A sports fan, I am not...or am I?

When someone asks me what my favorite sport is, I usually either answer “I don’t have one” or “whatever Dylan is playing”. Because it’s the truth. Growing up, the only sport that my dad watched was baseball. Until the organization of the Carolina Panthers in the mid 90’s, North Carolina did not even have a professional sports team. I went to high school football games, but these were merely social events for me. I have very little knowledge of how football “works” and the last football game I attended with Dylan will most likely BE the last football game I will attend with him due to my constant questioning of what was going on. I also attended football games at Appalachian…but again these were social events. I cheered on my Mountaineers when they scored…but I really just followed the crowd and figured if we ended up with the ball it was a good thing. I think.

Let me interject this little oddity about Dylan…as I’ve implied in many of my posts, Dylan doesn’t spend a great deal of time with his dad. His dad is a super football fan. As in, on any given Saturday or Sunday, he is probably flipping between every possible football game available on TV. He grew up in a football family (his mom & sister both graduated from Florida State) and I honestly had a full blown, 20 minute conversation with my mom while he was sitting between us on the couch watching a game. He never heard a word of what we said, which was about him. I found this hilarious. Dylan is not quite the super fan that his dad is; however, he has an understanding of the game of football, how it works, all the rules…anything you need to know about the game…that I simply cannot attribute to anything except genetics. I certainly did not teach him these fundamentals and there is no other way that I can explain this vast amount of knowledge of the game that he has. It astounds me.

Anyway, as I’ve gotten older, my lack of interest in sports has not increased…even though I live with a teenager that does enjoy sports. I don’t claim any NCAA or ACC team as “mine”. I don’t cheer on a specific NFL team. Seriously, I read a book while everyone else watched the Super Bowl last year.  I don’t have a favorite NASCAR driver. The only fan I’ve ever claimed to be was a Braves fan. This choice was based solely on the fact that my grandfather and dad were/are Braves fans and the fact that we get TBS on cable…and well, you know, they air almost all the games. I guess I should also claim the Panthers, you know, since they are based out of NC. But, I really don’t.

This lack of interest in sports wouldn’t stop me from attending a major league baseball game (I really do want to go to a Braves game) or from attending a high school, college or professional football game. And I certainly don’t let it stop me from cheering on Dylan at his high school soccer games.

Because I’ve found, that when you mix a live sporting event, in an outdoor stadium, throw in a few peanuts, popcorn, candy and a nice soft drink, I become the biggest sports fanatic EVER. Yes, that was me in the stands at the Varsity soccer game, imploring with the ref to “CARD THAT PLAYER”…not once, not twice, but several times. And I was that fanatic that whooped & hollered (because we are in the South, you know) when our team scored once, twice, three times! I was also the one who couldn’t believe the ref carded OUR player in such an obvious error. And I was the one that clapped & cheered generously when the game was over and we won!

Hmm…so, maybe there is a sports fan buried way down deep inside me after all! :)