What's the difference between a sports fan and a Trekie? Not much when you think about it. Especially when it comes to sports dorks' biggest event of the year - the all-holy NFL Draft.
That's an event that has become more sacred to football fans than Ash Wednesday is to Catholics. Just ask a Ravens fan if they've ever missed the first round. Now find a Catholic and see if they've ever forgotten about getting ashes.
Oh sure, you laugh at the guys who dress up like Frodo and wait in line to go see "The Return of the King." But haven't you ever painted your face blue and white and tailgated outside Beaver Stadium?
And sure, you think it's sad when some comic book geek can tell you what happened to Batman in issue 56, and why Gotham is more realistic then Metropolis.
But NFL draftnicks can tell you about some kid out East Tennessee Bible College Sycamore State's time in the 40. How he's got tremendous upside and that he really stretches the field.
But we call the draft guy a guru and the comic book guy a geek.
Wait a minute. There's a big difference.
Like what?
Well, first of all, we're hanging out with friends. We're throwing back a couple cold ones, blowing off some steam.
And they aren't? It's usually not a bunch of loners standing in line, an arms length from each other. They come in packs, with varying outfits. And you have your favorite Oriole. They have they're favorite Enterprise Captain. You talk about the game's traditions, your buddy talks Sabermetrics.They talk about how Bones is the emotionalist while Spock is the rationalist. But they're both growing as they learn from each other.
But there are lessons to be learned in sports? Teamwork shows through in the efforts of an offensive lineman. Sacrifice in the suicide squeeze. Dedication of the guy shooting 100 free throws after practice.
Didn't Han Solo learn to be a part of the team by the end of the first Star Wars. And what about the sacrifice Obi Wan Kenobi made so Luke, Leia, Han and Chewy could get out of the Death Star alive. And you won't see more dedication than Yoda, who will put in all the work needed to help the Jedi survive.
Yeah, but sports matter.
How so? Has sports ever saved a life. Aren't we just throwing our money away when we spend our week's paycheck to attend a Bobcats-Wizards game?
No way. I mean, sure it's a distraction. But you never know what you're going to get when you walk into the arena.
And isn't that the same thing that happens with comic books and movies?
Well. Hey. You tricked me. I guess you're right there. But why are you picking on the NFL Draft?
Because we spend so much time on it. I mean we pay spend an entire weekend on it. Sure there are story lines and drama. I remember laughing at Brady Quinn sitting alone in that room when he was sliding down the board. But do we really need to pay attention to the third and fourth round. All we're doing is guessing. We're spending time looking at all these stats from college which just don't translate to the pros.
And we're in denial that it's probably the most nerdy thing we do in our life.
Sports fans just need to admit following the draft is just as odd as the people who made Wookieepedia, which is the Wikipedia for Star Wars fans.
It's time sports fans stop the denial and accept their inner dorkiness.
Because it's all cool.
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