- JMU beat William & Mary in double-overtime
- Ohio State escaped from Indiana in a high-scoring grudge match
- The Seahawks up-ended the Patriots in the final minutes
- Even the Redskins managed to thrash Minnesota, ending a 8-game losing streak in Landover
Still, this favorite teams winning streak did not elicit the same level of excitement and adrenalin that it would have in seasons past. Not long ago, all this winning would have me wearing team colors, posting trash-talking commentary on Facebook, and generally being insufferable for the whole week.
But call it maturity or re-prioritized values, but I'm just not that jazzed. Frankly, I put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the 1998 Washington Capitals. It was that crew; Dale Hunter, Ollie Kolzig, and the rest of Ron Wilson's team, who captured my passions--heart and soul. I followed every game leading up to the Stanley Cup finals. Hockey for me was brutal ballet on ice. The Caps were finally the team that could deliver where other units did not.
Then the Cup series against the Detroit Red Wings occurred. The Wings swept the Caps in 4. Each game brought hope, reasons why my beloved Caps would win, and with each game, disappointment with the loss. I sincerely believe that that run at the Cup aged me more than any collective events in the past 15 years.
After the Caps were sent packing, I took a break from college and professional sports. For one reason, I was emotionally spent. The other reason was because my daughter was born a could months later. She changed my life forever.
So following sports has been somewhat lukewarm for me since then. I enjoy the games when they are on, but my passions are now given to living life, rather than sitting on the sidelines.
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