Sports Journalists: A Lesson In Love

Man, do we have great sports journalists and commentators in Illinois.

Sometimes I have to ask, though:

What’s so terrible with losing a game score?

In college, the actual score became important. Chicago’s football team started at U of I, and we started as freshman. The wins were suddenly a lot less about wanting my Dad to be happy. Football was less about doing my homework behind the couch as the familiar Fox NFL theme, my favorite sports theme, played. Football was less about a few hours of warmth and a good lunch and predictable schedules.?It was more about the score.

Back in elementary and middle school, if church or first responder stuff or sleeping after midnight shifts was likely to interrupt, the game was recorded and watched later. So, the start of the game was a predictable uninterrupted time. And I hoped they won, because that made my Dad happy. I grumbled to myself over the homework. I still wanted to play with my best friend across the street - even as we were navigating into different groups of friends. There was fighting and yelling between sisters. Still, between the Fox theme and the cooking and the next 2-3 hours of just football, it felt like I’d already won. Home was peaceful and predictable. Even though I didn’t recognize the sentiment for what it was at the time, no score mattered as much as this.

Once at U of I, I missed the sound of Fox alongside the background of home cooking. I still did Sunday homework. That childhood best friend and I had grown so distant that we no longer talked. I didn't fight with my sisters, and I fought with my Chicago suburbs high school best friends who were now my daily college life. These best friends never had to record the game; we just watched it on their TV real time every time. As the fall of 2001 progressed, the wins were more about my team winning. I was happy with good scores, and I was glad this part of my Dad was a part of me now.

Chicago football wins in Champaign-Urbana weren’t just about the wins, though; they were about intentional serendipity. The temporary team move was a unique cool, a gift to the U of I freshmen. We hadn’t left Chicago’s suburbs on our own. And our team wasn’t on its own, either.?

And I loved this permanent fact.

I loved that when we decided to step away from Chicago, Chicago’s team accompanied us anyway.?

We accompanied them, too; part of their whole, never leaving our team, always cheering them on. A true lesson in love, actually.?

I took this for granted back then. I don't now.

Unless recent agents creeped during accompanied laundromat time, the only clothing ever stolen from me was a Chicago football long sleeve out of the Gregory Hall dryer. I didn't stay mad. How could I stay annoyed with subsequent wins?

A win without logos? I started to see how this rolls.

It felt alright, safe, good, happy, and then fun - in that order - when Chicago sports headlines accompanied the summer of 2013 to 2014. I always cared about my ex’s Tribune friend, even when I was frustrated, upset, disappointed, or hurt during the 2013-2014 years. At the time, I couldn’t decide if the emotions seeped into the river of his whole industry or if the emotions had been part of the old sediment all along. Perhaps the familiarity of the faceless ribbon of journalists from childhood stirred up the disappointment - and/or toggled safeness. Inseparable from around ages 6-12, I’d rather have been with my childhood best friend than anywhere else - even if it meant her mom’s boring work. How was I to know if the same vending machines and candy options and trail mix were perused while editing the 2013 sports headlines??How was I to know if the same breakroom smiles would shine through, despite public voices and frustration with newsroom stories? I couldn't decide on that. I did decide to give the sports media world attention. Here's some scoop:

In 2015, I told myself that added attention alongside Chicago sports journalists was about fun. And it was. It was also about healthcare, about making life better for others. Most of us want to make life good for others anyway. So, attention alongside them was fun and good. More practically, it was repetition that helped me wade in national and international online waters.?

Bath water, now.?

In 2016, I told myself that it was about baseball. And it was. More practically, the continued bonding could open doors to eventual fact-sharing, if it came to that.??

In 2017, despite everything else, and despite Mark Cuban’s personal concerns (#sorrynotsorry for the intuitive honesty), I told myself the additional relationship with international media via social media was alright and that the media relationship at home was necessary. Practically, it was about initiating extra public oversight around the unknown risks with US governance. Personally, and somewhat logically, Chicago sports social media superstitions brought 2016 success. I didn’t want to leave that; I wanted the same success for our beloved football.?

