People who aren’t sports fan just don’t understand. I know this is so, because I used to be one of them. For most of my life, I paid little attention to sports. Sure, I enjoyed watching the occasional football game, but even when the final score was a disappointment it wasn’t personal. Then I got hooked on University of Hawaii Warrior football in the Colt Brennan years.

For those of you not acquainted with our little team, Colt Brennan was the quarterback who led us to a Western Athletic Conference championship, a win over Boise State, and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Those were the glory years.

We haven’t done all that badly since then, but this season has been frustrating to say the least, and last night’s game against the Nevada Wolfpack was an extremely painful loss–a bizarre mix of wild luck combined with fumbles, interceptions, pointless penalties, and a star quarterback with a broken leg.

My son thinks I’m weird to get so wrapped up in what’s happening on a football field. Sorry kid. Life is no fun without emotional involvement. I’m a football dilettante. Don’t ask me about play formations or any of that, but I’ve been in the stands of Aloha Stadium screaming my throat raw and feeling the balcony shake under me. I’ve stood in front of the TV shaking my fist and yelling “WTF were you thinking??” I’ve traveled with my husband — only a couple weeks ago — to Moscow, Idaho just to watch a Warriors’ away-game. I think it’s a tribal thing. This is a small state, and this is our team (and my alma mater!).

When it doesn’t go well I’ll get as angry and critical as the next fan. But on the day after, I have to say that I can’t imagine how hard it must be to play your heart out in front of a demanding, critical audience, and still not quite measure up — not to your own hopes and expectations and not to those of your fans — and yet to come back the next week and play your heart out again.

Even a non-sports fan can admire that.

Posted on: Sunday, November 13th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Categories: Hawaii.
Tags: sports fans, University of Hawaii, Warriors football