SuperFan

I admit it.  I’m a sports nut.  Not all sports….just most of them.  I am not fond of ice hockey, auto racing, boxing, wresting or curling.

Curling.  Really.  As fascinating as watching paint dry on a wall.  Supposedly, it’s called ‘chess on ice’ for its intricate strategy.  Women with brooms sweeping the ‘rock’ to its ‘home’ is totally lost on me.

I used to feel that way about golf years ago, but now I wouldn’t dream of missing a major tournament.  Like the hordes, it started with Tiger.  Who couldn’t be amazed by his game?  Of course, now he’s done.  He got outed and now it’s over.  O-V-E-R.    I don’t care how many hitting coaches and caddies he goes through.  He’s done and embarrassing to watch.

Now, it’s the era of the young American players….Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Robert Streb, Rickie Fowler and amateur Jordan Niebrugge, currently attending Oklahoma State and in the hunt at the British Open.  I’ve already broken it to BH that bridge is out for tomorrow…gotta watch the Open…can’t help it.

My favorite sport is basketball.  I root for the Wizards but adore the San Antonio Spurs.  I love that they’re a great combo of ageless wonders and crazy athletic young players with a coach who teaches it’s a TEAM sport.

I am not a fan of Lebron James….his ego is way bigger than his talent.  He argues with the ref every time a foul is called on him.  ‘Yes, you, Almighty, fouled him.’  I’m glad I’m not his mother.  I swear I would go on that court and pull him off.

On the other hand, I love, love, love Steph Curry, this year’s MVP.  Only 6’3”, considered to be the best shooting guard in the game ever!  He led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Championship, which they hadn’t won in 40 years.

Raised primarily in Charlotte, I started watching him when he chose to go to Davidson College. No big college teams wanted him.  Four years ago, he married his sweetheart, who he met at age 14 and is a devoted family man.  Does it help that he’s very easy on the eyes?  Oh, yeah….lucky that he favors his beyond gorgeous mom and not his dad, Dell Curry, who played in the NBA for the Charlotte Hornets.  He definitely was blessed to get his dad's 3-point shot!

But, I watch all the tennis grand slam events.  Soccer?  Of course!  Who could not love the women’s team who just brought the World Cup home to America?  Football….go, Ravens! All University of Maryland men's and women's teams!

Practically, every night, BH and I are cheering our Baltimore Orioles or racing into Baltimore to buy the best cheap seats and then sitting on the lower level near the third base line, so I can get a good look at my favorite player, Manny Machado…another future legend who just turned 23.

I don’t know where this obsession of mine came from.  The only sport I ever played was golf and that was a few times a year for about three years.  There was no Title IX when I was growing up.  Mainly, I sprinted in 50 yard dashes and broad jumped in elementary school.  Cheerleading was about the most athletic thing I did in high school and that ended after a year with serous knee injuries.

My father liked baseball but my parents eschewed television or newspapers, so he didn’t follow it all that much.  Maybe, it’s just the competitive thing.  Fortunately, or, unfortunately, I’ve always had that drive.  My kids all played in high school.  My older daughter worked for ESPN in marketing for several years.  Now, my grandchildren are taking up the mantle.

I’m one of those parents who loved going to all my kids’ games.  How fortuitous it was that I was the principal of the school next door to my kids’ high school.  My youngest played club lacrosse at University of Maryland.  Her last game was against Navy.  They won.  I wept.  Tears of joy and tears of sadness.  It was over.  No more games.

But, now my grandson, who is seven, and the son of the ESPN girl, is all about it.  Basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse.  Loves them all.  Tuesday, I’ll be traveling to Pennsylvania to watch him play lacrosse.  I am one happy Grammy!  Three more grandkids behind him….the two year old is already playing what we call “Kevin Baseball” every day after ‘school.’

Now it’s their turn.  SuperFan is back!