Discovering the Hype About Sports as an Adult.

My childhood was very unorthodox in many ways but normal in many ways. One of the things that seemed out of the ordinary was that I didn't grow up watching football. When I was younger, I thought it was a nature thing. That I just didn't care about sports. But over time, it clicked that it was a nurture thing. And now, several years later, I've gotten older and gotten more exposed to things like movies about sports, documentaries, games, and even trying one or two for the sake of exercise, I'm even more convinced that the difference between me caring about Ronaldo vs. Messi and me not giving a fuck is because no one cared in the house I grew up in.

For a large stretch of time, my dad and I were the only males in the house, and occasionally one of my uncles. My dad never turned on a sports channel. But he loves movies, therefore, I do. The only time I remember watching football in the house was the 2010 World cup. The one with Shakira. And even by then I was already old enough to have my own thoughts and opinions. By the time I was associating with more and more people who could die for sports, I was content with my books, movies, animated movies, comics, and the few games I could get my hands on.

I was very entertained in my own world.

Looking back, I've had a long and sometimes contradictory road with peer pressure and self confidence. I remember struggling for a long time thinking something was wrong with me and my inability to socialize like normal people. But in that same phase of my life, I remember not caring when someone said I was gay for not watching football. I also remember being irritated whenever someone insinuated that "cartoons" were for kids but it never once crossed my mind to "grow up".

When I got older, I began to notice socialzing was more challenging because the two things that seemed to bring men together, football and alcohol, I didn't care about either. My struggle with the alcohol thought is beyond the scope of this newsletter. But for sports, even that thought wasn't enough for me to start watching football. I've felt like an outsider many times in my life but that feeling was scarcely potent enough to get me to do something I didn't want to do.

I was one of those kids who was oddly resistant to peer pressure. And it's not because I was better than anyone. Hell no. But one of the factors was, I think even then, I really liked the things I liked. And if you couldn't see that, then that was a you problem. But it also did help that something about my life self selects friends. I call it my "bullshit radar". There's just something about shitty people and their inability to stick around in my life. And looking back, the few friends that I've been lucky to have, even fewer have ever tried to make me do something I didn't want to do.

On the flip side, identities change. I didn't care about sports then. But it's slowly started creeping on me. From the previously mentioned movies and documentaries, to the sick basketball edits on YouTube, to the guy who uses well plotted graphs and charts to explain his opinion on a certain basketball topic. I have long realised that there is a reality where a younger version of me actually followed sports. And honestly, as far as basketball is concerned, some of my reluctance to pay attention was simply rebellion. Everyone said I was tall and therefore I should play basketball. But you're not going to tell me what to do.

Side note, it's hilarious how everyone said I should play basketball and maybe I could get into the NBA. Meanwhile I'm closer to height with Steph Curry (who is considered small for NBA averages) and he pretty much had to become shooting god to make it in the league. So pray tell, what magic would I have used to get into the NBA from Lagos? "God will do it?" Advice is sweet to give sha.

Identity is something I've pondered on for a bit. It's powerful and dangerous. Liberating, yet limiting. I was the guy who didn't care about sports. Then all of a sudden, I started to care. It sounds ridiculous, but it's one of those things that can cause identity confusion. You wake up and realise you're slowly detaching from the brand you've built for yourself, and you resist it because if there's a hole in the curated image you've carefuly constructed of yourself, then the house of cards may as well fall apart.

Fortunately for me, i am now comfortable with identity shifts. My opinions will change. My interests will change. Now, I have more freedom to do things I wouldn't otherwise do, simply because I now find it intriguing.

Yesterday, I was playing NBA 2K25, one of the small habits I've picked up that's very contradictory to a past version of myself. I'm terrible at the game. But it helps blow off steam to play random matches with the computer. I picked the Celtics, played against the Lakers. Not much thought put into the team selection tbh.

(For the non sports people among you, I promise there's a point to all of this)

The first quarter was terrible. Near the end, they had 21 points and I had 9. I'm not good at the game but I've gotten even worse this year because I didn't get to play as often. A 12 point deficit in the first quarter may as well have been a blowout. But a thing I do when playing is i always see the game through to the end, even though i'm losing terribly. I guess it's a matter of principle. I already accepted that I'd lost the game but I was going to see it through. Within 30 seconds of play, Jrue Holiday (on my team) scored two three pointers. But Luka (on the opposing team)still kept the lead up with a 3 pointer in between.

