Is It Sunday Yet?!

These past two weeks have felt entirely too long. After a dominating win against the Patriots in the AFC Championship game, the Broncos punched their ticket to Super Bowl XLVIII. And if you know me at all, I have been a Denver fan dating back to the glory days that were John Elway. In fact, one of my first outfits after I was born was an orange #7 onesie.

It is also safe to say, I have a slight addiction to sports in general. For as long as I can remember, they have been a major part of my life, either by participating or attending. And while I wouldn't trade this personality trait for anything, it hasn't always been a "win" as a female. I read an interesting post on my twitter feed the other day, and it inspired me to write my own thoughts about this topic.

So here it goes:

10 Trials Faced By Female Sports Fans

1. No, I am not watching this game/checking scores to impress a male. My ESPN app alerts me in true "duh nuh nuh, duh nuh nuh" fashion often enough as it is with my own team loyalties to even think about keeping track of some potential crush's teams, in hopes he will notice and instantly fall head over heels. Sorry, guys. But on that same note, the day I start to take interest in your teams other than my own, get excited. That's a definite sign I think you're pretty cool.
2. Studying must be structured around game time. Physician Assistant school is challenging to say the least. But that has not stopped me from being successful in the classroom and catching each game. For example:  I have an orthopedic physical exam test out on Monday, and our final orthopedic block exam on Tuesday. And of course, the Super Bowl is Sunday night. What's a true fan to do? Turn down offers to social events both Friday and Saturday for dates with notes and books instead, so that when Sunday at 4pm comes, the rest of the night can be devoted to the big game. Most would think that's lame and anti-social. Me? The perfect set-up for a productive and prioritized weekend.
3. All trips/vacations require a sporting event of some sort. The minute it's announced we're traveling somewhere as a family, you can be sure I am checking out the schedules of the local teams. Or packing my golf clubs. On the same token, if I have an extended weekend or vacation opportunity, it's safe to bet I'm filling it with a random trip to New Orleans to watch LSU take on Texas A&M (this past November) or planning a Spring Break trip (this March) to NYC to watch the Bluejays at Madison Square Garden in the Big East tournament. And I'll be honest, it can be a challenge to find traveling companions, especially girls. Most don't have arenas and baseball fields on the top of their "Sites to See" list. 
4. Falling out of the loop on "normal" girl things. Friend: Are you coming over tonight!? Me: I was just going to ask you about your plans! Friend: Yay! The Bachelor premier starts at 7pm, so we're getting together for dinner before at 6pm. Me: Wait a minute. The Bachelor? I was referring to your plans for the National Championship game... It's a classic case of misunderstanding. Which then leads to politely declining invitations for Girls Nights, and finding other plans for big sporting events. 
5. Pink team apparel. Absolutely unacceptable. Unless the players are also wearing pink in honor of a special circumstance/disease. Coaches vs. Cancer? Love it. Such an incredible event for everyone involved. Wearing a pink Lebron jersey on game day? Take your pretty rhinestones and walk right back out of the arena. 
6. Keeping track of Fantasy teams and Pick Em' pools. There's an app for that. And thankfully too! I can't tell you how many Sunday's in church the panicked thought of "Uh oh. I don't have all of my starters all arranged yet!" rushed through my head. As soon as mass was over, you could find me in my car quickly adjusting my roster before the first Sunday snap. Another great save was the March Madness Live app last basketball season. My mom and I had tickets to a cousin's musical, and as luck would have it, the Jays played at the exact same time. Solution? Arrive with a fully charged phone, turn the backlight down to just a dim, mute the sound, sit towards the back, and watch both at the same time. Winning x2!
7. Stadium food. One of the main reasons I sweat for at least an hour everyday at the gym. Please do not for a second think that I will be ordering a salad during the game. Life is far too short to miss out on the delicious stadium classics. The same goes for alcohol. Unfortunately, (thanks to Celiac disease) I can't just "grab a beer," but Limón and water or a G&T are perfect compliments when the game clock starts. 
8. Yes, the players are often nice to look at, but... That is far from the reason I am watching the game. Trust me, I am the first to admit Eric Decker is beautiful. But that face will not make up for a dropped pass thrown right to his hands. Because when he scores a touchdown, or Adam Scott sinks a long birdie putt, they are oh so much more attractive than they appear! 
9. I will take the game personally. In the grand scheme of things, it is "just a game." But that does not change the fact that my heart aches at every turnover, or shatters when a big game results in a loss. I will always love my teams, but I will not like them very much when their performance is sub-par. Irrational? Maybe. But, it's just the way it is. True love isn't always pretty.
10. My main source of news is SportsCenter. And I wouldn't have it any other way! Top10 and Not Top10 are always a pleasure to watch, and I have not found any other show in the morning that is better to get ready to. I might be a little behind on worldly things, but that's what Forbes, United Nations, CNN, and Pope Francis twitter accounts are for. 

All in all, you should probably just like the same teams I do. Life will be easier. Tension will fade. And my trash talking will tone way down. Plus, when both of our teams are playing at the same time, you can guarantee I will win the battle of what we watch ;)

And there you have it. The struggles faced by a truly passionate (female) sports fan. All that's left to say is:

GO BRONCOS!!!!!!