Sports and Dads

[Bowie-Bruce]

When I sit back and reflect upon the most memorable sports experiences of my lifetime--organized baseball, Thanks Brooks Day, Colts playoff games, the Ravens Super Bowl parade, and Terps hoops national championship--a common theme is that all of these experiences were shared with my Dad, who passed away just over a year ago. Of course, there are alot of things I miss about him, but this past year with the success of both the O's and Ravens has brought this emptiness home. My happiness in these good sporting times is not complete, in that I cannot share those moments with him.

I really miss Dad.

[weird-O]

Here's to the good fathers of the world!!!

[LarryN]

My dad took me to Thanks Brooks Day. We had to leave early because he was getting high from the weed smokers that were sitting in front of us.

[HAIL2BNG]

I hear ya. My dad died in 2009. He would have loved watching Griffin this year and the Nationals too. He took me to my first Redskins and Yankees games and I took him to his first Nationals game. The fall after he died, I still woild almost go for my phone to call him about any news on the Skins.

[Bowie-Bruce]

Hail, you are right about those phone calls before, during, and after games. They are some of the things I miss the most.

[DJGreg1200]

I'm one of the lucky ones being that my dad is still here. He comes to watch me coach and we still talk a couple times a week about what's going on in the sports world.

[harcohorns]

wow.. as much junk and ignorance that is posted on forums and things of that ilk. It always amazes me what people can say when they are anonymous and how ignorant people really can be or at least pretend to be online.

Then every once in awhile someone posts something so real and touching it moves me.. Being a father this post really made me appreciate the simple things and really choked me up.. The thought the simple things like just spending time with my kids can be over quicker than we know causes me to pause realize all the other nonsense means nothing it is just noise...

Thank you Bowie-Bruce for restoring some faith in the online community. .. I will definitely remember this post when watching the Super Bowl with my Son this Sunday ..

[Rael]

Bruce, I know what you mean but for me it was my best friend and season ticket partner that I lost before the season this year. He would have loved this ride we are on now.

[EmDot]

Cherish your memories this child wishes for. If you don't have kids you'll be a good memory for some day, maybe consider being a mentor or a big brother for a child who would like one.

[Steveg85321]

Thank you, Bruce, for this thoughtful thread. Your observations are heartfelt and right on. I am blessed that my 86-year-old Dad back home in NJ is still sharp and I'm very grateful that sports has always been a common ground for us. When I was growing up he was not a real touchy-feely sort of guy, but we were into sports together and it is still something we can talk about. He brought me up to despise the Yankees, the Cowboys, and Notre Dame, and to reject front-runners in general. We didn't used to attend a lot of pro games back then, but I can still remember going with him to see the Browns play the Giants at Yankee Stadium. When the Os were in the '83 World Series I had tickets and invited him down for game one since he is a Phillies fan, and we sat there in the pouring rain and had a great time.

Now I am an empty nester myself, and I look back fondly at the times my kids and I shared around sports, going to O's and Terp's games and me coaching their youth league teams (I will always love seeing kids in cleats). My daughter in CT is not a huge fan, but she went to UMD and follows the local teams because she knows I do (I have chastised her about letting my grandson wear a Yankees shirt, but he picked it out so what can you do?) My son lives in Denver and calls me up after big Ravens games; he attended the great Divisional Championship game and had the time of his life, even though he froze his butt off three rows from the top of the stadium.

This is stuff we will all have to share forever. I once met Rex Barney signing his book, and I asked him about the movie "Field of Dreams," which was out at the time. He said he couldn't really watch it because it made him cry too hard, and I totally get that. I know there are other, maybe deeper things, that fathers can share with their kids, but sports is among the best.

[baltimoreron]

I'm fortunate. My Dad sits next to me at just about every home game. And the games he does not attend, he is usually attending to his Dad, who is 99.

We'll all be together this Sunday to watch the game, including Mom, who had a really tough 2012.

Great topic, great thread.

[RAVEN FAN]

my dad never was interested in sports. i had COLTS season tickets and took one of my kids to each home game i have 3 kids we came with friends and had lunch before the game near the stadium.. my friends were at the 1958 game in NEW YORK they are gone now and i miss them.. my kids now take me to the ORIOLES and RAVENS GAMES
one of my sons and i play i golf tournaments.

[Marchetti]

I know I'm luckier than most, I get to golf with my dad often. He turned 89 in November and has shot his age more than 10 times. He introduced me to Hopkins lacrosse, he never played the sport but it was the first sporting event he ever took me too. He took me to Tom Phoebus's no-hitter and many other Oriole games. Monday night football against washington too plus training camp in Westminster to carry players helmets. I'd beg him to throw pop-ups so I could gleefully circle underneath the ball that seemed to puncture the clouds...he did this with a cronic aching back.
I'd been hoping he'd get another chance at seeing a Baltimore Super Bowl winner and this playoff run has been a blast to share with him. I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I've had a tough time these past two weeks hearing about friends and acquaintances heading down to NOLA. I have to keep reminding myself that as great as that would be that deep down I am thankful and grateful that I'll be in the chair next to his knuckle bumping every great play on this Super Super Sunday. It won't be lost on me that so many guys I know (and don't know for that matter) wish they could be doing what I'll be doing, heading over to his place on Sunday.

[Peej7245]

My Dad was a truck driver (pre power steering) whose forearms and hands were massive! I saw him pick up a guy by his throat once.

However, he sat and cried when I was in a high school play. Cried when... well, he cried at supermarket openings - he was a good hearted person. He was there for me and my siblings when we needed him. Now, he is there only in our memories.

My one regret in life is that he never met my children.

To all the Dads who are still around, respect to you!

To all the Dads who are not, RIP and you will be remembered!