Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Love and Sports

Love and sports have a lot in common.

For example, it is more fun to celebrate winning a championship with teammates than by yourself. Look at tennis players, all they can do is fall to the ground and hold their head when they win. But if you look at team celebrations, you have a big dogpile with guys flying in and leaping onto the pile. When something goes well in life, it is nice to share that with friends and family but it is even that much more special to share it with the one, THE ONE, person that you truly care about. Of course, THAT pileup would probably be much more enjoyable!

Another thing that they have in common is that no matter how well you play, you don't always get the result that you want. You can have your plan in place and execute it to a "t", even have the game of your life but you can still come up short on the scoreboard.

Sometimes you play your best but your teammates let you down or aren't following the game plan. Even worse, they are on the same game plan but just can't get the proper rhythm necessary for victory. (Johnny Drama: "VICTORY!!")

Which brings me to my personal anecdote: I have a great match up but it's almost as if halfway through the game we switch between XFL, NFL and college rules each play without anyone notifying my head coach. There is no action; just reaction and questions. I'm at the line, waving my hands and calling audibles just like Mr. Manning but my receivers can't hear me in the noisy dome (figures, my team is always on the road!) and the play clock ticks down quickly. But that's the thing about sports: the competition, the adrenaline, the preparation and the game itself. No matter the sport, each game is different in some way and even if you face a similar situation, the outcome could be radically different. I mean, who says that they aren't interested but then leaves her friends after 12:30 am to meet up with yours truly by herself at a bar that is out of her way, not even close to her path of travel between point A (outing with friends) and point B (her house) to spend some time together talking?!? I mean, I could understand if I owed her money or something, but c'mon! Does anyone have an explanation about this?

Speaking of sports, the WNBA All-Star game is coming to D.C. this summer. I know, I know that it doesn't have the same flare as say the MLB All-Star game (in San Fran this year, NY in 08 and St. Louie in 09) but it does highlight the best players and characters in a league. I encourage people to show up and I think that they will be pleasantly surprised with the quality of play. There are some other developments on the local sports landscape that I think will surprise a lot of people (more to come in an upcoming entry).

Speaking of quality of play, Becks was never considered the best player in the world or even in his own country. He is an amazing footballer but not the best or even the most fit. I think the U.S. equivalent would be A-Rod: a very strong player and great for highlights but isn't going to win championships by himself. Both players have a high Q rating which directly leads to their increased salaries over comparable players with the same skill set. Obviously, Becks raises the MLS's profile on the national and international sports scene but he is on decline as a soccer player. The sad thing about the MLS that no one has mentioned the substandard quality of play; that an over-the-hill, above average player from Europe will easily be one of the top players in this "minor" league as long as he keeps his focus on the field. I don't expect for the media to pick up on this as they are just happy to bask in his glow and sell papers & magazines.

4 comments:

Law-Rah said...

I shall try to explain your female friend without having met her. Disclaimer: this is all merely my humble opinion. This gal is stringing you along, perhaps without realizing it. She thinks that as long as she verbalizes her non-interest then she does not have to worry about her actions sending very mixed signals. I think that she likes you as a person which is obvious because she is still hanging out with you. (Sidenote: she's crazy for not liking you in that other way;-) Anyway, I think the reason she is acting in such a way is because she likes being wanted. You make her feel good about herself so she wants to keep you nearby. It's very unfair to you and sadly this kinda shit happens all the time.

Mr. Smooth said...

Now that we have an excellent diagnosis from Dr. law-rah, what steps do I take now? I don't want to kick her to the curb because I actually do care about her. Even if it is just tiny, little baby steps, it's still moving in the forward direction, right?

vixen said...

law-rah is wise in all things.
she totally hit the nail on the head.

DCSportsChick said...

Agreed, Law-rah knows of what she speaks. And this girl is crazy for not like-liking you.