Sports Dissapointment

All right, so I have to admit it, I am a fan of the following teams (in an exponentially increasing curve):  St. Louis Cardinals Baseball, Minnesota Vikings Football, Red Sox Baseball, Syracuse Orange Basketball, George Mason Patriot Basketball, Clarkson University Hockey, and Washington Capitals Hockey.  What does this mean?  This means I typically root for the underdog.

At present, and I will admit it is in recent years, I am a very sizable (aka Huge!) Capitals fan.  So being down 3 to nil in the series tonight is hitting home hard.  With seasons of late that bespeak a certain “inevitability” and having been a part of the pre-ordained to be doomed “Surge”, I have seen irreversible momentum (not that it doesn’t take a monumental effort).  I wish we had it, and hope, for my own hearts sake as a continually burgeoning sports fan, that we have a new “miracle on ice”.  I would like to see the team that is as old as I am, break “the Curse”.  Sports and Hockey fans, see you tomorrow night for the start, I hope, of one of the greatest comebacks in hockey history.

Now for the deep thought.

I have often been, like millions and billions before me, locked in, emotionally, visually, and otherwise to the competition that is sports.  My passion is clearly now on the ice, but it happens time and time again (I was glued to the TV watching the NCAA Final Four when Syracuse finally overcame the “Keith Smart Curse” in 2003, as I was getting ready to go to Baghdad).  For me, I think sports and being a fan of them is really at the core of humanity.  We have struggles, we have real demons, each of us.  And to confront them, and physically struggle with them, that is what we dream, even have nightmares over.  To be able to viscerally project this struggle upon those athletes, warriors, and others, that take on very real demons, gives us that release we need, we ply for, to bring to bouts and resolve the climax that is in our hearts.  It is really very Aristotelian, a part of the path to stay on the “Golden Mean”.  The thing I struggle with is if this really ever resolves it for us, or is it in something else we need resolution.  It is in the times of despair, when the Caps are down and the end seems gloomy, that sports drive us nuts as fans, as it can’t be the end.  Sports helps in having yet another season, Olympic competition, and a story of redemption as much as it has in winning and defeat.  More thinking is needed here, but regardless, this is something that we can’t ignore.  After all, there is another game tomorrow night.

Late night news, May 1

I tried posting this to Facebook yesterday, but decided the thought still needed to get out:

"Mixed feelings this morning, but I have to say the up side is a fairly high one.  I am not one to revel in the death of another (and would have preferred we got him alive), but he is now gone.  We can ill afford to roll out the "Mission Accomplished" banner, but at least we have seized the primary objective we started with.  Let's pray that this helps to bring the peace we seek and he is recognized for the terrorist he is, and not a martyr the speaks beyond the grave.  Thanks to all of those who have served, are serving, and continue to serve our nation and the defense of free people around the world.  May we all celebrate our shared sacrifice and show we are the great American people we profess to be."