The other day I was sitting on my retro-college style, all leather bachelor looking sofa (it’s not by choice that I still own said sofa, and don’t think numerous women have not complained about said sofa, but that’s for a different article) watching America’s favorite past-time (for the non-sports women, America’s favorite past-time is baseball).
As I was watching, I began to contemplate, “what is it that attracts the American male to watching sporting events on television?” I mean seriously, if you think about it, sports television has become the center of conflict in all too many relationships. Inevitably, we have all (male or female) entered into the debate of, what’s more important, staining the deck, or that all too intriguing game 103 of 162 of the Red Sox season?
As I contemplated this almost unanswerable question, I began to actually listen to what the announcers were saying. Suddenly, it hit me, I always listen to what the announcers are saying in any sporting event. Indeed, it could be a women’s lacrosse game and I would still listen to what the announcers were saying (this is not to imply that I am a fan of women’s lacrosse, it’s just for illustrative purposes, thus one cannot revoke my man card). Not only do I listen to what a sports announcer says, but no matter the team or the event, I usually care about what is said, how it’s said and who says it.
This is of course, in stark contrast to the women in my life. Many a time, many a women has referred to me as a “great listener.” This reference, of course, always comes at the beginning and usually gets taken back approximately three months in, when suddenly, the first date that her friend Michelle went on with the umpteenth guy from Match.com suddenly is just not interesting.