I used to tell people that I’m not a big sports fan, but then I realized that’s not true. I’m actually a big sports fan if I can be there in the rink or at the stadium.
What I should really be saying is I’m not a big fan of sports on television, with two notable exceptions – golf and tennis. Those are sports that are difficult to follow in person and they just seem to be so much better on the tv thanks to the camera angles.
I worked in Hamilton, Ontario for two years and I fondly remember summer and fall weekend afternoons at Ivor Wynne stadium watching the Ticats play. It was all about the “experience” – the crowd sounds, the food vendors, hearing the linesmen’s whistles – it all combined to make it a truly magical afternoon whether the Cats won or lost.
I’ll never forget my first trip to the Montreal Forum – the history in that building of my fabled Habs and the banners from so many wins hanging above the ice. I was as much in awe as a medieval peasant venturing into a massive European cathedral.
And finally, my first trip to the Houson Astrodome (once called the Eighth Wonder of the World) to see the old NFL Houston Oilers play was a life-changing event. I’d never seen anything so big in every way – from the height of the stands to the massive video screens that I missed a few plays on the field because of my fascination with every aspect of this monument to Houston sports teams.
So, even if you don’t consider yourself a sports fan and ignore the games on tv, if you ever get a chance to see a game live , make sure you take the opportunity. You won’t regret it!
