By at least Thursday the NBA Finals will be complete at which point in time, sports will be over in the eyes of, to put it bluntly, most black people, until probably the FIBA Championship later this summer.
In actuality, baseball will be in full swing, hockey is finishing up with the Stanley Cup Finals, and soccer teams around the world are fighting to qualify for the World Cup to be held next summer. Personally, I'm looking forward to every one of those events coming up, in fact, I'm watching Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals as we speak. I call myself a sports fanatic and I'm quick to tell you that sports is my passion. Golf, soccer, hockey, NASCAR, baseball, you name it and I watch it, hell I played and coached lacrosse, a sport that used to be known as the whitest to exist.
My biggest question for the majority of the black community is why. Why is it that unless its basketball, football, or a Mayweather or Pacquaio fight, you don't pay any attention to sports but you can easily turn around and actually call yourself a sports fan? I mean unless you watch something that involves more than Floyd or Manny, I can't even respectfully call you a boxing fan.
Now don't get me wrong, I completely understand that I am in a significant minority by watching just about every sport out there, however, what's wrong with boxing other than Mayweather and Pacman. Hockey and Lacrosse have just as much physical contact as football, I mean really, you can fight in hockey without getting in trouble. As far as soccer goes, I've noticed that the interest is growing within my peers and I hope one day it's close to the top. Baseball is the one sport you have to have the most patience to watch because it can be such a slow game but it you haven't tried watching it, sit down one summer evening and just give it a shot.
That's really my message for all of the sports. Instead of sitting around whining and waiting for the NFL season to kickoff in September, give other sports a chance. Try baseball, support our national soccer teams as they try to qualify for the World Cup next summer, lacrosse has 2 professional leagues, watch at least one.
Believe it or not, the is only one day every year that doesn't have a baseball, football, hockey, or basketball related event. It's the 2nd Wednesday of every July, the day after the MLB All-Star Game. It's okay to still come home to football and basketball but expand your horizon and become a true sports fan if you choose to call yourself one.
