I reject your reality and replace it with my own”-unknown

I feel compelled to let you into my world so you may understand the perspective from which I originate.  My beginnings are not that of convention.  I grew up in a military family which meant no one location for too long.  I have lived in seven states and three different countries, most predominantly north eastern Ohio, southern Maryland, and Colorado.  I have seen or been through 70% of these United States.  I currently live in the beautiful state of Colorado in the east side of Denver where I share a residence with my wonderful wife Samantha (a native of western Pennsylvania.  Imagine how those Browns/Steelers and Ohio St/Penn St matchups go down in our house) and someday hope to pass along my biases to at least one child. 

Professionally, it has been a journey.  I started off as a Studio Art major in college (also ventured into Art History, Political Science, and Physical Education), but never truly found an affection for any of it until I considered sports as a viable career path.  Knowing full well that I no longer had the physical tools or abilities to play anything anymore, I resorted to watching and talking about sports – “’Those who can’t play, coach,’  yet, those without a large enough playing career, criticize”-me.  Ultimately, I found myself flying through the curriculum at the Ohio Center for Broadcasting.  Three months before graduation I began my sports talk radio career as a co-host on a midday show in the Cleveland market.  I evolved my opinions, and learned the business there, ascending to numerous titles in various aspects of the business (most of which was done simultaneously).  I learned from guys who were clearly better than me and now stand shoulder to shoulder with them as colleagues.  My journey eventually brought me back to Colorado.

Sports are an outlet for me.  Someone once told me, “one has to have something to be passionate about, otherwise life is just a series of tasks”.   Thus, sports are my passion.  Sports give me something to look forward to.  Sports allow me the ability to weigh the good with the bad equally.  Sports show me every emotion in the spectrum – joy, despair, apathy, happiness, agony, etc. are all present in the world of sports.  Now that I think of it, I know what day, time, and season it is based on the sports I am watching or following.  I am clearly a football, basketball, baseball guy (in that order), I enjoy hockey but by no means am I an authority on it.  I am also one of the few remaining Olympics fanatics left.  I will give any sport a chance, but get immersed in the classics…or at least that’s what I tell myself.

Now what does that have to do with anything?  It defines me and the way I see the sports we all love so dearly.  Stylistically, I am an analyst.  No one would confuse with being an anchor.  I am more concerned with the why and how than I am with the what and when.  My perception is not balanced.  Everything is not equal.  The world of sports is not fair and just, and my perception reflects those ideas.  For me, sports are more than games.  I do not like conventional wisdom – I don’t believe just because something hasn’t happened yet, that it won’t happen later.  I believe that parody is a good thing.  I believe that referees were put here to annoy us.  I believe in instant replay, the designated hitter, and that if God were an athlete…he’d be a point guard.