It has been about 5 weeks since I moved to Chicago (as most of you know). In that time, nothing important has happened.
Living together has been relatively easy going. Well, except for one thing which will become a huge problem if we don't find a resolution soon.
I just need to understand how the rest of you in similar situations deal with this.
Alpa Chino's love of sports is going to make me plan an attack on ESPN headquarters one day. So, I am turning to those of you who may have more experience to help me out.
Folks, it is not as if I don't like sports. I watch the major events every year (or 4 years). Just last week I was yelling at the TV as the NY Giants won the SuperBowl. I watch the Olympics. World Cup. All 4 Tennis Grand Slams. I'll watch European soccer if I happen to catch a game, etc etc. I've been to basketball games at United Center (Chicago) and Madison Square Garden (New York).
But...I just cannot understand Alpa Chino's need to watch EVERY broadcast basketball game during the week.
The way I watch sports is by watching my teams/players. He likes the Bulls. Great. I said I would watch all the Bulls games. The issue here is that I don't see the point in watching the Lakers/Celtics/Knicks/Clippers/Bobcats/whoever play every week if they are not playing the Bulls. He is like this with other sports as well.
This issue is especially aggravating for me when it comes to the NBA. With the late season start, right now it is like there is a game on TV every damn day and Alpa Chino wants to watch all of them. There is pre-game analysis, actual in-game analysis, post-game analysis, AND all the highlight shows during the week and articles online. WTF.
Let me be clear. I am not trying to make him watch Gossip Girl or WEtv's latest bridal inspired reality show while these basketball games are on. In fact, I would say I watch 95% of my TV shows online because there are less commercials this way and, I would not want to subject Alpa Chino to an episode of something like Vampire Diaries. I am not trying to commandeer the TV and force him to watch something I like that he has no interest in.
I would just prefer us to find something we can both watch. The solution is not a second TV. All that would mean is that on any given evening we would be in 2 different rooms watching TV starting from 6pm until we both go to sleep.
I love TV. Trust me, I could easily watch more TV than he does because I have shows on almost every day of the week. But, there is no show that will ever make me get into an argument with him if I can't watch it "live". Not the case with sports. When I put my foot down and he is not able to watch a game, it is Sulkfest 2012 all up in the apartment till he gets over it.
Yes, basketball games are not always available online "live". But, when its the Mavericks against the Heat and he doesn't care about either team, why can't he just watch the highlights online later? Must the game be watched "live" on TV?
I just don't understand it and I have tried to understand. Really.
He is making me hate ESPN and the good folks there have done nothing to me. I don't want to be sports traumatized. The Olympics are starting soon!
So what do I do? I think the solution may be to tone down the TV watching altogether. Instead of trying to get him to pick something we can both enjoy on TV, maybe find something else that does not involve TV. I swear I'll even go to the gym if it means I don't have to watch basketball.
Knowing him, he'll probably try to watch the game on the TVs at the gym.
Men loving sports is cute in commercials, in movies, or on TV. In real life, it is a pain in the ass.
