To Love, Honor, and Root for the Cowboys

He Married Me Because of My Sports Knowledge

I am a sports junkie. Well, at least I was pre-kids when I had hours to devote to watching games. And watch games I did: basketball, baseball and tennis were my favorites. It didn’t really matter who was playing. If a game was on, I was watching it.

It always made me fairly popular with the guys that I not only could talk about sports, but I knew more stats and had more informed opinions than they did. Fred, of course, was the exception. He was knowledgeable and shared my passion for all sports except for baseball. I chalk that up to cultural differences – I’m from the Heartland (baseball country) and he’s a Texan (football rules down here).

We rarely root for the same team, though. I’m fairly certain that’s by design and not accidental on his part. He seems to pick his teams by finding out who I like and rooting for the opposite.

Take the NBA playoffs. While neither of us has the stamina to follow an 82 game season anymore, we always tune in for the playoffs. At nearly every round, we have picked different teams to win, which has divided the allegiances of our kids as well. Our daughter Nee is always on my side. Our 6-year-old N likes to align himself with whoever is up at the moment, so he switches sides multiple times in a game, and X just likes to cheer.

After nearly 13 years of marriage, Fred’s love of the pigskin has finally rubbed off on me. During the fall, we know we have a date every Sunday after church to cheer on the Cowboys and Texans, then argue about everyone else.

Admittedly, watching sports can get pretty loud around here, but it’s one way Fred and I make time to be with one another.

- Kim

At Least She Doesn’t Want to Talk During Overtime

Proverbs 18:22 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing…” But he who finds a wife who likes sports is luckier than a lottery winner.

I have two men to thank for cultivating my sports loving spouse: Kim’s father and Michael Jordan.

Kim and her dad spent countless summer days at Busch Stadium watching their beloved St. Louis Cardinals play baseball. Because of this early indoctrination, Kim can speak ad nauseum on double switches, the infield fly rule, and the pros and cons of the DH.

Kim developed an interest in basketball because of Michael Jordan. She insists that was his athleticism and mastery of the game that drew her in. But I know the real reason why she started watching NBA games – she thought Jordan was hot.

Since we’ve been married, Kim has also become a serious football fan. If she hadn’t, we may not have been able to live in Texas where football is a religion. Unfortunately, I have been unable to convert her into a full-fledged Dallas Cowboys fan. Therefore, I have to tolerate the Houston Texans in order to maintain marital harmony.

Sometimes I think Kim is a bigger sports fan than I am. I no longer have the attention span to spend three hours watching a sporting event on TV. Kim will remain riveted until the end.

She is also the one who insists that the kids participate in team sports. I’m more interested in their developing technical, academic, and artistic skills.

But when I’m in a sporting mood, I’m glad that I have a companion who I can actively enjoy a game with.

Each year, we mark two occasions on our calendar:

• The Superbowl
• The NBA All-Star Weekend

These are special date nights that are non-negotiable. We also plan at least one special weekend when we find a babysitter so we can attend a Houston Rockets game and spend the night at the Hilton. I can’t think of a more romantic evening.

Although I do enjoy watching sports with my friends, it is much more enjoyable to root for my favorite team with the woman I love.

- Fred

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