For all that's good in sports...

We often hear about all the bad in the world. Places like the evening news dramatize it and make it bigger than it really is. The same thing happens in the sports world. We hear about the abuses of drugs, performance enhancing drugs, alcohol, cheating, scamming, lying. The talk radio, the news, the ESPN's of the world eat this kind of story up.

But, I have to admit. There is nothing like a feel good sports story. I am a sucker for ALL of them. I love a golfer walking down the 18th green with the possibility of winning his first major. I love the Cinderella story of a small division one school winning in the NCAA basketball tournament. I love the stories of the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears that athletes have put in to one moment every four years in the Olympics. I love it all!

Even better is seeing moments like this in person. I still remember seeing Mark McGuire hit one of his 70 home runs in 1998 and the Cleveland fans going crazy in awe. I remember the feeling in 1995 of sitting at Jacobs Field for the start of an American League Championship Series game and Oral Hershiser walking to the pitchers mound from the bullpen. It was so cool. The stadium was electric.

You don't get to experience those feelings very often. They are very rare. It's really neat when something very special happens at a sporting event. Even when it's on a small scale. This past Saturday, my son, Cameron, scored his first soccer goal. Ever. It was very, very special. I tried to be laid back about it, like it happens all the time. But, on the inside I was beaming. And it isn't so much that he scored the goal. Yes, that made me very happy. But it was how proud I am of him really, really trying to score a goal and then succeeding. His drive to improve at soccer has really come a long way and we couldn't be prouder. I don't expect the next Pele here but trying his best is awesome. And, the parents around us were very excited for Cameron, too. It was really nice of them to be supportive for us.

It made the soccer field feel electric if only for a second.
And that is why I love sports.