Sporting activities make up a special part of my life. Even watching childish films like The Mighty Ducks gives me goosebumps as Charlie Conway triple deke's his way past the goaltender to win the State Championship. My earliest memory of that feeling was sprinting down the right wing in a primary school football match with my friend screaming for a cross.
Whether the cross made it or not or whether Steve made the header is also irrelevant; the rush and shiver that that experience gave me had me hooked. Ironic really as I now hold football at the low end of sport entertainment, even cricket provides more excitement. But it was the same rush and elation I felt later in life sprinting hard to the line in the swimming pool and sensing I was just millimeters ahead of the competition. Adrenaline kicks in, you reach further, pull stronger and drive to the finish.
As much as it pains me to say it but it's America who have the entertainment right.
Sports should give you those sort of adrenaline rushes as often as possible and give you goosebumps at every opportunity. In this regard basketball, baseball and to some extent american football have most other sports beaten hands down! There is something happening in a basketball game every second that can affect the outcome. The 2008 Playoff finals between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers was one of the most incredible spectacles in sports history; Game 4 being the highlight, the Celtics clawing back a 24 point half time defecit to win 97 - 91! Every basket greeted with yet more goosebumps as they fought proudly for the win!
This is what we want from sport! Something that raises the blood pressure and has us biting our nails on the edge of our seats and I think sports such as basketball, rugby, baseball and even cricket supply that with every ball passed, hit or bowled! Something game changing can happen with each moment and it's basketball that takes my award for the World's greatest team sport!
I'm hugely biaised with this next choice but for me the worlds greatest individual sport is without a doubt tennis!
For me, there is no other sport that delivers such a test of an individual on a level playing field as this. Out on the stage on your own pitting your skills and endurance against another, and if you're struggling to compete there's no help; YOU have to change something and figure out how to win. It's such a closely contested sport with such incredible strength in depth all the way through the worlds top 200 players and more, that it creates more incredible conflicts than any other sport. Wimbledon 2008 was one such tournament with some of the most incredible tennis being played for the whole two weeks, ultimately culminating in what is now considered to be the greatest tennis match of all time - Federer vs Nadal in the final. There is no other word for it than point after point of awesome tennis.
These are atheletes who play their sport for all the right reasons. A love for the game, to set records, to achieve ambitions! Basketball players are icons and role models in America, showing what hard work can accomplish. Tennis players, also hold their sport with such appreciation as it takes an immense amount of hard work to play tennis to their levels and I think all sportspeople should try to remember where they came from and remember the hard work they had to put in to get to where they are now!
What drives you when you compete? Why do you watch a sport and what is your favourite?
I'd love to hear your views on this topic and without wanting to end on a negative point, I do wonder how many footballers can claim they are true 'sportsmen' and positive role models.
Chariots of Fire... watch it :)
Still, this does mean I have the chance to take a road trip to the Apple store at Highcross, Leicester tomorrow to hopefully pick up my now over-due 17" MacBook Pro.