In 2018, I told myself that keeping up with Chicago sports journalists on Twitter was a continuation. Practically, it was about keeping the door open. Also practically, it was about potential team scoring success. Personally, it was stability during the greatest two personal heartbreaks I’ll ever experience - both the non-romantic kind.

In 2019, I told myself that attention to Chicago sports journalists on social media was also a continuation. Practically, it was about initiating fact-sharing. This was especially important as wealthy individuals, intelligence and politicians continued to contribute to public deception, continued a mock and continued to ignore the Hunger Games assassination storyline. For those hellbent on pseudo-unity, the disunity of assassination would be an accepted byproduct as whimsical as public concealment. And I wasn’t having any of it. If we’re being honest though, formulaic superstitious strategies for Chicago sports were a proven homerun. And I wanted our team to win.

In 2020, Chicago sports journalist inclusion on social media continued. Practically, it was about confronting US government concealment and risks associated with disunity. Practically, this was also a time when wealthy individuals and politicians would realize their lack of control, and I was unsure of their coping skill sets. Personally, it was also a time to love Illinois when I couldn’t be there. These are simple truths.

In 2021 and 2022, I could no longer imagine social media superstitions - nor team wins - without the media. Why should I? It is no longer practical to win without them.

Every week I prefer familiar themes from sports experts' social media: personal music, pizza, life discussions, charities, favorite quotes, other personalities. Every week I see some usual familiar sights: baseball, basketball, football, soccer, golf, volleyball, cross country. Every week I can count on feeling exasperated that so many Illinois sports journalists insist on jinxing us. Every single week, their smiles alongside the jinxing is really something. I counter this, of course, by inserting refreshing learned laundry intelligence.

And every week, my homework awaits.

As I work, I hope all the Illinois sports journalists and my Dad end up happy. And I hope for my own happy ending, too.

It does matter that a team actually wins. And we should be vocal about it. It also matters that jackass conceit doesn't morph into comments on owning other teams. We needn't be vocal about that, though - naive players will discover the dullness of their words on their own.

It does matter that a team actually wins.

In these Chicago years though, it was never just about the football score. Practically, I knew that all along. The sports journalists did, too. The US will be more than alright, the DoI remains paramount and, eventually, unity will prevail.?

International health and medicine will improve. International teammates are legit and diverse, and this fact is major work.

I also love the bath water, by the way. The birdwatchers who created the site or contribute to the site we all connect on may be excited about it, too. I don't blame them - a good swimsuit feels amazing. Even better if they choose the right colors when wading in.

It’s not a mock draft, it’s the real deal. I can’t imagine a win in Chicago without the Illinois sports journalists. And the truth is, we’ve already won.

I failed to see just how cool of a gift this has been until now: I never really left Chicago on my own. The Illinois team hasn’t been on its own, either.?

And I love this permanent digital footprint fact.?

Circularly, everyone cares about one another. I see it every day, in every way, with the way Illinois sports journalists look after one another - and look after the public. Commentary adds to the few hours of predictability, togetherness, space from life’s seriousness. Illinois sports commentary doesn’t even require recording for shift work - even first responders can listen in. And when a journalist personally shares online, I’m always cheering them on.

Man, do we have great sports journalists and commentators in Chicago. The best and the coolest. (The Fox NFL theme music of the industry.)

I love that when I needed to step away from Chicago, Chicago’s team accompanied me anyway. I love that I accompany them, too, cheering everyone on, staying alongside parts of a whole.

All while an international team continually works to improve health, even if it's a work in progress.

What’s so terrible about a losing score? The theme music’s on, the sights are familiar, the time is predictable and good. And, as a collective whole, making life better for one another, we’ve already won.

Thanks for the lesson in love, Illinois.

And, may you get your pick of the vending machine sweets today. I'll just be a minute, finishing up a little extra homework.

Cue FOX NFL.