The Big Question

It's time to answer the big question, the one I have been avoiding all along. There is a fairly steady stream of questions I get whenever the topic of The Offseason comes up in conversation. People want to know why I would bother doing something like this. Those who know me well tend to ask how I am doing without my beloved sports teams to follow. They want to know if it's "hard" for me. I enjoy talking through all this with people, and it usually leads to a lively conversation, but there is one question that I tend to simply shrug off and not fully address. It's been asked of me in person as well as online online, and I have never really fully responded. It's the big one at the core of this whole project. The question is; Will I go back?

On my phone I have an app that lets me to keep countdowns to various dates. It's nice because there are always a couple of big events on the distant horizon that it's fun to think about as they slowly approach. I really love numbers and so it's fun to be able to tap an app and see that, for instance, I have only so many days left to go until I can upgrade my phone. As I write this post, I have 157 more days until I successfully complete a full year without following sports. Being much closer now to the end that I am to the beginning, my thoughts have naturally started to turn to how, if at all, I am going to reintroduce sports fandom to my somewhat new sports-free life.

In truth, if it weren't for the sports obsessed news media in Boston, I would be having a much easier time with all this. It's fair to wonder if the news would be so consumed with the local teams if they had not been so successful over the last decade and a half or so, but the fact remains, the local news outlets, boston.com in particular, are silly over sports. It's virtually impossible to check in to any Boston news resource without being updated on the current state of the Red Sox. But it doesn't end there. News about Patriots draft picks, Celtics trade possibilities and Bruins post season surgeries dominate even the most basic of news feeds. It's no wonder that the portion of Boston's population that never could have cared less about scores and standings feel frustration at how the local teams are shoved in their faces. I can see that now, and I don't like it.

At the same time, it's hard for me to imagine never going to see a game again. I don't think I'll ever lose interest in going to Fenway or Gillette, or the Garden to see a live sporting event. Then again, I have lost a lot of interest in and patience for live music. If I'm being perfectly honest, never giving TicketMaster another dime of my money would be a great feeling. Yet, I can't make a commitment like that. There are still bands I will want to go see, and there are still going to be games I'm interested in seeing for myself. But going to games was never really part of the "problem". I'm not a wealthy guy, so it's not as if I ever planned on getting season's seats to a team or anything close to that. In fact, I've never even been to a Bruins game in my life! Some dear friends of mine gave me a gift certificate to Ace Tickets for my 40th a few weeks ago, and I do plan on using that for a game this November. It'll be a nice way to return from this project.

The real issue was, and is, sports on TV. With Red Sox games on just about every day during the majority of the year, and three other teams (at least) playing seasons of their own, it's never long before a local team is on the air, defending our fair city's honor. I loved being (or at least feeling like I was) a part of that. I liked watching young players develop in to superstars, and I enjoyed watching different players and coaches interact. Seeing the little rivalries that develop and understanding the feuds and arguments that the players would get in to. Of course, in the ESPN era, there is simply *always* a game on. It's easy to flip to one of their many channels and just pick a team at random to root for. It's instant drama, and before long there will be a clear winner. No cliff hangers here. I'll miss watching a season develop. I'll miss watching careers go by. But the simple truth is, I just can't devote that much time to the games anymore.

What I will be happy to get back in my life is the occasional game, especially when watched with friends. Over the last few months, every once in a while an evening or a weekend afternoon have suddenly opened up with no plans. In those moments, I often think about how great it would be to unwind with a game droning away on the TV in the background. That is a feeling I will be very happy to be reunited with, especially as it will now likely be coupled with some guitar practice, or maybe some chess. Even better, the occasional trip to a friends house or a bar for a big game is something I dearly miss. I remember back when I was living in Chicago, I would always head down to a great BBQ joint called Brother Jimmy's for big ACC basketball games involving my Tar Heels. The crowd was big, and focused. It was like being at the game! I loved that energy, and I have often found something like it at various establishments here in Boston. I look forward to the next time, though I know it will be different not having put in the time all season long. Still, I think it will be fun.

So there's your answer. While I will return to following sports to some extent, it won't be anything like it was before. Maybe that's another piece of what this whole project was about. Finding my way out of the never ending parade of possessions, games, series, and seasons. After 13 years of wild success, to the tune of 10 championships, what more could I possibly hope for? Demanding more from these five teams could only be called greedy. It's time for new challenges that I can actually influence.