I have a rather sordid history when it comes to professional sports.
During my tween and teen years, I was a football fan, thanks to my best friend. (If you click that link, you will see that not only is she a sports fan, she is also awesome, and still my best friend. Well, you may not see that last part from her blog, but it is true.) We loved the San Francisco 49ers, but our true patriotism, my geographical necessity, belonged to the Buffalo Bills. But we adored Steve Young and had giant crushes on him. I have vivid memories of jumping up and down on my couch screaming my mother's sports epithet--"Run you sucker, run!"--at the television during 49ers games. (This epithet works for all sports. I'll share some of my new ones that are equally ubiquitous later on.)
Like a true 49ers fan should, I hated the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre was the equivalent of the devil. He's still pretty squidgy. Steve Young retired to prevent brain damage from getting sacked too many times and getting concussions. Brett Favre hasn't gotten the memo. Maybe his defense has always been better and he doesn't get sacked. I don't know, i don't watch football any more.
Years passed by--college and living alone--and Husband happened. Before he was Husband, he was Boyfriend who lived in Germany. In 2005. During the World Cup. To bond with Then-Boyfriend across the sea, I watched the World Cup. And got really into it. Because cheering for the USA lasts a disappointingly short length of time, I was forced to choose another country. I chose the Netherlands. They wear orange. When they were out, I chose Germany. In the final, I chose Italy, because I had to choose someone and I had France issues at the time.
World Cup time came around again this year and I realized that I did in fact just adore the sport of soccer. I sat at my desk and watched the games on my computer. No one minded. My boss came out of his office after the famous Landon Donovan stoppage time goal and said, "Not only did we win, but we also won our division!" as though I should be watching the game because it was un-American not to. After the USA was eliminated, Husband and I united for Germany. We watched games at bars, once at 10 a.m. We felt very German. Soccer is great. It lasts a round 2 hours in most cases, and there is never a dull moment.
I would call my baseball-fan mother and tell her about soccer. She would say "I watched, but it's no baseball." I found baseball tedious, although I generally enjoy watching games live.
And then there was the NLCS this year. Husband is a San Francisco Giants fan. Always has been. (We like orange.) I had arbitrarily decided to cheer for the Phillies because I like Philadelpha, even though as a supposed Mets fan I am supposed despise them with the fire of a thousand suns. Game 1, I cheered for the Phillies while Husband did GIS homework. Giants won. We weren't able to watch another game until Game 6 a week later. By then I had switched sides and rooted for the Giants. They won.
Now they're in the World Series and I have watched two games by myself. Unmonitored by Husband or my mother. Game 1 I did the "stomp stomp, slap" of We Will Rock You. I felt that helped the Giants. They won. Game 2 I had to be Husband's eyes and ears, as he was on a bus during the game. I would text him every time something good happened. My thumbs got tired during the 8th inning. Again, I watched the entire game and they won.
This is why I feel responsible for the welfare of the San Francisco Giants. The four games I have watched, they have won. Husband and I will be out on the town Saturday night and unable to watch the game. I am worried. Husband is worried. He has already spoken of ducking into bars to watch the game. We are showing friends about town, and it is impolite to force people into bars to watch baseball if they are not interested.
Husband learned this when went to his best friend's bachelor party when the US played Ghana in the World Cup. He was better off not watching that game, as no amount of "Run you sucker, run!" or "Eat it! Eat him!" helped the unlucky US team. Yes, "Eat him!" is my new epithet. It doesn't work as well as my mother's, and Husband generally looks at me like I'm crazy and tells me to be quiet, and this is why our neighbors play loud music.
Here are some unrelated facts: I like the Dutch soccer team. They wear orange. I liked the 49ers as a child. They play in San Francisco. I think I am destined to be a Giants fan for the simple reason that they play in San Francisco and they wear orange. And they are a former New York team, and I do live in that state.
But if they lose on Saturday, it very well be my fault. I'm sorry, San Francisco.
