I'm a wretched casual fan -- but by no means a fair-weather one.
I got into baseball first and foremost because I liked playing when I was a kid (I was never good, but I liked it.) The Twins winning the World Series in 1987 and 1991 did not hurt, either. I even have a signed (faded) Kirby Puckett ball... and have enjoyed several games at Target Field.
My little brother, the basketball lover has me peeking in at the Timberwolves scores every now and again.
I have a soft spot for hockey just by virtue of ... well, being from northern Minnesota. (It really can seep in like that.)
But football!
There are a lot of Vikings fans in my family, including both my dad (when they're winning, anyway) and my mom. My parents were often entertaining to watch while they were watching games. In fact, I even learned things that way. For example: if there was a field goal by the opposing team 5 minutes into the first game of the year, Dad would likely toss something, proclaim the season over, and threaten to root for the Packers.
On the other hand, if the score was close, Mom would believe in the possibility of a win up until the final seconds.
Two different perspectives, and two lessons in how to approach life, just from watching my folks watch football. Patience, hope... and the cautionary tale of jumping to conclusions sometimes. Heh. (Sometimes a lesson is how not to behave!)
I watched the Minnesota Vikings play the Seattle Seahawks yesterday. I saw the Vikes hold off a solid team that had recently drubbed them. I saw a bit of bad luck at the end. That game was lost by one point; it could've just as easily been won by two. What I saw there was a loss -- not a defeat.
That's life. Sometimes you lose, and it's just an (un)lucky break.
I view a lot in life that same way -- and this just reinforces it.
Better luck next time, Vikings. You still got that division championship; build from there.
(And for God's sake people, cut Walsh some slack with your snark. You don't need that kind of bad karma.)
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Another thing that happened on January 10, 2016: David Bowie passed away after a long (successfully hidden) battle with cancer. I don't know what kind of wizardry Bowie possessed to keep the world out of the loop on this for a year and a half... but I was as impressed with that, keeping a major secret in this digital world, as anything else he's done. What a trick to go out with.
(Eerily, my iPod brought up Bowie's "Golden Years" just moments before I read the news. What crazy timing...)
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And I've managed another day at the gym. 4 workouts down, 13 to go.......
Talk at you again soon!
--Erik