Valentines Wishes from a Loser

#2 posting 2.14.2008
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Seashells and Balloons gets a little introspective and finds there may be room for a little love toward some of the folks encountered throughout the season:

Valentines Wishes from a Loser

I know we all pledged at the beginning of the year to be great fans, be as positive as possible, and do whatever we can to love our team.
And I know you’ve all done your part to be good sports, and 100% supportive, right down to the volunteers in the concession stands. Me too.

But the last couple weeks have made me realize, I can be a poor loser. Oh sure, life can be pretty swell when the wins start happening one, two and three in a row. But throw in a gut-wrenching loss or two, and a double digit blowout, and all the great words of promise and joy start to well up in the throat.

After a loss, I try to put a big smile on my face, and be as cordial as possible to anyone I may know on the other team. And I try my hardest to keep positive words going, and stay out of the way of the refs on their way out. But it’s not that easy. As luck would have it, I always run into the one parent from the other team who seems to be everywhere after a win, but disappears quicker than a laugh during a writers’ strike monologue following a loss.

I don’t like being a poor loser. So with this week being the magical time devoted to love and laughter, I want to offer my apologies and give out valentines to some of the folks who’ve seen me surly and yes, sometimes even helped me smile during a loss.

To the refs:
Yipes, stripes, you do your best.
I promise not to be so stressed.

To the fashion plate mom:
How do I love thee?
Let me count the layers.

To my team’s coach:
Roses are red, violets are blue.
Please don’t count the turnovers, that my kid actually threw.

To the mascot:
Oh fuzzy tiger, tried and true
Your ill-timed jumps made me feel less blue.

And with apologies to W. Shakespeare:
To the blowhard on the opposing team:
Romeo, oh Romeo, where fore art thou Romeo when we beat you last time by twenty?

Dear cleaning crew:
Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be our next conference game and promise not to drop my Skittles.

And lastly, to my hard-working kid who takes the losses hard enough without the grownups getting in the way:
Thanks for Being Mine.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everybody!

Seashells and Balloons

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