Deb: I have had to resort to drastic measures when watching sporting events like the Olympics or Hockey. I can no longer watch them live on TV. It is just too much. With the invention of PVR and TiVo, I am––THANK GOD––able to record it and watch it after the fact. But here’s the rub. I am still just as friggin’ nervous! I record it, go to bed, wake up in the morning, see the results in the newspaper, and then sit down to watch the taped event. Cut to: sweaty palms, pounding heart, panicky brain. The house still rings with shouts of “NO!” and “OH!” and “WHAT?” My husband will calmly walk by and say, “You already know who won, right?” Yes. Yes, I do. Doesn’t matter. “OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Barbara: Really? You can’t watch sports live? I understand your stress––oh yes, I do! But there’s something so primal about competition, isn’t there? I was never an athlete. Or athletic. Tried out once to be a cheerleader and failed MISERABLY (had to invent a cheer for the tryouts and my ace-in-the-hole was supposed to be, “We’ll never settle for defeat” during which I pas-de-chaseed and pointed to … yes, de feet. Oy. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, I choked and pointed on the next line!)
Deb: I guess because I was active in sports and on teams and a cheerleader, I know the sicky stomach feeling of competition and it stayed with me. Sort of like a "Pavlov's Mascot". And fresh from my days as a grade 8 cheerleader (ahh, the old orange and black) comes this gem: "I saw a cool cat walkin' down the street. I said, Hey cool cat, I don't dig that beat. He said, Oooooh, what a square that's ever been seen, why don't you get on the BRIDLEWOOD TEAM! Yayyyyy Bridlewood!!!”
The only sports I actually enjoy watching are curling and figure skating, and while this virtually never happens as I watch curling (one lady fell while sweeping during the championship 'spiel in Speedy Creek this year, but it's a rare occurrence), with the skating I am just CHAGRINED when they fall on their asses ... I feel so bad for them! I'd much rather watch their programs recorded, knowing they made it through without any mishaps. Then I could relax. Unlike Deb, who would still chew her nails.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm with Barbara on this one. Not too athletic myself (I used to compete in equestrian sports, but that was it), but with certain sports like volleyball, college football, and anything equestrian, I love the thrill of watching them unfold. I used to record the Triple Crown races before I watched them, but if I knew ahead if time who won, it wouldn't be worth watching.
ReplyDeleteMy Kateness, if I may make a suggestion, how about a sport in which falling on one's ass is half the point, like bull riding? lol
Ha! I love that suggestion, Adrienne! That would be the kind of sport I could actually participate in -- and maybe enjoy some modicum of success!
ReplyDeletePS must pick up that book you recommend on your vlog -- Will Grayson, Will Grayson -- sounds good.
Definitely check it out, Barbara. In fact I recommend all of John Green's books. He's a magnificent author. Thanks for watching my vlog, by the way. ^^
ReplyDeleteWill definitely do, Adrienne! And the vlog is so adorable (have I said that before?)
ReplyDeleteAs a Texan (insert cowgirl joke here), I'm an avid sports fan. My college suitemates, however, do not feel the same way. After spending football season fighting for control of the remote, I've finally acquiesced and simply follow the game tracker on Sports Illustrated.com or catch snippets of the game during the commercial break of my suitemates tv shows.
ReplyDeleteThis makes my suitmates happy because I am no longer shouting at the tv (as if my yelling could gain them the extra yard or basket) but I dearly miss being able to watch the action unfold. Oh well...at least the semester's almost over :)
A cowgirl needs her own TV!!!
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is "IT IS MY TV!" Technically they do allow me to watch what I want...but under constant protest:)
ReplyDeleteThey've learned to stand in front of the tv and cheer for the opposite team or say stuff like "It's Texas playing Texas! Who's going to win? Texas!" The irony is that they are all big into the Olympics so I got to get them back by doing the same thing, cheering loudly for Canada or the U.S. instead of their favorite teams (Spain and the U.K). Oh well, I love them dearly :D
Their favourite teams are Spain and the UK??! (proviso: nothing against either country, but you're in Texas!) I guess they must be from there? And, if so, I suppose you have to be the benevolent hostess, don't you? (Thanks for the Canadian cheers, eh!)
ReplyDelete