports. Please explain, if you can.