The dark side of sports

After watching the demise that is the 2009 Cubs today, i got a terrible headache that has yet to subside. To alleviate the pain, i chose to blog on the subject as a form of psychotherapy. I'm sure we have all had thought of dropping sports from our live, kicking it to the curb, never looking back. As most people will attest, it is not easy being a sports fan. The anxiety, the irritability, the heartbreak is unavoidable and represents the dark side of sports. These thoughts and memories are often the one's that stay with us the longest.

I recall the past football season when sexyrexy and i would simply bitch during every single bears game througout the season. I recall my head nearly exploding and i'm sure his was as well. Even after the 15 seconds of jubilation following the miraculous corner of the endzone game winning catch against the falcons, it was ripped away from us within minutes. I had thoughts of leaving football behind, but the very next week, i was back.

Although we are just 3 weeks into the baseball season, i'm already getting the wibe that this Cubs team is very reminiscent of the 2008 Tigers. The team is loaded with talent, but there is no chemistry, no continuity, no leadership. When i watch the team, there is nothing to indicate they are playing for the city of Chicago. The only true cub on the team is Big Z. I realize Piniella and Hendry wanted to get more left handed and athletic, but getting rid of Wood and Derosa was counterproductive on and off the field. Are we suppose to believe Aaron Miles is justified cause he can switch hit. He's a midget with zero power, zero speed, and swings at 30% of pitches outside the strike zone. It also doesnt help when two of the biggest acquisitions over the summer, Bradley and Gregg, have both disgraced the organization by getting into shouting matches with the home plate ump.

I'm particularly bad when it comes to watching sports. I'm not exactly the ra-ra fan, but more of a coaches persona where i'm satisfied if the players perform, and start breaking shit when dumb mistakes are made. During intense situations, i usually have to separate myself from other people to isolated my insanity. I recall the Bears super bowl, where i literally locked myself in my room the second half to confine my anger.

Being a life-long Chicagoan, i'm unfamiliar with this things called the "playoffs?" Such that the recent success of the Bulls and Blackhawks has helped rejuvenate my adoration of sport. The competition, the detail, the lose and you're done mentality gives me hope for something better, a brighter future in my sports world.

But losing is the definition of sport. The system is set up for one city to win and 30 others to lose, yet sports have survived for thousands of years and just keep on going. What does it say about human nature that we are willing to put up with endless disappointment, for the tiny glimmer of hope that someday we can call ourselves champions.