On this day of all days of sports I have to tell you that I don't follow sports. Now I'm not going to rain on your party and tell you sports have no value. I completely understand why people like sports. We need something to hold our interest.
It's just that I have lost all interest in sports. Maybe it's because I don't watch TV? I detest commercials. Commercials really spoil a game. A good old Canadian boy should really like hockey. I haven't watched hockey for years and was turned off by a certain buffoon of a commentator, Don Cherry. I used to watch the standings for my beloved Edmonton Oilers. Not anymore.
I liked , followed and attended Canadian football games. My heart bled for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Sorry. I lost interest in Canadian football.
I never did get interested in soccer, tennis or baseball.
I did play, baseball and football. Other things I tried to play were volleyball, basketball and badminton. I skate and cycle. I ran until I was 71. I Gave spots a good run.
So on this day of all days in sports I did not get a ton of nibblies and all kinds of other refreshments. In fact, I forgot about the game until I looked at Twitter and found the underdogs ahead by 21 to 3! I've done what I usually do on Sunday afternoons... a few chores, (somebody has to shovel snow), did some reading, had a nap, coffee with the micro manager which can go on for some time. I had lots to do.
So for those who love sports, keep at it. I know it's enjoyable but not for me!
How about you? Are you a sport's fan?
I know that some followers will remember that I am not a sports fan. I'm not a spoil sport. You can watch the Winter Olympics and cheer your face off. I won't hold it against you if you really go all out for the Winter Olympics.
I'm not completely unaware of the Winter Olympics. I will vaguely follow standings. I will know how many medals Canada has. I will cheer for Canada...but only in my head.
I know that many of my readers share a similar view of sports as I do. I like this as it assures me that I'm not some antisocial loner.
Television in all it's wisdom spoils sport for me. The analyzers go on and on to describe every aspect of what they are showing.. Then, there are endless replays. You get very little time of actually watching a game , race or activity. It becomes very slow. I like something fast paced and lively. If you go to an NHL game today , you have all kinds of down time for the television net work to air commercials.
There is also an obscene amount of money spent on the Winter Olympics. I think Olympics could and should have less money involved. There is also the huge emphasis on security. Many athletes and spectators have apprehensions about going to the Winter Olympics. I'm not sure that these issues should be such a big part of sport.
So I will blissfully skip all television coverage of the Winter Olympics.
So Jeremy Wotherspoon makes it official this week and Retires! He was going to retire this year but it got speeded up a bit because of health treatment. I wish to congratulate Jeremy on his retirement and thank him for all the pleasure he brought to us over the years with his splendid performances.
I have said before that I don't follow sports but once in a while a specific athlete will catch my attention. Jeremy is one of those athletes. He is the epitomy of hard work and dedication. Work ethic? You bet. To compete at such a high level for so long would take endless hours of training. Training takes will power. Jeremy competed with the clock. He was mentor to all younger speed skaters.
Jeremy started his speed skating on an outdoor track in Red Deer , Alberta . There were a dozen or so kids and a local coach. Outdoor speed skating is tough. They were able to visit the speed skating oval in Calgary occasionally . I've skated on the Calgary skating oval and it's a treat so I'm sure when Jeremy as a kid got to skate on the oval he was hooked.
I'm sure that we will hear more of Jeremy in the future as he has much to give to speed skating.
So Red Deer , Alberta, how does Wotherspoon Way sound for the name of a street to honor Jeremy?
I have followed Jeremy Wotherspoon's speed skating career since he first started skating with the local club.
Jeremey became a world class leader in speed skating for a long time. This took tremendous dedication to every aspect of his life. Training to get to this level takes determination as well the dedication of your whole life.
Jeremy had much success in World Cup races. Winter Olympics were another thing.
For the 2010 Winter Olypics Jeremy was added at the last minute. At 34, age had caught up to Jeremy. However, Jeremy went out and competed even though his prospects were remote. This is were it really takes guts. You go out and give it all you've got even though you know it's not going to happen. I'm reminded of Rudyard Kipling's line were he says "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing their's ....You'll be a man my son" Jeremy's a great man!
Now Red Deer, Jeremy's home town, could name a street Wotherspoon Way?? The speed skating oval where it all started could be named for Jeremy. Come to think of it an enclosed speed skating oval would be reallly cool!
