Sandwiched
My mom is way cooler than me. Well, at least in one area of life, and that is sports.
If there were an award for Most Clueless Person in The World of Sports, it would go to me. Oh, sure, I played some tennis and volleyball back in the day. I know in basketball you can score a 1, 2, or a 3 at a time, and I enjoy attending a minor or major league baseball game. But that’s the extent of my experience and knowledge of all things sports.
My husband John likes to tease me when we pass by a football game on a television somewhere.
“Now, Amy, don’t get excited when they make a home run,” he’ll say. Okay, I’m not THAT bad.
You’d think I’d be better in this area though. My dad always enjoyed watching football and basketball on TV – he was a huge Michael Jordan fan. Both Mom and Dad attended high school football games when my sister, brother and I were in marching band. My grandparents lived within walking distance of Notre Dame and were both huge fans of its teams. My sister Vicky knows the Notre Dame football schedule almost as well as her own schedule.
Somehow, I just didn’t inherit the sports gene. I have no clue when the Colts or Hoosiers play (and I went to IU). I know that the Super Bowl is around the first part of February. I couldn’t tell you who won it this year to save my life. I attempted to see the Indy 500 back in 1997 when it got rained out twice and haven’t tried since.
Then there’s my mom. If you want to know when the Colts played and how they did, just ask her. Curious when the next Notre Dame football game is taking place? Mom will know.
When I visit Mom on a weekend, I can guarantee that you’ll see a professional or college football or basketball game on her television. Or golf. Or hockey. Or synchronized swimming. Seriously.
Then there’s her VERY favorite – a NASCAR race. When she first moved down to Noblesville, I had to get her a subscription to TV Guide to make certain she wouldn’t miss any of the NASCAR races. This woman is a serious fan – God help her (and all of us) if her cable were to ever go out on a NASCAR day.
I remember visiting her up in Mishawaka one weekend. We had a pleasant conversation up until the NASCAR race started. After that, I might as well have gotten into my car and driven back home. There was no moving her attention away from that!
So, if you’re the opposite of me and need to get caught up on what’s happening in a professional or college sport, just ask my mom. But be sure to check the NASCAR race schedule first.