Maybe it's my Southern upbringing. Maybe I'm a softie for that first-day-of-classes mentality. Maybe I'm breaking all the rules.
But I cannot start my first column here at Mr. Jefferson's University without telling you a little bit about myself. That way, when you want to tell me I'm an idiot, you have a wealth of knowledge to use against me.
Now, before you stop reading, I'm not here to tell you that I like sunsets and dolphins or that my 23-year-old brother and I still watch "ThunderCats" whenever possible. These things may or may not be true, but they do not belong on the sports page. They pay me the big bucks -- $0 -- to wash eloquently about sports and all that entails.
So here it goes: I love sports. Huge fan. Love 'em. And I want my love of sports to give you a sense of where I am coming from when I write. Whether I am playing, watching or writing about sports, I am always involved and entranced. I will defend sports' value and worth to those who think they are just a bunch of games -- especially when times get tough.
I love sports writing -- whether it's my local Charlotte paper or espn.com. I believe sports writing serves a purpose that has been somewhat lost in today's oversaturated media market. It is supposed to add to the overall enjoyment of following a team or sport; we are not here to merely report the facts of the local teams and games. On the flip side of that, I do not believe in sports writing as noise, as a forum to antagonize fans and stir up rumors in the name of ratings and attention.
I love watching sports with one eye keenly looking for the comedy of it all. If you take sports too seriously or make a point to hash out all of today's athletes' flaws, you are sorely missing out on the bigger picture. Yes, sports can be important, and some subjects are worthy of discussion, but sports are far more valuable if you can step back, laugh and be entertained. Take Rafael Palmeiro and his steroid saga. Instead of getting worked up over the possibility that he lied, it's a lot more entertaining when you realize we should have never trusted a guy with a porn mustache like that in the first place.
I love good, solid sport names and nicknames
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