Wally World It’s Not!

This past weekend my boys and I had an opportunity to visit an old amusement park. As we waited at the gate for the park to open, I couldn't help but think of the many memories I shared at this park and many like it with my Dad and brothers, too many to count. It brought a huge smile to know that I would have many more with my boys, and they would have with theirs.

As the gates opened, it took a little eye contact, and then a simple nod, and my boys knew it was game time. It’s always been a “Wise Guy” tradition to maximize the first 2 hours a park is open to hit every steel roller coaster. This is something we don't take lightly. Like a coach and players getting ready for a big game, we mapped out our plan well in advance, and reviewed a final time at the gate. Once the gates opened it was like a starter pistol being fired, and we ran like Usain Bolton headed for gold in record time.

Our family is like the SEC in college football. You aren't going to beat us -- you just hope to stay close for as long as you can. We have never lost. The Rocky Marciono of families at an amusement park.  What drove us, you ask? It wasn't the desire to win, but the fear of losing. One thing I never, ever want to hear after spending 10+ hours at a park is, “But, Dad."  You know, like a fisherman talking about the big one that got away. It doesn't matter what happened or how long you fought it. The bottom line is you didn’t catch it, or, in this case, that we didn’t ride it.

What does this have to do with sports? Everything! The world of sports is just like an amusement park. The NFL and for some of us, college football, is the steel roller coaster. It's something you don't want to miss. It could be the ultimate thrill ride, and at times a bit overrated.  It is still by far the best ride in the park, or should I say better than any other sport. MLB is like the water ride. It normally takes forever to get on and when you do, it's usually slow until you get to the end where you usually have a thrilling drop and a splash of water which normally makes you feels good.  These parks have many rides like the tilt-a-whirl or the  scrambler . They are golf, tennis, motorsports and hockey. It’s a nice change of pace but if you ride it too much you’ll get sick to your stomach and if your not careful you’ll end up throwing up on yourself. Most of these parks now have a water/ski shows. This is soccer. You know that they are performing and that some people are watching but you don’t understand why or even care. 

That leaves us with the wooden rollercoaster of sports. The NBA. It was once the most exciting sport in the world (see the 80’s) but now it seems to jerk you around a lot and you often leave the ride wondering why you rode it. It's that ride that if it's not running no one misses it. See the NBA strike and tell me I'm wrong!

Wise Guy