I had some trouble thinking of a topic for this last passion blog, because I want to make sure that it’s something that I really care about. While looking at the things that I’ve already talked about, there was one portion that I had mentioned but not really expanded on: my love of attending sporting events. Whether its my twelve-year-old brother’s baseball games, Penn State football, or Penguins hockey, there’s newfound joy that fills my heart. Attending games gives me a unique feeling that nothing else can.
I’ve spent a couple of days trying to figure out which games are my favorite, which hasn’t been the easiest of tasks. I love the energy of football games; there’s nothing quite like the atmosphere that the crowd brings on a late game third down stand. Hockey games would have to surpass football games purely because my love of the sport. The intensity and emotion that hockey games administer, especially in the playoffs, is what makes the sport so amazing. However, one thing that hockey and football have in common for me is that I can sit down and watch nothing but both sports all day. For the longest time, I was deciding between these two sports, and not even considering my third option.
America’s past time, the greatest show on dirt, home of some of the most legendary athletes to walk the earth; baseball is perhaps one of the most underrated sports in the modern era. Thirty years ago it was the most popular sport, and sixty years ago baseball made all other sports irrelevant. I guess something about baseball just makes our generation uninterested. Most people say it’s because the games are too long and boring, but that’s what makes baseball so unique; you save your energy and emotion until that key moment in the bottom of the ninth inning. Nothing can compare to a walk-off homerun, or a perfect game by a pitcher.
While hockey and football are exciting, they’re also very stressful. Baseball allows you to relax and enjoy the game, while still leaving room for mass excitement. Attending a baseball game might not be the most exciting, but everyone can agree that going to baseball games are a great time. It’s one of the only sporting events you can attend where you can leave the game happy whether your team won or lost, just because you had a good time. I can say from experience that I’ve had the most fun at Orioles games in Camden yards with my friends, and Pirate games in PNC park with my family.
It’s very hard to compare sporting events because each of them offer different elements. Baseball is hard to compare to hockey where the game is always in play, and to football where there’s massive hits and crowd eruptions every five minutes. But that’s what makes baseball so great; it’s gruesome or violent, but can be just as intense if you give it time. If only everybody could see it the baseball fans do.