More Than a Game
On the surface, sports seem like a trivial endeavor. At its core, many can think of it as playing a game to get exercise, to improve teamwork skills, or simply for fun. However, when you dig a bit deeper, there is more at the core of what makes sports a fundamental part of any society. Sports oftentimes have played an instrumental role in providing a beckon for people during onerous situations.
Moments like these are scattered throughout history and all impacted the lives of people in ways that are far beyond just “sports”. Some of these momentous events were the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany when Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 100-meter, 200-meter, long jump and 4x100 relay. The athletic feat alone was impressive, and considering the social climate at the time, the achievement went a long way to disprove the horrific rhetoric about race inferiority. During the 1980 Winter Olympics, the “Miracle on Ice” amid the political tensions of the Cold War served not only as an upset for the United States over the heavily favorite USSR Men’s Hockey Gold Medal, the triumph also represented an ideological victory. For many New Yorkers, like myself, the Mike Piazza two run home run against the Braves on September 21, 2001 was so much more than just another Mets victory. The iconic performance united the country and for a brief moment provided hope for a city reeling following the tragic events of 9/11. These moments exemplified the transcending capabilities and the importance of sports.
Sports also have a direct impact on my family and my upbringing, and no other fandom means more to my family than that of the New York Jets. In the 1980’s, my Dad immigrated to the US from Brazil in the pursuit of happiness and the amelioration of future generations. He arrived in the US with five bucks in his pocket and zero command of the English language. The road to prosperity was difficult, with many bumps along the way because he had to adapt to a brand new environment. When comparing the two countries everything is different: the food, the weather, the people and above all else, the language. One commonality he found was sports. My father is a huge soccer junkie and a diehard fan for his hometown team Cruzeiro. In Brazil, soccer is referred to as “Futebol,” which directly translates to “Football” in English. Furthermore, my father at the time was searching for “Futebol” in the US but what he found was quite a different sport. Although in the beginning, he had no idea what he was watching he was intrigued and interested to learn more about what Americans called football. It was his way of adapting to the new culture as his fandom provided him a sense of belonging. Every Sunday my father would tune in to watch one specific team, the New York Jets. At the time, one of his favorite players was Ken O’Brien but little did he know the haunting truth of the Jets passing on a Hall of Fame QB in Dan Marino. As the years went by, he fully immersed himself in the American culture and his love for the Jets grew more by the day. He has been a diehard fan ever since.
Attending a New York Jets preseason game per yearly tradition, during the point of the season when we still have hope.
My father’s fervent passion for the Jets was passed down to me at a young age. Every Sunday, we would be glued to the couch to watch the Jets take on their opponent with irrational optimism that the Green and White would win every game. To my mother’s dismay, we had a Sunday routine where at least one hour prior to each game we would toss the pigskin in our apartment living room. He would always remind me about my hand placement on the football so that I would consistently throw a perfect spiral. Yes, plenty of glassware was shattered in the apartment through the years by our shenanigans (please don’t remind my mother), but the memories created were infinitely more valuable.
Tailgating with Pops and the boys before a Jets game at MetLife Stadium.
Together we have shared copious moments together as Jets fans that have struck a wide range of emotions. From my favorite Jets victory against the New England Patriots in the 2010 AFC divisional game to the infamous “Butt Fumble” on Thanksgiving Thursday (which we attended at Metlife), my 20+ years as Jets fan has been emotional rollercoaster, but there isn’t anyone who I would rather have by my side for the ride other than my Dad.
Sports in general, and specifically his commitment to learning and embracing himself in the tradition of being a Jets fan helped foster his cultural immersion and provided me numerous lifetime memories for the two of us. Sports to this day has played a prominent role in my relationship with my Dad and I am forever grateful for it. Rooting for the Jets, although oftentimes painful, will always be a bond that we share and what we can only hope for is that we will get to the top of that ride witnessing a Super Bowl Championship together. Although that moment may currently seem out of sight, as fans we have to have the hope that we will get there one day, and in anticipation for that moment the only two words that come to mind come straight from the mouth of Bart Scott, “CAN’T WAIT!”