Monday, April 6, 2009

On Sports & My Future Husband

It's no secret, I'm not much of a sports fan. Sure, I enjoy a live game every once in awhile, but only in really good company, with someone that isn't afraid to talk during the game, at a venue where I can order a beer and a soft pretzel with cheese.

I'm not one of those girls that doesn't understand sports, however. I know why a football team might attempt a two-point conversion, that a hockey game has 3 periods and a foul bunt attempt when the batter has 2 strikes is a strikeout. But sports just don't interest me enough to watch them on television IN MY SPARE TIME. Come on, shows like How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory are on Monday nights. Do you think I'd rather watch Monday Night football?

Living in a city that bleeds scarlet and gray (i.e. college football), I am confronted with the sports topic quite often. Usually I create a diversion because I don't want to be stoned to death for not being a die-hard Ohio State fan. In fact, I don't even have a "favorite" sports team.

Why? Because I have a theory.

When I meet the man I'm going to marry, I've decided I will adopt his favorite team(s) as my own. Once we're married and I know I'm going to be watching sports, at least on occasion, I might as well root for the team(s) that he likes, right? Why add something else to the list of things to potentially fight about since we all know he probably won't take out the garbage or put down the toilet seat?

This doesn't mean I'd compromise anything fundamental about myself to appease a man, but when it comes to sports I'm pretty neutral. It would be an easy compromise on my part and isn't that what marriage is all about? Compromise and getting involved in each other's interests?

Besides, knowing my luck, my future husband is a Wolverine (OSU's biggest rival for those that don't know). What a waste of time it would be to start backing the Buckeyes now...

For those of you that are married or in a relationship, do you and your significant other like the same teams? My fellow single ladies, what do you think of my theory? And for the guys that read this, I'm sure you'll tell me your opinion any way :)

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I adopted the favorite sports team of the guy I dated for 3 years.

(Georgia Tech ramblin' wreck!)

We broke up last year, but I still root for GT. They earned a special place in my heart in those three years and I think I want to keep them. No matter what my future husband says.

Besides, UGA fans are kind of douchey :)

ablogofherown.wordpress.com said...

I'm lucky The Boy really isn't a big sports guy (which is great because unless it's my brother's games or the olympics I'd rather not watch sports). However he is a Pittsburgh boy, so I will end up rooting for the Steelers in any future super bowls.

I think your theory is spot on. :-)

Moonjava said...

20something single!

NHL, I have a team who I will root for through thick and thin, even when I'm married, no compromising there other than maybe rooting for the future hubby's team IF they're not playing each other.

As for other sports, I think I'm pretty neutral, so maybe I'll do the same and "adopt".

Shelley said...

I probably won't be adopting any teams of the guy I end up with. My fear is ending up with a guy that doesn't like sports (I've seriously dated two guys that didn't).

My college football/basketball (Badgers) and MLB (MN Twins) alliances are set in stone... and maybe NFL (Packers).

I might cheer for my guy's teams as long as they aren't playing my teams. :-)

There's a good chance that when I eventually move back to Minnesota that I will marry someone who is a Gopher and/or Viking fan. It's all part of the fun... friendly banter about the other person's teams.

Kate said...

Cute topic!
I would totally root for my husband's teams if I had no preference either way. It's just part of embracing the things you can enjoy as a couple. It's just like giving each others' favourite TV Shows a shot so that you can then enjoy them together. My husband is a sports nut, but has so many teams I can't keep track of them. I do "support" his football team, as that's what he's most passionate about.

michellewoo said...

This is pretty brilliant, I must say. I adopt the sports team of the environment I'm in (ie. when I lived in Phoenix, I was a Suns fan and now that I'm in LA, I have to love the Lakers.) I don't care enough to endure being yelled at.

Mel said...

I am an angels fan and LJ is a dodgers fan. I've taken him to the Dodger dugout for an angels vs. Dodgers game wearing my angels shirt.

I like the rivalry. I like the fight. I like the bets. :)

The Author Of This said...

If you can't find a guy that can take out the rubbish and put down the toilet seat then there are serious problems. I also have an issue with this bit...

"a foul bunt attempt when the batter has 2 strikes is a strikeout"

...what language is this? Sounds like maths.

One of the downsides of being English is a serious lack of understanding when it comes to sports across the Pond. I really wish I knew at least some of the rules to ice hockey because it's a great game to watch.

Although I do think it sounds like a pretty good compromise

Eleni Zoe said...

What a great post! I support a couple of teams, not a die hard fan, but I support them. But I wouldn't care either way which teams my future bf would support.

But like Mel said there's something weirdly sexy about rooting for different teams.

marisa rose said...

Luckily my dude puts the toilet seat down and takes the garbage out so we are free to argue about our sports teams all we want. I get to root for the Mets and he gets to root for the Cubs. Win win.

Anonymous said...

OK. I am now adding "will adopt my teams as her favourite" to my (ever growing) list of things I am looking for in a woman.

For the record, I despise the Columbus Crew (MLS soccer.)

B said...

