Gotham Chopra - September 07, 2006
If there is any evidence that I am adopted (as Mallika used to tell me when we were young), it is by virtue of the fact that I am a diehard (American) football fan.
As such, today is a big day because, while MY team the New England Patriots, don't play until the sunday, the season officially kicks off today with the Steelers-Dolphins game this evening. I am pumped and coordinating my day around being able to watch the game and get ready for the season.
It's not clear how my fascination with football (and sports in general) began. While my father (like every Indian man of his generation) claimed he was an excellent cricket player and could have really pursued a professional career had he wanted to, I kind of doubt it. Moreover, he's never had any interest at all in any sports and when he once, out of paternal obligation to me, "intended for my team to win," he "intended" on the wrong player (Kareem Abdul Jabar) and the f'ing Lakers beat the Celtics. Since then, I've stopped trying.
Meanwhile, my mother in all her grace, for many years out of maternal obligation, listened to sports radio and generally kept up so that she could share in my interest. However with the emergence of her grand daughters and a daughter-in-law, she has happily sceded the role to my wife. My wife, for many years out of spousal obligation (and even more so when were wooing) really took up my obsession, came to sports bars with me, ate disgusting chicken wings, and talked the talk with the best of the. Alas, the honeymoon is over and I am essentially all alone in my obsession (my dog cleo pretends to care and barks at all the big moments).
To that end, I have supplied myself with all the necessary acouterments - big flat HD screen, supplementry food and drink, comfortable seating, computer within reach (for fantasy purposes) etc. For me, sports are a great distraction from everything else and there is little I enjoy more than the few hours of total immersion in a competition, the outcome of which I am attached to, and yet have no control over at all.
So - good for me - it's football season again and I am ready!!!!
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Posted by Gotham Chopra at September 7, 2006 11:00 AM
That way you can write off all your sports tickets, travel and box seats as expenses. Take the players out to dinner etc. buy the most expensive biggest plasma screens and what can your wife say, cus you gotta work.
I am ready too. Hawks are going to break the superbowl loser jinx this time. Go hawks.
Go Celtics! Is Tiny Archibald still playing?
Oops wrong sport, sheesh, even wrong decade . . .
Uh . . .
Go Pat Haden!
har har har
"Disgusting" chicken wings? I love eating chicken wings, they're probably favorite food. Nothing is better than going to BW3s and watching sports and eating chicken wings with my buddies. Cheers to football, sports and chicken wings =).
G,
I can understand your love and enjoyment for football. I used to be a great fan of football too - watched it faithfully every weekend and Monday nights, bet on it, etc. But, I'm happy to say, I'm not addicted to it anymore. I guess I've grown up and have found another fascination and enjoyment in life.
I like Richard's suggestion about sports as enlightenment.
Regards, M:)
ok, this is like a friend of mine, ok, here she is: this is maureen--the chiefs are the best team in the nfl...the patriots will be all alone this season because they will not even make it to the playoffs. go ahead and back them but the chiefs will dominate...richardson, green, and best of all, larry johnson, will dominate the nfl. mix those with herm edwards...nothing more needs to be said. get ready for arrowhead--be scared...the fans are ready.
-Ok, what she wrote,
Love, Passion! (and larry johnson)...she made me do it.
this cracks me up, but hey Matt,
do you know Scott Walterbach? He's a 3L at your law school. he is the brother of the crazy chiefs fan...me :)
Ok, what she wrote,
Love, Passion, (and larry Johnson)
Gotham,
I look forward to this season, as do you.
Marek trumpeted my team already, Go Chiefs.
Being from a town, 80 miles from K.C., I have
been a lifetime fan.
.
I was lucky enough to make it to the state finals
in P.P.& K.(Punt, Pass & Kick) back in 1968
which were held in Arrowhead Stadium.
We got to meet the players...I was hooked!
My age group competitors were a foot taller than I
so fame and fortune came not my way.
But really...smacking, tackling and basically
slamming others legally was what the game held for me.
Patriots have Tom Brady...nuff said.
Hope you stay and play all season.
Oh, yeah...watch the Huskers in college this year.
Have a fav there, Gotham?
Anyway..back to the game. See ya, Keith
Gotham,
Have you taken your obsession to the next level... fantasy football? There's no better way to immerse yourself in the season, and forget about the middle east for a while. Go Cowboys! Please don't bring up T.O. Cheers.
Go 49ers
Marek or Maureen,
I've seen Scott around law school, but I've never met him . . . . That is really cool that he is your brother. . .
What a small world and cool coincidence =).
Hey Matt, this is Marek.
Maureen is a friend doing an exchange program,
in the Dutch country,
and is also in law school.
I'll try get her to post a photoblog..?
Maureen...?
I'm out to the gym,
Love, Passion,
Hey Matt, this Maureen, how do you know who he is but have never talked to him? everyone should talk to him...he's the best :) (and very, very funny). I will not make any commitments about the photos. I haven't even joined the myspace-wave yet.
ffl obsessed.
ffl...
ok, Maureen left, with two girlfriends, visting, I'll hear the stories, of American Pie in The Netherlands, tomorrow, no worries, most Dutch guys are just like..who in the movie..?
ffl.. and google..,
Fantasy Football..?
Feminists for life..?
Federal Firearms License..
Fun For'll..
anyhow, seems to me, there's like, soccer on one side of the ocean, and football on the other,
since Poland sucks at soccer, (they have day-jobs
like plumpling, besides, ;) funny thing, the've imported Dutch coach, Leo Beenhakker, for the Polish soccer team, wich just got caught, for 'working' illigally! in Poland! whoahaha! this makes (polish) history, anyhow, impressive, I must say, that, football, love, that, aaargghh!! too,
karate, that's where I get my hots, from, but, there is magic in teamwork, tactics, strategy, I feel the vibe, but then again, if we could draw a little analogy with, social law, what would the outcome be..
Love, Passion!
Ps. There is no such thing as coincidences, Matt, in the universe...and on that note, infinite possibilities, matt, let's face facts, we're, in legal terms, 'applepie'!, no question about that!, what princess...who put'll up the first pictures, wins, ;) love,
Maureen, thinks you're cute, Gotham,
She did and her girlfriends, managed to get into the club, for free, and, well, must be womans charm, I guess, she likes to be anomynous, so I'll, respect that..
We're out to a party,
laters,
Love, Passion!
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(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)Maureen, thinks you're cute, Gotham,
She
ffl...
ok, Maureen left, with two girlfri
ffl obsessed.
Hey Matt, this is Marek.
Maureen is a fri
Marek or Maureen,
I've seen Scott aroun
Well Gotham, sports is typically an Ego thing you know? Competition and all that, both for players and spectators.
Yet sports could be used to convey spiritual concepts. Getting into the flow, living in the moment, seeing the other players as not being separate, the power of intention, non-attachment, mindlessness, letting go, collective consciousness of the team, becoming One with the ball.
Go ahead go teach your team, I mean who better right? They will win win win, because they are playing from the spirit and the other teams the ego. They will have
Gotham’s Guide to Enlightenment through sports. Guaranteed best seller
Then the world will say wow how did they do that? Then when all the concepts are explained they will enlighten the world.
Oh and I said this before, Popeye ate spinach, what we need is a hero that takes vitamin supplements and avoids junk foods, which secretly weaken the bad guys. Or better yet the bad guys sneak junk food into their diet to weaken the heroes, but they realize what is going on.
Thanks in advance. You can thank me later.
Infinite Regard
Richard