Walking Away

Since 2001, the City of Boston has seen an incredible run of professional sports success. All four major teams won their respective championships within seven years, and they all played for several more titles, winning three. Few other towns, if any, have seen similar runs, and it's hard to imagine any ever will in the future. All this in a place where sports were a near constant topic at water coolers, bars and social events even during a 15 year span of utter futility. The resulting fervor around the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots makes it difficult to operate in Boston without paying some attention to them.

This has been no trouble for me, as I happen to have loved the inherent drama and civic pride that comes from rooting for the home team long before I adopted Boston as my home. Coming to this region for college, it was easy to fall for the four big teams in town, and I have not looked back. Following Boston sports has given me countless wonderful memories, and there seems to be no end in sight... but now I'm walking away.

As a bit of an experiment, once the Red Sox have played their last game of this season, I'll begin a self imposed year away from sports. I'm interested to find out two things as a result of this project. First, how hard will it be to avoid knowing what's going on, and second, what will I fill the time with? The rules are simple:

1. During this time, I will be unable to actively seek out sports games or information.
2. I must be actively pursuing something new to fill at least some of the time formerly occupied by consuming sports.

Rule one means that if I am in a bar with a game on, I don't have to leave, but I can't devote my attention to the game, nor can I click on a link I might see that talks about sports of any kind. Rule two is easier. I'll be starting by trying to learn to juggle, something I have always wanted to be able to do. If I am able to learn it, I'll have to move on to something else.

I'll make regular updates here, so let me know if you think I can make it, or if you think I'll crash and burn. I'm really not sure myself! Regardless, as the Sox finish this year Champs or chumps, once they make their final out, The Off-Season begins.