My New Obsession

Most of my life, I have not been much of a fan of spectator sports.  Maybe I watched a little hockey, especially the play-offs, but I did not plan my activities around a NHL schedule like some people I know do.  I never really paid much attention to the Olympics, Major League Ball or even the Riders (gasp). 

Suddenly, a couple of years ago, that all changed.  I went from having no understanding of the game of football (or even wanting to understand it) to having Rider season tickets this year.  I now cheer every success and agonize over every loss.  Just like the majority of Saskatchewan people, I armchair coach.  Out of the blue, I get it!  I now know why people love football.  I wonder why it took me so long to find this out?

I began to suspect that perhaps I loved watching all sports when I found I could not stop watching the tennis championship at Wimblington a few weeks ago.  As I watched Serena Williams win, I realized that possibly I was doomed to spend future hours watching sports I had once found boring.

I actually began to suspect this addiction two years ago when I became drawn into the Olympics.  I thought maybe it was because it was held in Canada or maybe because our Canadian  athletes did so well.  Then I decided I enjoyed it because I liked the winter Olympics, not the summer Olympics and I had just not realized that before.  Well, these past two weeks I discovered I love both the winter and summer Olympics, as I could not pull myself away from television, no matter which event was on.  I never thought I would find bicycle racing, swimming or beach volleyball so much fun to watch; or that I could be so excited to watch a Canadian win gold on the trampoline.  Who even knew that trampoline was a sport?  I was amazed at the level of excitement when Canada and USA played off in the women’s soccer semi-finals.  Each morning during the Olympics, I would turn on the television “just to see what was going on” and I would end up sitting on the edge of my chair through-out most of the day.  I think it really sank in how hooked I had become when I actually contemplated getting up a 3:00 a.m. to watch a live game.  All right, maybe not totally hooked because I did not get up in the middle of the night, but just the fact that I thought about it scared me a little. 

I could go on about other sports I once shunned and now love, but women’s water polo is about to start and I can’t miss a minute of it.

Finding out you love spectator sports after all these years . . . it’s a good thing!