Sport-Blog.com

I have been a sports fan my whole life. Until recently, I have pretty much lived and died with Chicago teams such as the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. When I was younger, I watched all the games that I could and I took losses so seriously that (especially in the case of the Bears) they put me in a bad mood for days on end. It seems silly now, but I think a lot of kids are like that if they are diehard sports fans.

Another thing that stands out in my memory is how much I disliked opposing star players. For example, former NHL great Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers and then the L.A. Kings and New York Rangers, always seemed to have his best games against the Blackhawks. To my 12-year-old self, it was practically torture to watch Gretzky come into town and destroy my beloved hockey team. Now that I've gotten older, however, there has been a noticeable change in the way I watch sports. While I still love my Chicago teams, I have a greater appreciation of athleticism in general. Let me explain.

Anyone who pays attention to NFL football knows that the Bears and the Green Bay Packers represent one of the most legendary rivalries in the league. The Bears had a good decade or so against the Packers in the '80s, but then when quarterback Brett Favre came along, things started to change. The Packers were suddenly dominant in the NFC North and handled the Bears with ease. I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but I think Favre has only lost 3 or 4 games against the Bears in his entire career.

When Favre first burst onto the scene, I didn't like him. I couldn't even stand to watch any Bears-Packers games because it was just so frustrating to see Favre march up and down the field seemingly at will and to make amazing passes time and time again. Now that I am older, I actually enjoy watching Favre play. I have come to appreciate him as an amazing football player rather than just as a rival. I now realize how much he means to fans and to the game in general, and I know that I am lucky to be able to see this future Hall of Famer in action.

This appreciation of professional athletic ability applies to other sports and other teams as well. Even though I am not a basketball fan, I am making it a point to catch a Cleveland Cavaliers game just so I can be there in person to see LeBron James play. It doesn't matter to me if he scores 40 points and single-handedly defeats the Bulls. I just want to see him play.

I guess my point is that as I've gotten older, wins and losses in professional sports matter less to me while skill and ability matter more. If you have a chance to see a great athlete play, you should put aside team loyalties and just appreciate the moment. You could be witnessing greatness in the making.