Tonight was Game 6 of the NBA Finals. I watched the Celtics - specifically the Big Three – win their first national championship in 22 years. While sitting with two other girls and four guys. At a sports bar in my neighborhood.
I initiated the gathering, picked the locale. Sent emails to everyone with timing details, and provided public transit options to those interested in evironmental conservation. I was so excited for the game you’d think I grew up watching Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
In reality, I didn’t know about Magic until that whole HIV thing came to light. And just the other day it occurred to me that Larry Bird looks a lot like someone I used to date. Up till then, I hadn’t paid much attention to him. I wasn’t there to see the historic rivalry revisited. Or to watch the Celtics win their 17th championship.
I was there last night because I HEART Ray Allen.
Particularly his calves. And that little smirk that’s permanently etched onto his face (I think because of a slightly asymetrical upper lip). I’ve hearted Ray ever since I met Rashard Lewis (my former favorite basketball player) and realized Rashard’s voice was as high as Mike Tyson’s, his handshake weak and clammy. And he seemed lazy.
Ever since the, I really wanted to see Ray win a championship. Which team he was on while winning was secondary.
During the game, conversations flowed over and around each other. The guys would talk stats and historic plays, cigars and former players. The girls talked about weddings and visual aides that seem more and more prevalent during sports commentary. And why some of the players wear warming sleeves on their non-shooting arms.
Dont’ get me wrong – I LOVE professional sports. Especially the ones I understand the rules to. But I love them as only a girl can. And for reasons that are only logical to straight women and gay men.
I watch sports for the backstories and the personalities, the outfits and the exposes. And, of course, for the sheer beauty of very fit people running around in athletic attire for two or hours at a time.
Sports I love and a few reasons why:
- Baseball. Because Freddie Garcia cried at the press conference announcing his trade from the Mariners to the White Sox. And because Felix Hernandez lost twenty pounds in the offseason because some reporter said he was lazy and drank all the time. And also because Mike Morse is quite attractive. And because games are a great way to extend happy hour until 9:30 PM – legitimately.
- Football. Because – well – mainly because my brother spent a pre-season in the training room of the Seahawks. But also because Daunte Culpepper was raised by his grandmother in near-poverty. And because Qwest field smells like boy on game days…even though it’s an open-air stadium.
- Soccer. Purely due to the boys in shorts. And because sometimes they use the hem of their shirts to wipe sweat from their brows. And because all the best teams have large numbers of players with olive skin.
- Basketball. Because Ray Allen has amazing calves. And because he took a red-eye to Boston for Game 6 because his little son had just been diagnosed with diabetes in LA. And then after winning Game 6 (with three after three after three…seven in all!), he held one of his kids – quite possibly the newly-diagnosed diabetic – during the entire post-game celebration. And because I once had dinner with a French journalist whose entire job was to follow Tony Parker…who’s French…through the NBA playoffs (back when Tony Parker & company made it to the finals). That journalist wore truly amazing shoes.
- Golf. Because Tiger always wears red polo shirts on Sundays. And because I’m kind of into caddies.
But back to the real story of today: Ray Allen won the Championship!
I was there to watch him, support him, and love him from afar. I even growled at the waiter who went to change the channel from the post-game celebration and over to baseball. (He retreated without changing those in my line of sight.) It was a very good night.
Every day another story -
Sofie
PS – I’m also enjoying this article from ESPN Page 2 about the Celtics winning. It’s a fun mix of manly stats and girly details.
