Post by couldashoulda on Apr 26, 2024 7:53:26 GMT -8
Life long sports fan. All sports, pretty much. When I lived in Spokane as a young kid, Gonzaga was still playing football. My dad took me to a couple of games at Joe Albi stadium against the likes of Lewis and Clark. Both my folks graduated from UW. In Spokane, WSU was the big time college football ticket, and my folks would go to the UW vs. WSU game every year. You knew who the players were going to be for 4 year chunks of time.
Moved to SD in 1969, the first year the Padres played in SD as a major league franchise. Again, free agency was not big in 1969. Players were on rosters for years at a time. You could get comfortable with rosters. Fast forward to the Tony Gwynn years, and there just aren't players that stay with one franchise anymore like Tony did, and Kirby Puckett. Free agency changed all that for professional sports.
College sports is now that model more or less. You can't really get too comfortable with a roster. It can change significantly from year to year. Players leave for the money that is now available, or for more PT, or just because they can. Guys like Keshad Johnson and Lamont Butler, who were here for 4 years...I personally can't blame them for seeking out some moola that is readily available to them, especially after being her for 4 years.
My point is that my mental and emotional approach to sports in general is now one of rooting for the school and/or uni. I root for the Padres because I always have, regardless of who is on the roster. I root for the Aztecs because I always have (at least since around 1977). 10 year season ticket holder for the Chargers, and I just can't root for that uniform any longer (Spanos related). I just can't get to emotionally involved with the individual players anymore. I think Philip Rivers is probably the last athlete that I really felt an affection for. Loved Ledee last year for what he did on the floor. Loved Malachi in the COVID year. Loved Jamaal Franklin for his crazy "hit the brakes" and "throw the ball off the backboard and slam it home" style of play. But, when I am watching games today, college or pro, I just don't get emotionally invested like I used to.
Good luck to Lamont...next man up!
Moved to SD in 1969, the first year the Padres played in SD as a major league franchise. Again, free agency was not big in 1969. Players were on rosters for years at a time. You could get comfortable with rosters. Fast forward to the Tony Gwynn years, and there just aren't players that stay with one franchise anymore like Tony did, and Kirby Puckett. Free agency changed all that for professional sports.
College sports is now that model more or less. You can't really get too comfortable with a roster. It can change significantly from year to year. Players leave for the money that is now available, or for more PT, or just because they can. Guys like Keshad Johnson and Lamont Butler, who were here for 4 years...I personally can't blame them for seeking out some moola that is readily available to them, especially after being her for 4 years.
My point is that my mental and emotional approach to sports in general is now one of rooting for the school and/or uni. I root for the Padres because I always have, regardless of who is on the roster. I root for the Aztecs because I always have (at least since around 1977). 10 year season ticket holder for the Chargers, and I just can't root for that uniform any longer (Spanos related). I just can't get to emotionally involved with the individual players anymore. I think Philip Rivers is probably the last athlete that I really felt an affection for. Loved Ledee last year for what he did on the floor. Loved Malachi in the COVID year. Loved Jamaal Franklin for his crazy "hit the brakes" and "throw the ball off the backboard and slam it home" style of play. But, when I am watching games today, college or pro, I just don't get emotionally invested like I used to.
Good luck to Lamont...next man up!
