Is it just a game?

As you all know I love Duke basketball, yesterday I watched them lose to Villanova. I would summarise the game as a poor shooting performance by Duke. As an avid Duke fan I have noticed their loses in the NCAA tournament have come from their inability to score. But needless to say Duke lost by 20. Sitting on the couch watching the clock wind down and my mood turn to crabby my wife says, "It's just a game."

"It's just a game." WHAT!!! NO WAY!!!!

Many people who have competed with or against me would describe me as the most competitive person they know. My competitiveness has been with me my whole life and started all the way back in 8Th grade when my gym teacher made a terrible call. I could have brushed it off but no I took the ball we were playing with and threw it right at my teacher. I then spent the rest of the day assigned to in school suspension.

If you are a true competitor everything you do you wanna win and accept nothing less. When I played basketball I was so competitive my speciality was guarding the other teams best offensive player to keep them from scoring. I prided myself in keeping players in check and off the scoreboard. My parents can testify the tone of my voice would be the indicator if I had just won or lost. This competitive spirit continues with me to this day.

So, with this type of attitude, it is impossible for me to accept a saying, "it is just a game." When you compete and hate to lose as much as I do you would never accept this cliche. Yes I know I was never a Duke player or a member of the University but when you love something so much you will never accept second place or be happy to watch you team lose whoever they may be.

Now for those of you who do not relate to sports, let me try and use this analogy to help prove my point. I know someone who I won't name that likes to obsess about her weight. She weighs herself morning, noon and night and if the number is not what she likes to see, she could be quite crabby the rest of the day. She then might go and work out more, not snack, or reduce her food intake. The number will also determine her mood and anxiety level. My response should be but I know better, "It's just a number honey!"

Now how is it OK for her to be crabby because of her weight but not OK for me to be crabby when my favorite team in the whole world just lost?

It would be fun to hear any comments any of you may have to help me understand if you believe or disbelieve in the cliche I can't stand, "It's just a game."