I love sports, but not as much as I'd love to. In my single days I followed my teams (Broncos and Lakers). Broncos because I was born and partly raised in Denver (pass the Orange Crush anyone!?), and Lakers because the "Hey Moe" Nuggets just couldn't overcome who..."Show Time". And at the age of about 8 "Magic" was a really cool name.
Actually Magic is a cool name no matter what age you are.
I was never the guy from who's mouth flew fountains of fabulous facts like every player with the middle name Frank from the 1972 to 1977 MLB playoff teams. I had friends like that, but I instead filled my head with juicy gems like how much blood the human body has (about 6 quarts), why lightening actually strikes up instead of down, and how to geometrically calculate the number of jelly beans in the jar at the school fair. Yep, I was...err...am that guy.
The Lakers are still my team, I just know nothing about them anymore. And there it is, one of life's big changes for this NGD.
I used to watch sports, especially basketball. I could watch the same Sports Center three times in a row (still could...if we had ESPN). If I was in the car for a long drive I'd find a game on the radio.
Now instead of sports I watch Disney movies, Curious George, and Land Before Time. Whoever is making those movies should now stop...for God sakes stop! After "Land Before Time MCDXXVI: The Round Circle of Flying Light that Wiped Out Our Existence" I think I've had enough. And the sound track...hot poker meet ear drum....ah relief.
Instead of sports radio in the car we listen to Veggietales and The Music Machine.
But sometimes, though very rarely, Bubba climbs up on the couch and will watch sports with me. This is great for me because I can justify it as quality time with Bubba without feeling guilty when MyLove is trying to entertain SweetPea, do laundry, and get dinner ready whilst I get more out of shape by watching athletes whom I envy and get younger than me every year.
But those rare occasions we do partake in athletic tube-togetherness are some of my favorite as they allow me a momentary glimpse to what the future may be like. Me watching him play and us watching our favorite teams together. Cheering at their success and sharing in the disappointment of their defeat. Times when I get to explain the rules like my dad did with me.
I can't wait when most of my sport watching consists of a mashable mass of kids running after ball kicked in random directions, or an intense moment of fatherly fear as a hopping ground ball must become more interesting than the rocks at his feet, or when the pure excitement and adrenalin of touching the ball means shooting at any hoop even it is the wrong one. I can't wait.
Bubba, you don't have to love sports. But I hope you at least like sports. I know I will be disappointed if you don't, but I'll love you tons still. And I'll hope that SweetPea will be a bit of a tomboy.
Basketball Diaries...or Baseball...or Soccer...any sport really
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16 months...
5 years old...
4 handicap.
this kid has a leg up on brody. A brief story I found in the paper today:
Gehrig Geiss has people watching him on the golf course. He has golf companies offering him free clubs. But he doesn't have a bike without training wheels.
The 5-year-old from Glen Ullin, in southwestern North Dakota, has been swinging golf clubs since he was 16 months old. He's getting ready to play in his first big tournament, the U.S. Kids Golf regional qualifier.
Gehrig will compete in the 6-and-under age group on June 25 at Oak Marsh Country Club in St. Paul, Minn. He will be the youngest golfer in the event.
His best drive is 157 yards. He has a 4 handicap on the nine-hole, 1,200-yard course in the tournament.
“I've never seen anybody have that much talent at that young of an age,” said Tyler Reisenauer, a golf pro at Heart River Municipal Golf Course in Dickinson, who trains Gehrig. The boy could play on par with junior high youngsters, Reisenauer said.
Gehrig's father, Chris Geiss, a 35-year-old grocery store owner, and Reisenauer attribute much of Gehrig's ability to his focus.
“Golf isn't that exciting,” Reisenauer said. “With somebody that young, the attention span usually isn't there.”
Gehrig plays golf all the time – in his back yard, hitting chip shots at a makeshift pin, in the family basement or on an outdoor carpet with holes to simulate a green.
His record for holes played in one day is 99, or 11 rounds. It's not uncommon for him to hit as many as 500 balls in one day.
When asked what he wants to be when he gets older, Gehrig peered out from under his Titleist hat with a smile and said, “Tiga Woods. ”
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