"that a hockey game has 3 periods and a foul bunt attempt when the batter has 2 strikes is a strikeout"

Uhm. You may as well be speaking a foreign language. I re-read that twice and still don't get it.

Lisa said...

Oh he BEST take out the garbage and put the toilet seat down! I don't have "a team" either, except since I'm from Toronto if I liked any hockey team other than the Leafs I'd get beat up. I'll watch anything, and I understand all the rules, but some sports are just boring. Soccer, women's anything, and the Olympics. Otherwise, count me out.

Anonymous said...

FINALLY! Someone else who watches Big Bang Theory! My husband and I watch it every week! I just can't get into any sport really besides hockey and everyone in Michigan is a Wings fan, so I got lucky there since my husband plays hockey and is a huge Wings fan!

Tonya said...

I think that's hilarious! I'm from Michigan, another die-hard sports state, but I don't really care about sports either. I think your theory might work OR, you might meet a guy who feels the same way you do abot sports. That would be even better!

Therapeutic Ramblings said...

That would make things SO MUCH EASIER.

btw...awesome call on HIMYM, one of the best shows on TV.

Anonymous said...

My huz is a Wolverine fan!

We generally like the same teams so sports is definitely not something we fight about.

Oh, and Go Cards!

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

Without a predisposition to any particular team, I think this is a brilliant strategy. However, I was raised as a Tar Heel and eventually went to that school myself. And since I was born in St. Louis, I've always been a Cardinals fan (call me loyal). Thankfully, my husband adopted the Tar Heels. And since he cheers for the White Sox, we tend to unite in our hatred of the Cubs!

k said...

my friend moved in to her husband's condo which was a block from wrigley field. she thought it would be fun to be a cubs fan, seeing how close she was, but he (a die-hard sox fan) told her in no uncertain terms that a divorce would be in her future if she rooted for the cubs. I think your theory is right on!

Jess said...

Torsten and I have both always been sports fans, but luckily our sports did not overlap. So he has adopted my baseball and college basketball teams as his own, and I've adopted his NBA and soccer teams as my own. Works perfectly.

Girl from Pennsylvania said...

This is a tricky one for me. I absolutely love the Tennessee Volunteers, no matter the sport. Thank goodness they have pretty good teams all around. My love is because I went to school there. But then I went to school there with my husband. Neither of my parents care about sports at all, so perhaps that is why I don't have any teams of my own. I know the general players of the teams my husband follows, but other than UT sports, I don't really care about anything else.

golublog said...

I hate sports and this may just be my permanent state. Though I will sometimes go to baseball games so my boyfriend doesnt fully think Im ignoring him. But I only go for the snacks.

Katelin said...

i root for matt's teams except when it comes to college ball, i love usc and he's a notre dame fan all the way. but it's a fun little rivalry we've got going.

Lacey Bean said...

I think it's fun when a couple roots for opposite teams. With Dave and I though, he only watches football and luckily we're both Giants fans. But my Dad and I are on opposite spectrums for all teams except football. He's a Mets fan I like the Yankees, and he's a Rangers fan and I like the Devils. :)

Christina said...

That's how I ended up with my teams. I adopted the Steelers from Jeff and the Red Sox from Jon. I became a die hard baseball fan and used to hate it with a passion.

OhMyHeart said...

This is a great idea mostly because:

LOVE (marriage) is infinitely more important and better than WAR (sports).

Good call girl :)

Unknown said...

just got a chance to read this.

Brian is really really into soccer - I try to sympathize with him when his teams lose and root for the ones he gets excited about -- it's also my dad's favorite team, so i try to be interested in it all for them. Sometimes I watch games with it, but not that enthusiastic :)

Sarah said...

My boyfriend is a massive sports nut, but because of that, I wont adopt his team! He wants me to follow his, I want to follow mine :) But, I do think it would be a nice wedding day "present" to give him. I dont really care about sports at all, its just funny watching him try to convert me to his team!

Anonymous said...

Well, being in a different country, obviously we support different teams. Last year my other half's team came stone motherless last, while mine made the finals, so it gave me lots of ribbing material during the 6 months off season. Especially when he wears his supporter shirt ("gonna wash my car with that?")

Julie said...

Tim and I support the same teams except for baseball.
He's from Boston... so obviously a Red Sox fan, and well I'm from NYC... so I'm well... obviously NOT a Red Sox fan. Go Yanks!

We're okay until late Aug/ early September, where if both are teams are in the playoff race we don't do well. It's getting better though. We're atleast watching the games together now.

:)

Anonymous said...

HI! Just stumbled upon your blog, and I really enjoy reading it. I look forward to reading more in the future!!

Totally agree with you on the sports thing, but I'm a pretty diehard fan myself, so we'd either be quite a sight as THAT married couple getting aggressive and loud at a game...or THAT married couple who yell at each other during the game. Fun for everyone else around, not so much for us ;)

Looking forward to more of your posts! If you're interested, you can stop by stuckintheplayground.blogspot.com!

Anonymous said...

well, the only sport i watch on occasion is hockey. and my fave team will ALWAYS be my home team, no matter how sucky they are from one season to the next. lol