NCAA Tournament; Sports in General

When I was a kid, specifically ages 12-16, I was way into sports. Watching sports, that is.

Almost anytime there was a live event on ESPN, ESPN2 (back when they called it "the deuce" and the "ESPN" was "espn2" and all xtreme sport-y), or basically any other network, I would be watching it. I stuck mainly to the four major pro sports and college sports. I knew everything about every player. I knew the names of all the stadiums and arenas they played in. It was really a lot of fun.

I remember coming home from playing baseball in 7th and 8th grade and watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the unfinished basement, in an old blue chair (probably from when my parents got married), in the dark. It was great.

I reminisce about this now as if it were something I will never have again. And that may be true.

As many of you know, the NCAA basketball tournament commenced last week. Some of you may know it as "The Big Dance" or "The Road to the Final Four." In the past, I would make it a goal to watch every single game that was televised. This often meant 3-4 games from when I got home from school to when I went to bed. On the weekends it was even more. I lived for it. As the great Dick Vitale says, "It was awesome, baby!" And it was.

I find it kind of sad that I can't reclaim that awesomeness anymore. I still enjoy watching sports, but since I don't watch very much, I don't know hardly any of the players, which makes it less enjoyable, which makes me want to watch it less. See how that works? It takes a lot of time and devotion to be into sports. Quite frankly, as I've grown up and really found out what it is that I like, music and film/TV have become more important ways for me to spend my leisure time.

I'd rather watch marathons of "Six Feet Under" or "24" than spend three hours watching a football game. It just seems like I get more out of it. I wish I could have it both ways. I wish I could relive a part of those innocent times, or at least escape to them from time to time. I don't see it happening.

One thing I look forward to doing now that was unrealistic back then, is to get season tickets to some pro sports team, preferably baseball. That's 81 home games for all of you keeping track. I think that would be the ultimate.

One thing I plan on continuing into my mid-middle age is to watch playoffs and championships and all that. So, we'll exclude the NCAA tournament, because that's just overkill for me. Bring on the NBA Finals, baby!!