A Heavy Dose of Thought

It's been an interesting week here in southeast Wisconsin. As we've been continuously flooded by rain and strangely beautiful storm clouds, I've been doing my usual dose of heavy thinking. And I cam to some interesting conclusions about my life as a sports fan (and participant). My first and foremost conclusion I came to is that my father (and mother) managed to teach me practically everything that I know as a sports fan and how to communicate that with the world, and for that I owe them many thanks.

I learned through my parents two very different approaches to both playing sports and watching sports. My mom, for lack of a better term, is firey when watching sports (especially those that I'm playing), though she keeps herself somewhat calm on the surface. From her I learned about being outwardly passionate about sports, learned how to care about something other than myself, and to believe in things larger than myself. Because of her, I'm the guy who shouts at the TV when my teams are losing, the one who complains constantly (as you can tell by ranting) about the effort and skill of my teams, the guy who goes to games and can't bear to watch certain points because I'm too anxious (wait, it gets better). When I'm coaching, I'm extremely, extremely passionate and demanding of my team and myself. I've shouted at referees, hollered at other coaches, and have sometimes acted like a madman. I am definitely a firey sports fan and coach because of my mother. Thanks mom (happy belated Mother's Day).

My dad, for lack of his own better term, is icy when watching sports (especially those I'm playing or those he's coaching), and he keeps himself calm on the surface. From him I learned about thinking through about sports, learned to look at the big picture of the game, and to trust both stats and gut feeling. Because of him, I'm the guy who analyzes things like the Pythagorean win-loss formula, who constantly looks at a separation between what I can see with my own eyes and what I can understand through stats, the guy who is a sports nerd first, jock second (this gets better too). When I'm coaching, I'm extremely, extremely analytical about my teams and precise about what I expect from them. I've spent entire practices on footwork and arm placement, watched countless hours of film, and spend spend an inordinate amount of time devising and writing scouting reports. I am definitely an icy sports fan and coach because of my father. Thanks dad (happy Father's Day).

I am a combination of my mom and dad in all things. Without the other I would not exist, and without the other I would be either incredibly firey or incredibly cold about sports. I enjoy being the combination of my two parents, and through them, I enjoy the sports fan and player I have become, so thanks again mom and dad.