23-15

What's funny is that before writing this, I thought I ended the quarter with a 12 point deficit. But it was actually 8. That's how my mind had already accepted the loss. I didn't even realise it wasn't as bad. I kept playing though. Second quarter was also terrible. I kept missing shots. But in hindsight I somehow managed to keep the lead relatively the same by the end of the second quarter. Derrick White carrying this hopeless team on his back and the reason the quarter didn't end with a double digit lead. You could tell the Lakers didn't take me seriously because they subbed out their main guys for some rookies. Such disrespect.

41-32

My team's 3 point percentage was terrible, which was strange so I started driving to the basket more (shooting closer to the basket or trying to dunk), getting two points where I could. Something in the strategy change worked and Jason Tatum started to wake up, trading drunks with Lebron James (on the opposing team) at a point. Then closer to the end, of the quarter, two three points shaved the lead down.

60-56

By this point in the game, I had actually begun to believe I could win this thing. In basketball, a 4 point deficit is nothing. It's now anyone's game.

"Don't do anything fancy or crazy," I told myself. "Try to keep reducing the point difference."

62-56. Lebron James started the quarter with a layup. Now a 6 point difference. No biggie. We'll keep trying.

62-58

62-60

64-60. Lebron James embarrased us with a dunk. But we've got this.

64-62. Thank you, Tatum. Now we have an opportunity to tie or take the lead.

64-65. I just had to take that 3 point shot. It went in. We're actually in the lead now. Don't mess this up.

66-65. Damn. They scored. Lead changed.

66-67. Thank you Jrue Holiday.

66-69. Jrue Holiday again! Dunked on their asses.

66-71. Derrick White showing why this team loves him.

68-73

71-73. Fucking Luka. Scored 3 points.

71-75. Tatum got the lead up again. But it's not over yet.

71-77. Jaylen Brown, where were you this whole game?

73-77. Luka keeping them alive. 4 point differential with 43 seconds left. In basketball land, that might as well be an eternity.

73-80. Derrick White with a 3 pointer! 34 seconds left. They'd need back to back three points to win but crazier things have happened in this sport (I'm looking at you, Tyrese Haliburton).

At this point they're doing different tactics like calling time outs and intentionally fouling us. We somehow don't concede any points. But we don't get any either.

76-80. You have to respect Luka. 7 seconds left. Still an eternity. They can win in two plays or force the game into overtime.

Jaylen Brown gets fouled. Sent to take free throws.

76-81. He makes 1 of 2 free throws. 5 seconds left. We just need to protect the lead.

5 seconds later . . .

We won.

The feeling was so good. It reminded me of my realisation of why sports is so beloved. Why millions of people tune in to watch grown men toss a ball around in rectangles and circles. It's the same thing that cuts across all aspects of life.

We love a good story.

Yesterday, I experienced your typical hero's journey. Starts out down on his luck, doesn't give up, somehow finds his stride and beats the odds to win. Something about that can be very attractive. And there are so many allegories in such stories you can apply in real life.

Never give up.

You can achieve anything with hard work.

It's not over till it's over.

Etc.

It's the same exact reason why I love Peter Parker so much. I would never be Spider-man but I could see myself in him. I felt seen in those hundreds of pages of comic books and several hours of cartoons and movies. I could also live out fantasies that were metaphors for my real life struggles. You will never be Ronaldo but you can identify with the story of growing up poor and through hard work, finding your way to the top. You will never be Steph Curry but you can relate to the feeling of not being taken seriously and with every success he has, it feels like our success. It feels like if he could do it, then whatever I'm facing in life I can figure it out.

It's why the Rocky-esque training montages in movies are still effective. I've watched all the Rocky movies and I still enjoy watching the one in the first Rocky (1977) and the one in the most recent Creed movie (2023). Over four decades of time. Storytelling styles may change but the feelings don't.

And when you can tap into a strong feeling, you can get the world to pay attention.

Content I found cool this week.

I'm not a fan of the Office but I oddly find content inspired by it to be funny. This is The Office but with tech people. I hope they turn it into a series.

This guy created an infinite feeling art canvas. And he keeps updating it. You can just keep zooming in. I've seen stuff like this before and it's always so cool to see.

That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed it.

À la prochaine 😊.