I knew my boyfriend was quite the sports fan before we started dating but boy did I underestimate the extent of it. I grew up with a dad and two older brothers so I thought I had seen it all, but I quickly realized that when the intense games were on I usually evacuated to my room. Therefore, I had never seen a true sports fanatic during the heat of a game before meeting my boyfriend.
1. They will yell... a lot.
I will never forget the first time I heard my sweet, kind, gentle boyfriend yell at the top of his lungs as the Bucs missed a field goal that lost them their home game. I was genuinely shocked, as I never had seen him like that- not even in rush hour traffic. However, I quickly learned that it wasn't anger, but passion that he was expressing. Sports fans are very passionate about their teams and when they mess up, make dumb errors, and let you down, it can be quite upsetting. Just know that that crazy man yelling at the screen is only yelling at the screen, not at you.
2. They will do anything to watch/hear the game.
I noticed this right around our third date when the MLB baseball playoffs were going on. Even though he was trying to hide it, our restaurant options all had one common factor: they had the game on. It gets even better when multiple sports are playing on the same night... hence my boyfriends two TV's, one mounted above the other. Oh, and on those dreadful nights when we have to be on the road while a game is going on, you know he will be spending 10+ minutes scrolling through the radio until he finds the station airing the game.
3. You will be given a detailed explanation of every play... without asking for it.
I quickly learned to stop asking "Why did that happen?" as the response could go on anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes in length. I don't blame him, he is simply well versed in all things sports - if I knew that much about a subject I would want to share facts left and right too. Just be patient and hear him out!
4. You will be DM'd various sports related Tweets/Facebook articles even if you don't want them.
I am used to it at this point; I see a notification for a DM from my boyfriend, I get excited, then quickly realize it's a full detailed report on last Saturday's football game. At first I just ignored the articles, but now I at least attempt to read them and gain some understanding of what he wants to talk about. It's all about the little things!
5. They will ignore you on game day.
And it's totally understandable. Whether it's the NHL playoffs, the Masters, the World Cup, the World Series, the Superbowl, etc., just grab your laptop or a good book and settle in for the afternoon/night. You will get your boyfriend back once the game is over.
6. But it doesn't mean they love sports more than you.
Although it may seem like it time-to-time, they still love you more than 11 sweaty men tackling each other over a brown ball.
7. You realize how awesome sports can be.
It took some time to notice it, but sports is definitely growing on me. It's also more enjoyable to understand what's going on when game day does arrive, and to share that experience with him. Be patient, always keep an open mind, and pay attention to the things you're S.O. cares about!
