I often feel guilty for being such a sports fanatic.
Really, there are many things in today's world that are far more important than the trivialities of throwing a ball through a hoop, kicking one into a net, or hitting one over a fence.
I often ask myself: Why do I devote so much of my time watching grown men wrestle with each other in various ways, competing for the chance to say they are the best…What, kickers-of-balls-into-nets in the world?
Why do I find myself running to the television at 5:30 p.m., desperate to hear two bald old men on Pardon the Interruption yell at each other about the sports news of the day?
And finally: If I must waste precious time by rotting in front of a television, wouldn't I be better off at least watching something educational, like The History Channel, or something that would inform me about issues affecting the world's citizens, like CNN?
Well, I'm happy to report that all these questions were answered on Saturday afternoon, when San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis ran off the field in tears after catching a playoff game-winning touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.
Macho frat-boy sports fans need not read on. If you are one of those "no crying in baseball" types who think Davis is a wimp and a weakling for crying on the field, this column isn't for you.
Davis' performance on Saturday is why sports are about more than kicking a ball into a net or carrying one over a line.
As he ran off the field in tears and embraced his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, I realized Davis had done more than score a touchdown, amass a ton of receiving yards, or beat the Saints.
He'd just made an entire lifetime of hard work, sacrifice, and focus worth all the trouble.
He'd shaken off the demons of being sent to the locker room at halftime in 2008 by then-coach Mike Singletary, prompting Singletary's infamous "I want winners" speech, and being subsequently designated across the NFL as a locker-room cancer.
He'd lived up to the invigorating speech he gave his team at halftime on Saturday, showing leadership and commitment and setting an example for the Niners to rally around.
And he'd done it all with love for his co-workers – his teammates, coaches, trainers, and front office people – and the fans that cheer for him.
The overwhelmed expression on Davis' face and the sincerity of the moment he shared with Harbaugh and the rest of the team on the sideline made it evident that Davis was not thinking about how many yards he had, how much money he'd just made through football and endorsements, or how famous he'd be.
You see, he probably wasn't thinking at all.
Though they sometimes seem like they do, the greatest athletes don't play for money or fame. They're chasing the feeling that Davis had on Saturday – the feeling of love, of reaching a hard-earned goal, of teamwork – things that can surely be applied to the rest of the world.
The lead changed hands four times in the final minutes of Saturday's game – the sort of thing that would make a Hollywood sports movie seem implausible. And Davis' game (7 catches, 180 yards, game-winning TD against a favored opponent, unbelievable show of emotion and dedication) would make for a role that Brad Pitt or Leo DiCaprio would die to play.
So, no, I'm not crazy for being addicted to this stuff. I think you're crazy if you're not.
Email: luke.hammill@ubspectrum.com
