JOSE MACIEL: It's fun until you meet your match
MACIEL: Keep sports in perspective
| Thursday, Jan 28 2010 05:42 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jan 28 2010 05:42 PM
Sometimes opportunity comes knocking and we're just not willing or able to answer. Such is the case for me now that Tiger Woods has gone into hiding. With his absence, opportunity came for someone to take his place. The timing could not have been worse: I recently gave up golf. Or it finally gave up on me.
I'm really not much of an athlete. It's not that I don't like sports. I enjoy playing. I'm just bad at most of them. It's not for lack of trying -- lord knows I've tried. Poor depth perception and even worse eye and hand coordina
tion have made it tough but it has
rarely stopped me from at least trying. Even basketball. Yeah, it's quite a sight watching this short Mexican trying to dribble down the court, pulling up and taking a jump shot.
Team sports have been a mixed bag for me. The only thing that stopped
me from a career in Major League Baseball was that I was no good at hitting a curve ball. Or fielding. Or catching fly balls. Other than that, I would now be a retired big leaguer instead of a retired handyman.
I guess that the problem with team sports is that even if you're giving 110 percent, some other knucklehead might be having a bad day. Then the whole team suffers. The sports that are the most enjoyable for me are the solo ones, which is probably why I enjoy cycling and jogging. At least with solo sports you only have yourself to blame. Or take credit.
A rather interesting aspect of sports is that there really is no such thing as a "friendly" game. From golf to sandlot baseball or even bocce. If there's a score to be kept, you'd better take it seriously. Try adding a "friendly" wager such as loser buying beers. You know, just to make it interesting. That kicks up the macho level a whole bunch of notches. Better lock up the children because it can get real ugly. And very quickly.
Even riding my bike can bring out the competitive spirit. Used to be that I took it to a personal level whenever someone passed me. Such an offense surely called for some level of revenge. I'd pedal faster, trying to keep up in hopes of actually passing the offender(s). But that never happened. They always left me behind, exhausted and struggling to keep up with that little kid on his Big Wheel. Now I just ride at my own pace and wish everyone a good ride as they cruise by. Lesson learned.
But it's human nature that pushes us to be the best. I restored a '56 Chevy, a gift from the wife for my 50th birthday. It was a sweet ride, just fast enough to get me into trouble. The wife went for one ride. That was enough for her. Can't blame her. I could never go out for a cruise without someone wanting to know if my little old '56 was fast enough to beat their car. Yes, it was juvenile. And just plain stupid, if not dangerous. But it was, after all, just a "friendly" challenge. Plus it was another solo event that I was pretty good at. But I don't condone such activities -- leave it to the professionals. Plus I have since sold that car.
So my golfing days are behind me, the golf clubs going back to my son. There were plenty of promises from friends to teach me or, at the very least, to go to the driving range. Still waiting.
I used to golf a couple of times a year. Mostly it was a thinly veiled excuse to get out of the house and be around guys.
Those were the times I actually preferred playing with others. There's some comfort in being with friends when your golf ball goes sailing errantly down the fairway. You can enjoy a good laugh at your expense knowing that the next guy will have his turn. It wouldn't be as much fun for anyone with me joining a threesome of strangers. Don't think they would appreciate my golfing abilities, or lack thereof.
One other thing I've learned about sports: If through fate I'm the luckiest for that day, that I've won, it's best to keep it in perspective. I try to remember that there is always someone bigger, stronger, faster. Or just plain better. Sooner or later you'll find that person, or they'll find you. It's karma.
In the meantime, anyone up for a friendly game?
These are the opinions of Jose Maciel and not necessarily The Californian's. You can reach Jose at jmaciel65@gmail.com.
