“Are you ready to go to the antique show?” my girlfriend asked on Sunday.
I replied with, “The antique show? Right now? Ohio State and Minnesota are playing.” I should have probably stopped there, but I had to get another shot in at the perceived demographics of an antique show. “Maybe my grandma will go with you.”
Of course, I would have replied the exact same way if I were watching a TBS replay of The Truman Show for the 18th time, but that’s beside the point.
After dragging her to the IHSAA Regional at Hinkle Fieldhouse the night before, and spending every Friday night this winter broadcasting Pike basketball games, I owed her a trip to the Antique Show; she deserved that. Whether or not the thought of looking at ships in a bottle or coins from the Civil War gave me anxiety, I lost sight of the big picture: The NCAA Tournament was right around the corner.
Sunday was the day to do whatever your wife or girlfriend wanted to do (as long as you got it in before the Selection Show at 6pm). Nothing should have been off limits, including trips to a consignment shop, The Loft, Von Maur, Marsh, TJ Maxx, a nursery, or in my case the antique show. Rain or shine, I’ll be fully invested in the tournament. If it’s 72 degrees and sunny outside, I won’t think twice about staying inside and watching hoops for the next two weekends. If anything, I can just open up the blinds.
I have been building up for this point in March with my girlfriend since the beginning of the season in November. I was hoping that Pike would still be playing at this time of year, but even with them out, the NCAA Tournament was the clear grand finale. I tried to drive that point home at any opportunity I had. The problem is, unless your wife or girlfriend loves sports at the same alarming rate that you do, they have a tough time understanding how you could sit on your couch from Noon until Midnight on the opening two days of the tournament. Women tend to get cabin fever and like to be productive. A trip to Qdoba in the break between the afternoon and night ballgames doesn’t quite cut it.
That’s why this past Sunday was so crucial. She looked at the antique show as her version of the 12:25 game on Thursday. The 12:25 games aren’t usually among the best games, but you definitely like to be in front of the TV to catch them. She wasn’t going to buy anything at the show, but it was something she wanted to do. My love of sports is the one area of my life where I tend to get tunnel vision. I don’t pretend to watch every game, or even throw remotes at TV screens, but I get selfish if it’s a ballgame I really want to see. The Minnesota-Ohio State game wasn’t necessarily one of those games.
During college football season, I learned to pick my spots (meaning watch all IU games and then some big match-ups here and there). With the NCAA Tournament, I don’t plan on picking spots. Opening weekend calls for an all out binge. There’s more down time as the teams dwindle down from 65 to 16 and so on, so I don’t think my long-term goal of watching every game possible has been totally compromised. I just can’t say with a straight face that I won’t be walking along the Canal this Saturday during the first afternoon ballgames.
I also better check the Home & Antique Show schedules for April, as it may be a long month!
As she said to me when I chose to watch the Big Ten Championship, “You know Ohio State is going to win.”
She was right. As usual
