And so that means I’m just in the wrong city.
Indianapolis has the Colts. Do you even want to know how much I hate football? It still bugs me that my Dad and 3 older brothers spend every major family holiday watching the TV and not spending time with their kids, the nieces and nephews, and the rest of the family. So maybe my hatred of the game isn’t so much directed at the sport as it is pointed at the way it makes my family behave. I actually went to a game once. No really, I did. It’s not so boring in person. And I used to go to high school football games in my home town, but that was just a social event if you know what I mean. I was one of those private school kids trying to fit into mainstream America, too.
Indianpolis has the Pacers and the Fever. I went to a Pacers game twice, I think. Sure, it’s fun in person, and I do understand the game more than football, but I find it boring on TV. I don’t consider myself a fan.
Indianapolis has 2 major race tracks: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the O’Reilly Raceway Park. And where do I live? Smack dab in between the two of them. I can often hear the cars on one of the tracks between May and September, but I don’t mind that really. I’m just not a fan of the race track traffic. On big race weekends, I am often found huddled up on my couch the whole weekend. I do all my errands on Friday night so that I can stay home and relax. I wouldn’t call me a fan of racing, but I like it lots better than football.
Indianapolis has the NCAA Hall of Fame, the Indianapolis Ice minor league hockey (which I like), the Indianapolis Indians minor league baseball (which I love), and I'm sure there are other sports I am forgetting. You get the point. I'm in a haven for sports, and I couldn't care less. I get to maybe 1 or 2 Indians baseball games every year, and I'm fine with that. I just am not a big sports fan.
HOWEVER, every couple of years a global event takes place on this sphere we call earth, and suddenly the competitive girl in me reemerges, and I take an interest in all things sports. Yes, the Olympics are nearly here, and I am pretty darn excited! [I must be excited I actually said DARN! HA!] Now, I won't watch every event, but I'll be tracking it furiously online and on my AT&T U-Verse.
I love the spirit of the Olympics and the national pride that emerges. I like to root for the underdog, and I get swept up by the drama of the stories/lives portrayed. Stories about the male diver from Antartica who trains by diving off the glaciers into the brutally frigid waters in the subzero conditions of his frozen continent without a coach, or the female gymnast from Idaho that is still competing in these games despite the recent heartbreaking loss of her hamster, Gabriel. I just made those up, can you tell? Hmmmm...does anyone live in Antartica? I don't even think they are represented in the Olympics, which is sad really. But you know what I mean--they showcase these inspiring stories about people overcoming insurmountable odds to get to the competition--I'm a sucker for those. I catch myself tearing up just thinking about them.
Now, I probably won't start yelling at the TV like my brothers do during football season, but you just might catch me getting animated, agitated and anxious during the women's gymnastics. I have been known to argue with the announcers from time to time, which is why I'll probably be surfing the web for the results earlier in the day and then watching the replay in the evenings. I won't be biting off any more of my finger nails waiting for the results, thank-you-very-much. I also become a bit sentimental during the medal ceremonies, too. Somehow that doesn't get old for me. Seeing someone with national pride as they hear their national anthem--now that is pretty priceless.
Yes, I'll be cheering on my fellow Americans, the Israelis, the Brits, the Canadians and all the rest from the comfort of my living room. It's time for Mel to enjoy sports for 2 weeks again. WOOHOO!! It's Olympic time!!
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