Pilots and Following Sports - Do You?

I've never been interested in spectator sports, nor
was I the least bit interested in team sports of any
kind (with the exception of an occasional touch football
game) during secondary school, college, or thereafter.
On the other hand, like many of the respondents to
this thread I'm sure, I've been fascinated by flight
since I can remember. I've been hooked on soaring since
I discovered that one could fly without an engine while
reading an encylopedia article about the sport as a
child.
I love racing sailplanes and flying for records, but
spectator sports bore me to tears.

Rand Baldwin LS-8a 'NN'
Huntsville Soaring Club
Moontown Airport (3M5)
Huntsville, Alabama

On Aug 22, 2:41 pm, Rand Baldwin
wrote:
I've never been interested in spectator sports, nor
was I the least bit interested in team sports of any
kind


Sport: noun - an outdoor or athletic pastime; fun, diversion;
jesting, a subject of diversion; a sportsmanlike person; verb
transitive - display ostentatiously.

I follow the sport of soaring, and find it diverts most pilot minds
from their workweek, or pedestrian lives. Most posters here or
interviewees on the airfield would qualify as sportsmen, in soaring.
Most sportsters would agree, they have a favorite topic/team/pastime
and rank all other diversions thereafter.

Organizing a glider comp IS like herding cats (having done so for 18
years before passing the torch). And competition can lead to some
ostentatious displays, some sporting, some not.

I can keep up my end of a social conversation about other pastimes,
usually based on the same grocery checkout informational outlets or
broadcast "news" gleaned while cooking those groceries.

I am dismayed at the coverage/homage/payroll given to ball players in
the USA, when so many are misled to the belief that they have "earned"
this stature, and often that they are beyond the laws of the country.
We have allowed media to establish them as pewter idols. However, I
did join a group of pilots twice this summer for my first visits to a
small regional ballpark, and found that a wholesome experience. My
hosts to the ballpark admitted they were now disappointed with major
league events. I am also appalled at fans mayhem at major events.

I was a competitive team ball player in school. I occasionally
"compete" for records in soaring. The competition is not what draws me
to soaring. The beauty, the purity, the challenge, the outdoors, the
changeability or unpredictability, those things draw me in.

Horse racing, were there a track nearby, would draw me, were I also
able to be a participant. But like soaring, that Sport of Kings
offers more chances at vicarious thrills than participatory thrills.
Would that we could find an equally enthralling way to display this
sport (once called the King of Sports), to draw more participants,
observers, and build awareness of the delights of the pastime called
soaring.

When someone asks you what you think of the Orioles/Ducks/Seahawks
recent play, perhaps take a moment to say graciously, "I don't follow
that game, as I am absorbed as a participant in a different sport, and
would be happy to introduce you to a game that has enthralled ME for
umpteen years." That would be the most ostentatious display of
sporting behavior at the table. A mild social risk, a challenge to
them to participate!


Cindy B
www.caracolesoaring.com

I have to admit, I can't turn away from curling... those sexy Canadian MILFs
stretching themselves out on the ice, the intensity of their gazes, their
frenetic gestures and cries and they bring the stone home. Uh, excuse me...


"ContestID67" wrote in message
ups.com...
I don't follow sports and never have short of knowing if the home team
is doing well. Call me a fair weather fan. Many of my friends can
spout which team (pro, college, HS) did what to whom and know all the
players, their stats, etc. I try to put up a good manly face and say
the right things at the right time but basically I could really care
less. I realize that I am in the minority.

Oddly I found that most of my pilot friends are in the same boat. I
took an informal poll at our club and at least 90% of those asked
didn't follow sports. Seems very odd. I wonder what the connection
is? Intelligence? ;-)

Next time you are out at the field, take your own informal pole and
report back. We may have the makings here of a article in Psychology
Today!

- John "No Sports" DeRosa

I never thought the day would come, but it has. Would you care to explain
what a MILF is? This I gotta see!

As for me, no interest in watching sports. I prefer to do things instead.
Passive vs. active.

"user" wrote in message
...
I have to admit, I can't turn away from curling... those sexy Canadian
MILFs stretching themselves out on the ice, the intensity of their gazes,
their frenetic gestures and cries and they bring the stone home. Uh, excuse
me...


"ContestID67" wrote in message
ups.com...
I don't follow sports and never have short of knowing if the home team
is doing well. Call me a fair weather fan. Many of my friends can
spout which team (pro, college, HS) did what to whom and know all the
players, their stats, etc. I try to put up a good manly face and say
the right things at the right time but basically I could really care
less. I realize that I am in the minority.

Oddly I found that most of my pilot friends are in the same boat. I
took an informal poll at our club and at least 90% of those asked
didn't follow sports. Seems very odd. I wonder what the connection
is? Intelligence? ;-)

Next time you are out at the field, take your own informal pole and
report back. We may have the makings here of a article in Psychology
Today!

- John "No Sports" DeRosa

Jim Vincent wrote:
I never thought the day would come, but it has. Would you care to explain
what a MILF is? This I gotta see!

Maybe he means this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milf

Boy, there's a cause in need on a name change (snicker).

But could be...
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/MILF

If it's not on Wikipedia it doesn't exist ;-)



Shawn