When Did You Fall In Love With Sports?

Sports is perhaps the most polarizing form of entertainment that exists in our society. It is able to unite enemies and those who have little or nothing in common, while at the same time causes divisions amongst close friends and beloved family members.

People the world over, take their sports fandom seriously and sometimes to the extreme! They read about and talk about sports all day long while at work or at school. In the evenings, they watch sports on tv for hours on end. They decorate their homes, cars, and skin with logos and jersey numbers. Some are obsessed with following stats, while others are fixated on getting to know the personal life details of their favorite athletes. Serious sports lovers often take wins and losses personally as if they play for or have an ownership stake in their favorite teams.

For others sports represents an outlet, a means to put aside the troubles and frustrations of daily life and get lost in the competitive drama of the game itself. Many love sports because they have a connection with the game. Perhaps they played growing up or have cherished memories of watching or going to games with a parent or grandparent. These individuals have an appreciation and admiration for the skill and dedication displayed as they watch sports.

Whatever your level of fandom, do you remember the precise moment, event, or athlete that made you fall in love with sports? Share your answer in the comment section below!

For me, it was watching Micheal Jordan and Scottie Pippen put Magic and the Lakers out to pasture in Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals. The game was broadcast on NBC and called by the dynamic duo of Marv Albert and Mike Fratello. Michael and Scottie went to work, both playing a full 48 minutes and combining for 62 points, 17 assists, & 17 rebounds. Magic fought hard, pouring in a triple-double with 16 points, 20 assists, & 11 rebounds. Magic’s gutsy performance would not be enough. This loss, on their home floor, ultimately proved to be the end of the famed “Showtime” Lakers and the birth of The Bulls Dynasty.

Another end occurred that night. Just as the game was ending, we received a dreadful phone call that a close family member had just passed away. Tired, sad, and in tears, my older brother and I watched the post-game celebration and tried to hide our pain by focusing on the piece of history, artistic display, and drama we had just witnessed.

In the days that followed, I found myself in the backyard for hours on end trying to emulate the moves I witnessed in that game (unsuccessfully, I might add!). I even decorated an old T-shirt to replicate a Bulls Jersey, so that as I shot around in the yard, I could imagine myself as a member of that historic Bulls team. Basketball, my imagination, and my memories of game 5, gave me something to focus on as I processed my grief and dealt with the loss.

I was 8 years old at that time, but some thirty years later, I still remember that night so vividly! June 12, 1991-The day I fell in love with sports.