monkey drooling over sports broadcast

cred: chris graythen/getty images: new orleans, LA- nov 01
new orleans saints wide receiver snead #83 picks up fumble against the ny giants


today, at the gym, i saw a great record-breaking football game between ny giants and new orleans saints. drew brees, saints quarterback at age 36, has been under wry opinions about his age vs. eli manning, two-years younger than brees, top of the fame ladder with his brother peyton manning, star of the giants: they met eye-to-eye, setting new record at 6 touch downs each by the end of 4th quarter, game tied at 49, with only 36 seconds to go.

and those 36 seconds, none of it was wasted.  every second. play. play. play. breaking that 36 seconds with both team adding up to total offensive yardage of 1030!  considering that each team plays 16 games per season, and last year's total offensive yardage leader, saints, clocks in at 6582 (and the worst, oakland raiders at 4515), i think laymen, even i can understand the significance of the stat (and that both teams had real crap defense).

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14027913/drew-brees-new-orleans-saints-ties-nfl-mark-7-tds-eli-manning-newyork-giants-top-10-all-tds

i also really enjoy watching tennis-singles. as i type the word 'tennis,' instantaneously, i recall a few games that were amazing to watch: del potro vs. federer (winner), the famous semi-final at london olympics, that took 4 hours and 26 minutes.  and raonic vs. nishikori (winner) at last year's US open, 4 hours and 19 minutes of composure, frustration, strategy and drive...

i often meet people (many in arts) who say they are not interested in watching sports. i am the opposite in a sense that i do not enjoy playing sports much (prefers hiking, running, and other solitude, no-point game things), but loves watching big games.

in arts, well, in particular, in music, we often talk about difficulties, managing stresses, keeping our composures etc, as part of performance training. and yes, i think music explores many facets of this human desire- of competition, drive to perfection, and facing the uncertainties.  but it is impossible to watch oneself while being engaged in the activities.

so i watch sports.

today's game 5 of national baseball league, aka. world series. if the royals play that tenacious game play over the mets, they could take the title today. both teams want it so badly. and there's something very touching about this collective drive that makes people to go a bit faster, further, longer, even just for another minutes.

i admire and immerse myself in the drama of sports. and when i am back on music bench, often i think about these titans and the wills of the battles. then a big sigh of relief: like many, i will get through this ritual of practice and performance. and like many, i will find something, something new. may be something old.

something genuine.

the world is a beautiful place and as messy as it gets, human endevours are wonderful.
back to the game...

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