Dear Sports,
Why do you do this to me? You’ve drawn me into your net of deceit by promising me championships and glory only to deliver me to agony time and time again. I am sick of your silly games – your baseball and your football, your tournaments and your bowl games, your last second buzzer beaters and your fatal collapses. Only a fool would stick around through all this misery, only a fool would allow themselves to think that one day this will all get better, one day I will get my championship.
It all started on a Saturday in December, 2005. I was lonely freshman in college sitting in my vacant dorm room watching the ACC championship game. My #5 Virginia Tech Hokies were coming off of earning the ACC title the year before and were out to make it two in a row. We were facing an unranked Florida State team and looking forward to another Orange Bowl appearance. However, as you would have it, that day was meant to be for agony and bitterness. Florida State won that game and the heartbreak was just beginning. Later that night the Virginia Tech Basketball team had a date with #1 Duke in Cameron Indoor. You brought us back from 11 pts down to take the lead with 1.6 seconds left; a sure victory in our hands! You gave me hope that you were going to make up for the agony from earlier. “One set of fans couldn’t handle that much pain in one day,” I thought. Obviously, I was wrong. Sean Dockery received the ball at half court and shot it immediately. It seemed like the ball was in the air for hours, then “clank”, then “screaming”. He had done the impossible. My heart sank. I hated you and promised I would never again let you hurt me like that.
Yet, I couldn’t stay away from your lure. Just 2 years later I fell back into your trap and went crazy for my Hokies who were hosting Boston College on a raining and very cold Thursday night. Lane Stadium was rocking, we were ready to knock the #2 Golden Eagles back to earth. The game was sloppy due to the rain and my Hokies had a 10-0 lead with 2:11 left. I was ready to rush the field and had already started moving down towards the sideline from my perch in the upper east stands (row 5Q to be exact!). Then you struck; you decided to break my heart once again. Matt Ryan worked his miracle and somehow escaped with a win. Wet and miserable I found my way home and again promised to get off the your drug. I never wanted that feeling again.
My love of the Hokies didn’t fade, I just somehow accepted that they wouldn’t be able to fulfill that dream you promised me. Then I moved to Dallas and found a new love. You gave me radio to listen to, scores to check, and articles to read. I was hooked and fell in love with the Texas Rangers. I thought that this would be different. It’s a new team, new place – “I can dream again!” We won the division, then the ALDS, then the ALCS. You had me in your grasp and I had you. This was going to be the year. This was going to be the chance for me to finally get that elusive championship. Then like always you broke my heart again. You failed me. I had a glance at glory twice! I was one strike away in the 9th and 10th innings and you failed me. I hate you sports and only fools would let themselves continue. Yet, as the night gets closer and Game 7 nears, I am going to give you one more chance. You have one more chance to come through in the clutch, one more chance to add glory to the already excellent drama. One more chance, before I move on.
Ah, what empty threats those are. You have monopolized my heart. No reality show or primetime drama could ever fulfill your shoes. I cannot move on. I am stuck. I have fallen into your trap and will never get out. The truth is, I really don’t even want to get out. The trill of victory will keep me going and the agony of defeat will only be a hurdle, but its times like these that I wish you were more kind to my often broken heart.
Love,
A Passionate Fan
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