Diversion: Sports and the "Hatred Hierarchy"

Taking a break from the usual talk about travel and hotels today, to wax poetic about sports.

That's right: Sports. Just saying that word makes me want to belch and grunt like Tim Allen. You know what I'm talking about, you do it too.

Anywho -- specifically, I want to talk about rivalries. Good old-fashioned hatred towards your most vile opponent. Colts-Patriots. Seminoles-Gators. Lakers-Celtics. The list goes on and on...there's too many to count, really.

But...what happens when you're with a group of friends, watching one of these games...and your team isn't one of them? Yeah, you may love LSU, but what do you do when you're forced to watch the Florida-Alabama game? You want to get into the game, but just who do your root for when you loathe both teams?

Until now, this predicament hasn't had a name, and your brain has been confused.

Luckily for you, I'm here to tell you it has a name, and it's called the "Hatred Hierarchy". *

It flows through us each time we're near a game on TV, or we're hanging out with friends talking trash about the upcoming games, and our team isn't a part of it.

So, what do you do? Well, you've got some options:

1) Turn away. Don't root for either team, but instead leave and pretend the game doesn't exist. That's no fun, though. If that's not an option...

2) Figure out who to root for. If one of those teams needs to lose in order for your guys to clinch a playoff spot, don't hesitate to scream and hoot and holler for the other guys -- just know, deep in your heart, that you're a true blue fan for your team, and no other. Otherwise, you'll just need to...

3) Consume more alcohol, and continue to blather on and on about how great your team is, and that they shouldn't even be talking about those other teams or showing them on TV...I mean, come on! Oh, remember that bad call 5 years ago that lost us the championship?!? I love you man...

Oops, sorry bout that...so, what's your "Hatred Hierarchy"?



* Wish I could take credit for coming up with the phrase, but I can't. You'll have to thank my wife, Jamie, for that. :-)