It was exactly this kind of a needed outlet that inspired James Naismith’s invention in 1891. But even my wise spouse was missing something significant: the blessings of sport, on so many levels.Īt an age when some of our teenage friends were getting into trouble, for instance, my brother and I were too obsessed with Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and honing our skills to finally beat Dad in pick-up ball, to pay any attention to Madonna and AC/DC.Īnd now as a father of four energetic boys, I’ve been learning how nice it is to have a healthy outlet for their overflowing energy - which can be channeled away from aggression against each other into healthy competition.Īnthropologists have discussed for years how sports provides an alternative to war, acting as something of a safety valve wherein men and women can pound into each other, then shake hands afterwards.

In one animated conversation about a controversial NBA call at an earlier family gathering, my brothers turned to my wife and asked, “What do you think, Monique?” Put on the spot, she didn’t have time to conceal her true feelings: “I think it matters … not at all.” The palpable grief came through letters for weeks afterwards it was like a mushroom cloud hanging over the state.Īre we really just wasting our time as fans? My family’s experience says not. I’m still grateful I was a missionary in Brazil both times Michael Jordan knocked off the Jazz in the finals. We’re a house divided.īut at least it’s just for fun. Now, the older boys are rooting for Denver in the finals, while the younger ones - who just can’t bear to conform with their big brothers - are gunning for Miami. Let’s cheer for someone else to have the chance!” “Oh, come on, Sam - LeBron already has four rings. Cue one of those “losing builds character” talks that is so important for every child to hear.

And when the LA Lakers got swept by a seemingly unstoppable Denver Nuggets team, my second son was in tears. To complete my restitution, I signed up for the one-month streaming package that would give my boys a glimpse of the final weeks of this year’s NBA playoffs.Īnd I will confess, it’s been really nice to take a family entertainment break from “Wild Kratts.” In recent weeks, one last-second Boston Celtics win left my boys as stunned as the Miami Heat fans. Halfway through their first Utah Jazz game, up in the “cheap seats” just underneath the level where extra oxygen would be required, my youngest boy finally figured out who the Jazz were and made his own decision to root for them, rather than the Timberwolves (which he and his brothers all agreed had a “cooler mascot”). And I knew just what I needed to do to make this right: Late last year, one of my boys asked me, “Dad, Karl Malone and John Stockton are still playing for the Jazz, right?”

Jazz vs nuggets 2017 2018 box