During my tween and teen years, I was a football fan, thanks to my best friend. (If you click that link, you will see that not only is she a sports fan, she is also awesome, and still my best friend. Well, you may not see that last part from her blog, but it is true.) We loved the San Francisco 49ers, but our true patriotism, my geographical necessity, belonged to the Buffalo Bills. But we adored Steve Young and had giant crushes on him. I have vivid memories of jumping up and down on my couch screaming my mother's sports epithet--"Run you sucker, run!"--at the television during 49ers games. (This epithet works for all sports. I'll share some of my new ones that are equally ubiquitous later on.)
Like a true 49ers fan should, I hated the Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre was the equivalent of the devil. He's still pretty squidgy. Steve Young retired to prevent brain damage from getting sacked too many times and getting concussions. Brett Favre hasn't gotten the memo. Maybe his defense has always been better and he doesn't get sacked. I don't know, i don't watch football any more.
Years passed by--college and living alone--and Husband happened. Before he was Husband, he was Boyfriend who lived in Germany. In 2005. During the World Cup. To bond with Then-Boyfriend across the sea, I watched the World Cup. And got really into it. Because cheering for the USA lasts a disappointingly short length of time, I was forced to choose another country. I chose the Netherlands. They wear orange. When they were out, I chose Germany. In the final, I chose Italy, because I had to choose someone and I had France issues at the time.
World Cup time came around again this year and I realized that I did in fact just adore the sport of soccer. I sat at my desk and watched the games on my computer. No one minded. My boss came out of his office after the famous Landon Donovan stoppage time goal and said, "Not only did we win, but we also won our division!" as though I should be watching the game because it was un-American not to. After the USA was eliminated, Husband and I united for Germany. We watched games at bars, once at 10 a.m. We felt very German. Soccer is great. It lasts a round 2 hours in most cases, and there is never a dull moment.
I would call my baseball-fan mother and tell her about soccer. She would say "I watched, but it's no baseball." I found baseball tedious, although I generally enjoy watching games live.
And then there was the NLCS this year. Husband is a San Francisco Giants fan. Always has been. (We like orange.) I had arbitrarily decided to cheer for the Phillies because I like Philadelpha, even though as a supposed Mets fan I am supposed despise them with the fire of a thousand suns. Game 1, I cheered for the Phillies while Husband did GIS homework. Giants won. We weren't able to watch another game until Game 6 a week later. By then I had switched sides and rooted for the Giants. They won.
Now they're in the World Series and I have watched two games by myself. Unmonitored by Husband or my mother. Game 1 I did the "stomp stomp, slap" of We Will Rock You. I felt that helped the Giants. They won. Game 2 I had to be Husband's eyes and ears, as he was on a bus during the game. I would text him every time something good happened. My thumbs got tired during the 8th inning. Again, I watched the entire game and they won.
This is why I feel responsible for the welfare of the San Francisco Giants. The four games I have watched, they have won. Husband and I will be out on the town Saturday night and unable to watch the game. I am worried. Husband is worried. He has already spoken of ducking into bars to watch the game. We are showing friends about town, and it is impolite to force people into bars to watch baseball if they are not interested.
Husband learned this when went to his best friend's bachelor party when the US played Ghana in the World Cup. He was better off not watching that game, as no amount of "Run you sucker, run!" or "Eat it! Eat him!" helped the unlucky US team. Yes, "Eat him!" is my new epithet. It doesn't work as well as my mother's, and Husband generally looks at me like I'm crazy and tells me to be quiet, and this is why our neighbors play loud music.
Here are some unrelated facts: I like the Dutch soccer team. They wear orange. I liked the 49ers as a child. They play in San Francisco. I think I am destined to be a Giants fan for the simple reason that they play in San Francisco and they wear orange. And they are a former New York team, and I do live in that state.
But if they lose on Saturday, it very well be my fault. I'm sorry, San Francisco.
