Why I Don't Like Sports

You all have probably heard me say before that I am not a fan of sports. I do not play any, nor do I watch any. You probably think this is weird or something, because it seems like pretty much everyone likes sports these days, so why wouldn't I? Well, I'll tell you why, and I'm going to be quite frank, so I might step on some people's toes, but if you feel offended, I'm not sorry, because you shouldn't have done what I mentioned. Still with me? Then, I'll continue.
The main reason I don't like sports is because I was not raised around them. Those of you who are big fans of a team or even a league probably had someone around your house growing up that got you into it. I think it's a safe bet to say that it was probably your father. Well, guess what? I didn't have a father around. My parents were divorced when I was six weeks old, and I didn't have an older brother around, so I was a boy living in a house full of women, and you know what? Those women hardly watched any sports at all; they didn't watch football, or baseball, or basketball, or soccer, or any of the sports you probably watched (or even played) growing up. The only sport they really watched (if you want to call it a sport; whether it is or not is debatable) was figure skating. While you all were outside throwing footballs or hitting baseballs, I was inside, playing around on my Commodore 64.
I tried to get into sports later on, but I just couldn't. There was more than one reason why. One reason was that I couldn't sit still long enough to watch a football game. It's the same reason I hated the first Lord of the Rings movie so much; both that movie and the average football game take a long time to watch. Another reason is that, during my formative years, the message seemed to be, "If you like watching this sport, you must be able to play it, too." I had friends that were big football fans, and not only did they watch it a lot, but they also played it, both on a video game console and in real life. (They didn't play on a team or anything; we just played in their backyard.) It wasn't until later on that someone would tell me that just because you watch a sport doesn't mean you have to play it. Yet another reason (at least when it comes to playing) is that I don't have the coordination to play sports. I could have tried out for every single team at my high school and not made a single one. If I did make any, it would have just been a fluke (i.e., they had less people sign up then they had slots, etc.)
One of the biggest reasons why I don't like sports is because I've seen what it does to people. I'm not talking about the kinds of injuries my friends have sustained while playing, because you can get injured doing pretty much anything. I could be injured while sitting here typing this if I'm not careful. I'm talking about people's dedication to their sports. The father who gets all grouchy with his kids just because his team lost the game. The kids at the youth group meeting who fuss when the youth sponsor turns off the TV so he can teach about the Bible. (Yes, I'm calling you out! :p) The people who say a team "sucks." It's not that I mind people using the word "sucks"; heck, I use it all the time. What I don't like is the fact that you're saying a group of people that God created "sucks." How would you like it if I said, "All the kids at [insert your university, organization, family or whatever your group of people is here] suck!" Not only do I not know those people, but they are all precious in God's sight, no matter what I think of them. If you're not a fan of that team, just say that you aren't, but don't say they "suck". You can say something like, "High School Musical sucks," or, "Internet Explorer sucks," because those things weren't made by God. Anything else, though, just isn't right.
Maybe one day, I will understand what's so great about sports, just like I did with Harry Potter, Disney Channel and Star Wars. Right now, though, I seriously doubt it.

In Defense of Ashley Tisdale

I have always been hated on for my interests. From the kids at the elementary school who didn't get why I was so addicted to computers, to when I was teased about having Anne Hathaway on my desktop…it's happened a lot. It wasn't quite as bad when I was in high school, because some people there actually did watch shows like "Lizzie McGuire" or "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and those were also current and not obscure (unlike previous interests of mine, most of which were one or both.) However, the one interest of mine that most people at my high school hated the most was not a show, movie, or even a character; it was an actress. That actress was Ashley Tisdale, best known for her roles as Maddie in "Suite Life" and as Sharpay in "High School Musical." So, I'm going to defend her here, and you can say whatever you want in response (but remember, I'm the moderator here. If I don't like what you say, your comment is GONE. :p)
What do people say about Ashley? Mostly people say that she's ugly. I don't get that at all. Weren't these the same kids who were saying how hot/cute/attractive/whatever Hilary Duff was back during the days of "Lizzie McGuire"? Well, I have heard many people say that Ashley looks a lot like Hilary used to look. I agree, and I also say that it's not just the way they look; it's also the way they dress. If you go on www.ashleytisdale.com, there are some pictures of Ashley wearing a pink-and-orange-striped shirt, very much like the one Hilary wore on the cover of the "Raise Your Voice" DVD. Ashley even admitted in a magazine interview that their hair is similar; she said something like, "My hair has lots of layers and texture…kind of like the whole Hilary Duff thing." So, basically, if you thought Hil was hot back in 2002-04, you think Ashley Tisdale is hot now. If you say you don't, that's basically like saying, "I think a blue 2003 Toyota Camry is a quality car, but I don't think any other color Camry is." (How could you not like the other colors? They're exactly the same; only difference is the outside paint job!)
Though I haven't heard this claim, I'm sure people are probably saying that she's not a good actress. I don't get that, either. All you have to do is watch an episode of "Suite Life" to see her mastery of comedic timing. If you don't think what she says to the people at the Tipton is funny, you must not have a sense of humor. I'm willing to admit she's not a very good singer, but I can forgive her for that (and she sounds better than Hilary and Britney do, anyway.)
So, if you haven't checked out Ashley Tisdale, I suggest you do so. You will be glad you did.
-- Rebel