It’s Just A Game

Yes, it’s just a game.

That’s what I keep telling myself when my heart is pounding dangerously, I’m shaking uncontrollably, my mouth is parched, and my hands are ice cold from being clammy.

That’s what I keep telling myself when I can’t function for a day or two after a big loss.

What is it about sports that has those of us who are hooked, hooked so deeply? To the point where those of us who are not hooked will never understand.

My long term memory is not the best. There are moments from childhood that my family is surprised I don’t remember. But I remember these moments:

After the 70’s, I lost my way for a while when it came to sports. Yes, I saw Bill Buckner, and I watched the Bears demolish the Pats. But I have no memory of Super Bowl XXXI, and I didn’t fully appreciate Larry Bird until well after the fact. (Oh, how I wish I had appreciated him during the fact.)

Then came this game, and the hook reappeared:

And it dug itself both deeper and wider:

Over that time, there have been so many moments, both horrifically bad and amazingly good. A large number of them in one month alone.

 

The two most recent within minutes of each other.

It is not possible to explain it to you if you have not been hooked.
You have to experience your moment.
And if you do, tell yourself “It’s just a game.”