Rather than alter the original, I present my list of 40 in its original form. Should I apologize to my soon-to-be brother-in-law for the anti-Yankees sentiment?
May 4, 2005
A sudden urge overcame me to compile a roll of all the things in sports that I wish to see and do. I imagine this list would be infinitely more fun had it been compiled sitting around a table with friends (or even complete strangers). Regardless, it is what is sure to be just the beginning of my sports fantasy list.
As with any listing, I reserve the right to add gratuitously to it as time moves on. I’m sure this topic could spurn many long conversations and should certainly be accompanied by a steak or cold drink. We should arrange that.
So here goes…
01) A World Series win for the Cubs (let’s get that one on the docket quickly),
02) a 100 loss season for the Yankees (they’re not all nice for all people, it’s my list) and
03) a front row seat to a Red Sox/Yankees tilt at Fenway Park (guess who wins).
04) Decent seats (because just being there is enough) to the Super Bowl,
05) the Final Four (featuring at least one powerhouse and one underdog),
06) the World Series (featuring anyone but the Yankees),
07) Wimbledon (featuring at least one guy I’ve remotely heard of),
08) the College World Series,
09) a Duke/North Carolina basketball game at Cameron Indoor Stadium and
10) an Ohio State/Michigan football game at the Big House.
11) Knowing what it’s like (just once) to throw a wicked curveball,
12) nail a perfect dive off the highest Olympic platform,
13) hit a homerun over the ivy at Wrigley Field,
14) serve a tennis ball with everything I’ve got without clearing the chain link fence,
15) dunk a basketball through a rim that doesn’t lower to help my ego and
16) drop a hole-in-one in a cup that is not obstructed by a windmill.
17) Run with the bulls at Pamplona,
18) skydive over the most picturesque landscape known to man,
19) muster enough patience to spend an entire Saturday fishing on one cast,
20) spend a summer visiting every Major League ballpark with my dad,
21) flash my chest during a Super Bowl halftime show, (on second thought no one wants to see that) and
22) take a few laps at top speed with a NASCAR driver.
23) Know the thrill of riding all the world’s meanest roller coasters,
24) what it’s like to make a juke laden Michael Vick run to the endzone and
25) be there when George Steinbrenner spontaneously combusts.
26) Be the general manager of a professional sports franchise,
27) help develop the greatest football video game of all time,
28) mow a visual masterpiece in the outfield of a major league ballpark and
29) reel in a giant deep sea fish that drains my whole being of energy.
30) Pull off an Evil Knievel jump over a thousand flaming somethings,
31) nail a triple lutz on the moon (had to find a way to include space travel) and
32) produce a sports movie that makes audiences burst into wild applause.
33) Cure the sporting world of players who play for the money and not the love,
34) find a way to allow everyone to see the team they love live without cost,
35) allow everyone to meet all the athletes that have wowed them since childhood,
36) have them all turn out to be everything we hoped they’d be and
37) let everyone let loose experiencing the greatest sporting event of their lives.
…finally…
38) See my son hit a homerun,
39) a game winning shot or (if he prefers)
40) play a perfect piece at a piano recital (and brim with excited pride all the same).
So that’s the list. My unabashed, uninhibited dream register compiled without shame and without regard for my physical limitations. What a joy it would be if money, time and responsibility where not an obstacle and I could venture off to begin checking them off one-by-one.
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