Most of you know me as a sports buff and so I thought my next post should be about something that I dearly love (Yes, K is No. 1 but still....)
So, is it Cricket? Cannot be. Too commercialized for my taste, too over-rated for my sensibilities, too few teams to really make it a contest/rivalry, too much T20 at all levels, too empty stadiums for Test Cricket - to name a few.
So, is it Golf? Interest level peaked a couple of years back when I was watching the Master's and US Open Championships. Not much interest in the year round tournaments but the 4 Majors are really fun, especially on Sundays, no matter who is the hunt. Almost always produces a spectacle.
So, is it Tennis? Love it to a degree. But beyond the four Grand Slams, there is not much in the tour for me. Rafa has the best muscles, Andy has the best serve, Novak has the best game (and there is no doubt about it) and Roger is well, Roger. Not much love for the women's game (sorry, it's not meant to be a sexist comment but apart from a brilliant and sometimes motivated Serena Williams, there is just not much happening there).
So, is it Soccer? Never had a rooting interest in any clubs but talk to me about the World Cup Finals or the Euro Championships and my Germany support takes over. It's either Die Mannschaft or nothing.
So, is it Formula 1? Had it's peak back in the days of Schumacher vs. Hakkinen, Ferrari vs. McLaren. What energy from the cars and the drivers. Just starting to make a comeback as far as interest level goes now that I am back in India and I get to see the races quite a few times. Doesn't quite make the cut.
So, is it NBA Basketball? We are in range. While I love the sport, (some of) the players, the swagger of the superstars and the Playoffs, it just gives a feeling that a team has multiple chances (best of 7 series) to make a run at the Finals and it's Championship series and that kind of dilutes the competition for me.
So, is it MLB Baseball? Please. It is slower than most sports played (except, Golf, maybe) and players have exorbitant salaries and there is not much intrigue unless you are an American (Indian Americans do not qualify). Playoff Baseball could get interesting but just if your team/city is in the hunt.
Okay, enough of my gyaan about sports.
N.F.L. Football. There. I said it. I can't live without it. You can put me on a deserted island between August and February and I will still find a way to get my daily dose of football. What a sport. Violent yet beautiful. Fast paced yet (sometimes) low scoring. Offense vs. Defense. A fabulous history to boast. 32 teams spread out in 2 competitive Conferences and 4 Divisions each. Rivalry renewed every season. The most talked about sport, richest league in the country, America's favorite past time (easily eclipsing Baseball in recent years) and the most talking heads in the US who have an opinion about everything Football. Ironically, I have never been to a stadium to watch any professional sport, let alone NFL Football, but the TV experience more than makes up for it. The Superbowl, no matter which 2 teams make it, is guaranteed to draw in record crowds. Even a casual watcher reads up on the rules of the game before the Big Dance!!
Sundays and Monday Night in the US are always about Football and K will surely tell you how difficult it was to get me off the couch (Thank God for 2 TVs). In recent times, even Thursdays have Football games (and Thanksgiving Thursday has 3 games). Oh, I love it. Playoff football is so nerve wracking and the knock-out format makes your heart beat a thousand times faster (especially if your team is in it).
The first game I watched was the Superbowl between my New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. Patriots won that game and I have been hooked since. Even though the Patriots have lost 2 recent SBs to the hated NY Giants, they still will be my beloved team (You ask K, she will tell you how much I adore the Pats). Each team goes through some great, good, bad and worst times but the fans remain loyal to their teams, such a devotion can be seen only in Euro league soccer.
I haven't watched a single game since the start of the season (you don't realize the heartbreak) but Fantasy Football, ESPN and SI keeps me updated. I wish cable providers in India showed the games but they don't and unfortunately cannot do that just for me.
Have a favorite sport?
Share your thoughts with me. If it is NFL Football, join the gang!!
So, is it Cricket? Cannot be. Too commercialized for my taste, too over-rated for my sensibilities, too few teams to really make it a contest/rivalry, too much T20 at all levels, too empty stadiums for Test Cricket - to name a few.
So, is it Golf? Interest level peaked a couple of years back when I was watching the Master's and US Open Championships. Not much interest in the year round tournaments but the 4 Majors are really fun, especially on Sundays, no matter who is the hunt. Almost always produces a spectacle.
So, is it Tennis? Love it to a degree. But beyond the four Grand Slams, there is not much in the tour for me. Rafa has the best muscles, Andy has the best serve, Novak has the best game (and there is no doubt about it) and Roger is well, Roger. Not much love for the women's game (sorry, it's not meant to be a sexist comment but apart from a brilliant and sometimes motivated Serena Williams, there is just not much happening there).
So, is it Soccer? Never had a rooting interest in any clubs but talk to me about the World Cup Finals or the Euro Championships and my Germany support takes over. It's either Die Mannschaft or nothing.
So, is it Formula 1? Had it's peak back in the days of Schumacher vs. Hakkinen, Ferrari vs. McLaren. What energy from the cars and the drivers. Just starting to make a comeback as far as interest level goes now that I am back in India and I get to see the races quite a few times. Doesn't quite make the cut.
So, is it NBA Basketball? We are in range. While I love the sport, (some of) the players, the swagger of the superstars and the Playoffs, it just gives a feeling that a team has multiple chances (best of 7 series) to make a run at the Finals and it's Championship series and that kind of dilutes the competition for me.
So, is it MLB Baseball? Please. It is slower than most sports played (except, Golf, maybe) and players have exorbitant salaries and there is not much intrigue unless you are an American (Indian Americans do not qualify). Playoff Baseball could get interesting but just if your team/city is in the hunt.
Okay, enough of my gyaan about sports.
N.F.L. Football. There. I said it. I can't live without it. You can put me on a deserted island between August and February and I will still find a way to get my daily dose of football. What a sport. Violent yet beautiful. Fast paced yet (sometimes) low scoring. Offense vs. Defense. A fabulous history to boast. 32 teams spread out in 2 competitive Conferences and 4 Divisions each. Rivalry renewed every season. The most talked about sport, richest league in the country, America's favorite past time (easily eclipsing Baseball in recent years) and the most talking heads in the US who have an opinion about everything Football. Ironically, I have never been to a stadium to watch any professional sport, let alone NFL Football, but the TV experience more than makes up for it. The Superbowl, no matter which 2 teams make it, is guaranteed to draw in record crowds. Even a casual watcher reads up on the rules of the game before the Big Dance!!
Sundays and Monday Night in the US are always about Football and K will surely tell you how difficult it was to get me off the couch (Thank God for 2 TVs). In recent times, even Thursdays have Football games (and Thanksgiving Thursday has 3 games). Oh, I love it. Playoff football is so nerve wracking and the knock-out format makes your heart beat a thousand times faster (especially if your team is in it).
The first game I watched was the Superbowl between my New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. Patriots won that game and I have been hooked since. Even though the Patriots have lost 2 recent SBs to the hated NY Giants, they still will be my beloved team (You ask K, she will tell you how much I adore the Pats). Each team goes through some great, good, bad and worst times but the fans remain loyal to their teams, such a devotion can be seen only in Euro league soccer.
I haven't watched a single game since the start of the season (you don't realize the heartbreak) but Fantasy Football, ESPN and SI keeps me updated. I wish cable providers in India showed the games but they don't and unfortunately cannot do that just for me.
Have a favorite sport?
Share your thoughts with me. If it is NFL Football, join the gang!!
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