I’m a fan of watching sports with a lot of people. There is something fantastic about the atmosphere that makes it special. When everyone cheers together, it’s like a magic moment. Or at least if we’re all sad, we have each other to console so we’re not in it alone.
I am not a fan of watching sports with people who yell, cuss, and act like it’s going to be the end of the world if their team loses.
The old saying of, “It’s just a game,” is true. Even if it’s a championship game or a national title game or a district rival game — it’s just a game.
I’m all for being competitive. I’m all for being really into wanting your team to win. But come on…when their are kids or women or just decent human beings around — can you just chill out?
I’ve got my favorite teams who I love. The San Francisco Giants are one of those team. The Saints are another. But I’ve never wished death upon a referee for getting a call wrong or said things like, “I hope they break his legs” if the guy hit a three-point shot.
I recently witnessed such events while attending a sporting event. It was really uncomfotable for me. I felt like leaving. It ruined the game, which I had been looking forward too all week.
When I play pick-up basketball, I get mad sometimes. If a guy calls a foul when it clearly wasn’t a foul, I can get upset. I might even say something like, “Come on, don’t be such a whimp.” I should probably just keep my mouth shut, but sometimes my competitive spirit overtakes me.
My point is that I understand getting mad during sporting events, but I just want to remind you that whether you get angry or not, it will not change the outcome of the game.
And there are people watching.
To each his own, but I just believe in keeping my emotions in check while watching a sporting event. It’s just my personality, I guess.
(Chrissy Smith is Sports Editor of the Slidell Independent, and a former college athlete. She can be reached at chrissycsmith@gmail.com.)
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