On the subject of being just a game

We interrupt the travellogue of father and son to bring you tonight's blog entry. I left my computer at the office and am using the Mrs's.

"Put me in coach, I'm ready to play!"

My softball team had their second game last night. For a while, I thought it was going to be my last.

Playing the game, any game, is supposed to be fun. That three letter word last night was replaced by many four letter ones (none by me, okay one by me) by a team being beaten badly. We didn't do anything wrong, just not a lot right.

The game ended with a controversial play, which set off a load of fireworks. One of our big hitters slammed a ball into left field, which the opponent's left fielder dove towards to make the catch. Except he didn't make it. You wouldn't have known this if you were in the field, as the umpire may or may not have called an out. When a ball is caught in the air, all the runners have to go back to their bases. Our runners had left, so, with no call, they kept running, then ran back when the umpire softly said catch. The game ended with two outs in the last inning. The umpire ended the game right there.

The reason was the players on my team decided to argue the call. The score was such that it would not have made any difference if it was an out or not, but there they were, yelling at the umpire.

As the manager, it's my job to control my team, and I had lost control of them. Our team was known as the most fun team to play as we always were good for a laugh and rarely argued. For some reason (the moon was not full) last night was different.

I said to two members of the team "be quiet!," to which the umpire (who had a lot of attitude himself) said "you don't tell me to be quiet." It was that kind of scene.

The most competitive member of our team had walked off the field, saying to my wife as she left, "I am just in this for fun. I don't need this."

She was right. We didn't need this. Softball is supposed to be fun. It's a game, with no ramifications on real life. No prize waits the best team. Nothing is to be gained by the winners, or lost by the losers. It's just a game.

It's about 24 hours later, and I still am saddened by the scene. I contemplated leaving it all behind, except my company name is on all the jerseys. The idea is to play a game, enjoy it, and move on with life. It was my approach before the game, it will remain so now.

So for all you softball superstars whose life is defined by if you win in a rec league, my pity goes towards you. It's just a game, and nothing more. It's not like you make money playing the sport, but of you feel the need for validation, I will bring my Monopoly money and pay you your prize next time.

Good night, I'm out, as apparently the people on second and third were.

Yours truly,
Johnny Blogger
#21 on your scorecard.