Get the feedSuffering a Loss -- Okay, a Sports Loss -- as a Family
Wednesday, Nov 10th 2010
For Parents to Consider:
1. What is it about sports that draws the masses? Do the games in some way remind us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves?
2. For families, there is some sweetness in being together and rallying completely around the same thing. There are no factions. For a moment, we lose any me versus you, There are no contentious discussions surrounding what Sally should wear. There is no frustration that Johnny did not take out the trash. No, the center of our story for a few hours is not us. Yet, we still sit as "us."
3. Do you have some family memories rallying around your favorite team? Does your family have some disastrous sporting events in your memory bank? We'd love to hear from you!
1. What is it about sports that draws the masses? Do the games in some way remind us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves?
2. For families, there is some sweetness in being together and rallying completely around the same thing. There are no factions. For a moment, we lose any me versus you, There are no contentious discussions surrounding what Sally should wear. There is no frustration that Johnny did not take out the trash. No, the center of our story for a few hours is not us. Yet, we still sit as "us."
3. Do you have some family memories rallying around your favorite team? Does your family have some disastrous sporting events in your memory bank? We'd love to hear from you!
The expectations for the game couldn't have been higher. The pre-game energy was off the charts. It was the highest ranked matchup of teams ever to play in the state of Utah. ESPN broadcast their nationally televised morning program from the stadium, declaring this game the best one in the country. The Utes were in special uniforms designed to honor those wounded in defense of our country; on the backs of our players, instead of names, were the words "courage," "honor, " "country," "integrity." The stadium, both home fans and visiting fans, cheered loudly as the honorary captains, three gentlemen wounded in Iraq, were introduced. We were loving the moment, as a family, enjoying each other (and some delicious Philly cheese steak sandwiches). Life was good. Then the kickoff came and the cheering stopped for the rest of the game. It could not have gone worse for the home team.
About the only thing that can be said about my beloved Utes' utter annihilation at the hands of TCU is that it will give my family something to commiserate over when the topic of "Worst Sporting Contests Ever Attended" comes up, as it certainly will every year for the next 40 years. How bad was it? It was the Godfather III of football games; a game so awful it taints the memories of two previous perfect seasons.
About the time we fell behind 40-0, my daughter, who had ignored her own birthday the day before out of anticipation for this game, turned to me and said with a wry smile, "I think I'd like to have a birthday party now." Classic. And therein lies the beauty of sport, or really the beauty of being collectively emotionally invested in something together as a family. Even with the seemingly worst possible of outcomes, we still shared it together as a family. We'll talk about it and grieve about it together, forever. As I've said to my kids many times, any day that ends with a good story is a good day. Now at least we can tell the story of the day we entertained ideas of traveling to the national championship game, or maybe the Rose Bowl, only to be painfully and undeniably brought back to earth.
At the end of the day, it's worth it to go through games like this. It's worth it to be fans and care about how your team does. It's worth it because we did it as a family.
John Wunderli
John Wunderli is a Harvard trained litigator, retired little league baseball coach, and supporter of all University of Utah Athletic teams.
Comments
by T-Bone #
John, nicely done. Sad for the Utes, but based on their performance the next week, I'm looking forward to the next installment.
David, what can we say but... embrace the dark side.
David, what can we say but... embrace the dark side.
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For Parents to Consider:
1. What is it about sports that draws the masses? Do the games in some way remind us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves?
2. For families, there is some sweetness in being together and rallying completely around the same thing. There are no factions. For a moment, we lose any me versus you, There are no contentious discussions surrounding what Sally should wear. There is no frustration that Johnny did not take out the trash. No, the center of our story for a few hours is not us. Yet, we still sit as "us."
3. Do you have some family memories rallying around your favorite team? Does your family have some disastrous sporting events in your memory bank? We'd love to hear from you!
1. What is it about sports that draws the masses? Do the games in some way remind us that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves?
2. For families, there is some sweetness in being together and rallying completely around the same thing. There are no factions. For a moment, we lose any me versus you, There are no contentious discussions surrounding what Sally should wear. There is no frustration that Johnny did not take out the trash. No, the center of our story for a few hours is not us. Yet, we still sit as "us."
3. Do you have some family memories rallying around your favorite team? Does your family have some disastrous sporting events in your memory bank? We'd love to hear from you!
by David French #
By the way, Laettner should have been ejected for stomping on Aminu Timberlake long before he had a chance to take that shot. Justice for Aminu!