Friday, February 3, 2006

Girlfriends And Sports

As we approach Super Bowl Sunday, I've got to say that one of the things I love, love, love about my girlfriend is her love of sports. Not to knock any women out there who are not into the stuff, but I have to say--and I think I speak for a lot of guys on this--when your girlfriend can offer up her own explanation as to why Peyton Manning will never be a "big game" QB, well, that's just a wonderful added relationship bonus for any guy like me who lives and breathes football (not to mention baseball, basketball and hockey, everything except NASCAR--I just don't get the appeal of sitting in front of your tv on a Saturday afternoon watching souped up cars go round and round in circles for three hours until someone finally, and mercifully, raises a goofy looking, handkerchief-sized victory flag). Come to think of it, an ex of mine, whom I dated briefly, told me flat out that she had absolutely no interest in ever going out with me to any sporting event whatsoever. When I asked her why, she said that she "wouldn't understand what was going on." "Not even at a baseball game?" I asked. Her response was that she found baseball "complicated." Did I mention that I dated her briefly? Again, I'm not suggesting that women who are totally uninterested in sports are in any way undesirable or inferior, but, let's face it, when your girlfriend tells you that she can't follow a baseball game, our national pastime--where, you know, it's three strikes and you're out, there are nine innings (unless, of course, you go into extra innings), and the basic objective is to score as many runs as you can by advancing around the bases, first, second and third, until you reach homeplate--well, for us guys, it's gut check time, no doubt about it. With this in mind, as I settle down with my girlfriend on Sunday to watch the Seahawks beat the Steelers, 28-20, I will do so knowing that at any moment I can turn to her and say something like, "Why in the world did the Steelers just decide to punt on 4th and 1, late in the game, down by 14," and she'll not only know just what I'm talking about, she'll actually be able to provide me with a coherent answer.

Please post your response on my relationship message board.