People act crazy!

Humans beings are funny. They do strange things and act in such odd ways. One area where this is evident is sports. Don't believe me? Go to a little kids soccer game or a little league baseball game sometime. People who are normally rational and calm are transformed into vicious spectators on the bleachers of an athletic field. These otherwise average people scream at the children, berate the referees and umpires and argue with fans from the opposing team. In some rare cases physical altercations have been known to occur... and for what? A sporting event involving children. This is not a new problem either. I played baseball and soccer as a child and I remember some incidents that would cause your jaw to drop.

The problem is not exclusive to youth sports. The news is full of stories from high school, college and professional sports where people behave badly. In fact, as the stakes get higher, tensions rise, emotions take over and incidents get uglier and uglier.

I have never been one to get worked up at sporting events. I've never yelled at a child as a coach. I've never yelled at an umpire of referee. I've never gotten myself whipped into a frenzy at any sporting event. That's not to say I'm emotionless. I get happy when the Bengals and Reds win and disappointed when they lose. I realized a long time ago it was not worth the emotional energy to worry too much about sports. There are things far more important. However, I am guilty of cheering at a sporting event on TV. Standing in my own living room wildly cheering a fantastic finish or great play. I've also been known to tell a player on TV that he made a boneheaded play (as if he could hear me!). In the end, sports at any level are for fun and entertainment. If it is causing you angst or causing you to behave in a bad way (when you normally wouldn't), then it may be time to take a look at what's important in life. I guarantee when the Reds or Bengals lose, the players don't go home and sulk. They go about their lives. The go out for drinks with the guys, go home to their wives, go golfing, go fishing or whatever. Getting so emotionally involved in sports that it totally consumes you, is not healthy.

I thought this comic was funny. It shows how silly men can act when watching sports on TV (I admit it. I'm guilty of this as well). Imagine how women would act if they were as silly as us guys.