I should have seen this coming

This weekend Cathey and I are spending some time with her folks in Helena, MT. I don't think I could have wished for better "in-laws". They have made me feel a part of their family since Cathey asked me to drive her home for Spring Break 33 years ago.

I'm reflecting on our history together this morning as it has dawned on me that Cath is just a 'little' obsessive concerning sports. I should have seen this coming many years ago when we both discovered hockey.

Growing up in Eugene, I am not even sure where the closest NHL team would have been. I was vaguely aware of Portland and Seattle's tier 2 hockey teams. Eugene is not known for it's ice, unless it is coating everything in a freak ice storm. I think the closest ice rink was at the Lloyd's Center in Portland. The Lloyd Center Mall claimed it was the largest mall in North America at the time it was built in 1960. Oh, but I digress.

A friend took me to my first hockey game. back then they were the Spokane Flyer's. The speed of the game was incredible. Of course, the fights were also entertaining. I talked Cathey into going with me a couple of weeks later. She loved it.

The rest of that season we actually would plan weekend's with another couple and head up to Canada to watch them play when they were not in town.

The kids started arriving and our hockey obsession subsided.

Then there was the 1995 Mariners. Let me explain. My work keeps me on the road. In the car alone, I would listen to Mariner's baseball. When we travelled as a family they thought it was to boring. That is, until 1995 when the Mariner's won their first division championship. After that the Mariner's were welcome in our car and home on the radio and TV.

Don't get me started on WSU Cougars, Seahawk football. Of course, our daughter was active in her high school (Mt. Spokane) on the dance team and as a cheerleader. She also managed the Varsity baseball team. (Granted, I am sure Travis had something to do with the latter.) So we attended many high school football, basketball and baseball games.

Our son, Alex, played soccer, basketball and baseball. I think Cathey attended the majority of any of these games.

But, I must say, one of her major obsessions (beside fanasty football) is Gonzaga basketball. If you don't know, Gonzaga is located here in Spokane hence it's our local team, even more so than WSU. The Zags have gone to the NCAA Tourament the last 12 seasons. Making one run to the Elite Eight.

I dont think Cathey has missed very many televised game in years. (It was one of the things that got her through her Chemo, surgery and radiation treatments when she was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago.)

Now that Whitney works for Gonzaga she is elgible for two tickets for each home game.(Gonzaga has been sold out for years) Cathey and Whit have attended a couple of games each season together, as have I. Cath follows them religiously and has opinions on each players strengths and weakness's.

Last night we found a pub here in Helena that would let us commandeer their big screen to watch Gonzaga play Western Kentucky in round 2 of the NCAA tournament. We had discovered that the "local" Helena CBS affiliate was not going to cover the Zags, but was going to show the Texas/Duke game instead. (That's just not right!!) Anyway, as the game went on, we got louder. Halfway through the second half, I think the whole bar was rooting for the Zag's. Cath was, I think the loudest and was referring to them as "her boy's".

I love it, but she keeps beating me in our tournament brackets!!!!

Not a bad obsession to have.......

I guess I'll start to really worry if she starts to watch the WWF, World Wrestling Federation, swears it real, and starts calling them "her boy's". In the meantime its off to the Sweet Sixteen!