That's right, that was the idea you all gave me when I asked what SNES games were your favorite so I might blog about them and you all mentioned an RPG I never played. I thought, "oh hey, must be sports fans."
I'm kidding of course (not in a mean way, JRPG fans can like sports, I'm just kidding around with my stereotyping), next blog will be about the SNES RPGs I did play as a kid. Not a huge fan of them, and only really one I can think of being fond of at the moment, and I wasn't really the one playing it.
For now though, here are some facts about how I grew up with sports.
- My late grandpa on my mom's side and one of my uncles are/were heavily connected to the Green Bay Packers. My grandpa worked in the same paper mill as many of the original players, had tons of memorabilia in his basement/bar like signed football/pictures etc., and my uncle served on their board of directors and has a Superbowl ring from their 2011 win. I think he still technically is on it, but it's a symbolic thing as he's old and in critical condition.
- My older brother works at Cowboys Stadium and my grandpa used to say the Cowboys cheated cause the turf rose in the middle. Not sure if he'd have that problem now, but he might find the jumbotron obnoxious. I root for both Packers and Cowboys.
- I did almost nothing but go outside and shoot baskets when I got home as a kid, outside of gaming and watching bad kid's shows, of course. I was viewed as an asset on my grade school basketball team because I made most of what I threw up, despite first just throwing the ball goofy and weird, then with only one hand, then around the time I went to high school I was out of shape and had to give it up.
- My number was 41, same as Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, my favorite sports team.
- They used to be crap and their tickets were cheap, so I went to a lot of their games when my mom would score free or maybe it was just cheap tickets through the school she taught at and I went to. As a fan of basketball and Dallas native, I've always rooted for them. Even if I was playing Pokemon in the mostly empty bleachers before they were any good, really. 2011 was awesome, though I went to fewer of their games due to ticket prices etc. Actaully got to get seats close to front row cause ex gf's family was gracious to have me. No one mention 2006. Or that time we had to fly the Spurs flag cause of a bet between mayors.
- Similarly, my dad often got and still gets (and gets/sells other people) tickets to the Texas Rangers games through Knights of Columbus, so we went to a lot of those games. Always rooted for them, too, but I admit I didn't always care for baseball. Mostly I just liked the relaxing and the hot dogs. I do like the Rangers though, glad they've done better and at least gone to the World Series in recent years.
- Did you know the World Series is so named for a NY newspaper that had that name? So there's your answer to why a sports competition that mostly only involves two nations has that title.
- Ron Washington, who was portrayed by an actor as team manager (or something along those lines) for the Oakland A's in the movie Moneyball, now works for the Rangers. Incidentally, I've met him in person or at least got a lesson in pitching from him, again through a KoC event.
- I became a huge Red Sox fan in 2004 mainly cause I was betting if they could win, my life could improve (times not so great around this year for my family and I) aaand.. no, not so much. But I still love the hope it gave me and the next summer I went to Boston which is an amazing city. Even got mistaken for a local after purchasing a hat and a shirt there. And got to go to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox at ... wait for it... the Rangers. Also, got to ride the tank/boat "Duck" on a tour of the city, and see a shopkeeper near the park's World Series ring.
- Other sports I played (all briefly) included football in 7th grade (didn't like it that much), rugby (loved not putting pads on, was decent at tackling, only did it a semester.. the one BEFORE the team was state champions -_-), and tennis (was coaxed into it by a girl that quit... wtf?).
- I never really watched hockey, but I like the Stars. Pantera did a song for them and used to hang out with the players around the time of their Stanley Cup win. I heard somewhere lead singer Phil Anselmo put a dent in it at the party.
- Here's the Pantera song for the Stars (a reworked Cowboys from Hell more or less) and 3 Inches of Blood's "Leave it on the Ice" (3IOB is Canadian, so they like hockey)
- I used to play as a defender on my middle school's soccer team. Basically, I talked to my fellow defender and best friend David, and wished the shin guards didn't itch so much and preferred days when the game was rained out and I could lie in bed watching Yu Gi Oh or something.
- I usually watch the Superbowl for the ads and maybe the halftime show, only if it's a team I like or it's really close do I care about the game. I still say it should equal a national holiday. I voted for a Dorito's commercial on their website recently. It was the one with the bear.
- Not really a sport but I got very good at pool in college. Ok at ping pong, had no clue what the hell was going on when I played a three way game with friends at racquet ball
Hope this blog tides you over while I get the next one ready.
Apologies to non-American readers for calling it soccer, but frankly, we're not going to stop calling it (football/futbol) that any time soon.
