Fear of the Unknown

When going to sporting events, the people around you make the game experience. The people that go to the game with you, of course, are the main factor. But that is something that you can control. It is what you cant control, that makes the difference between a solid experience, and an experience that is less than desirable. We have all been there. We go to a game, which we spend good money on, only to have the people in front, behind, and adjacent to us ANNOY THE SHIT out of us. Sadly, there is almost nothing we can do about it, besides calling the usher and being a snitch, but that rarely happens. Here are a few examples of the types of people encountered at a sporting event......

1. The Know-it-All complainer: While at the game, somebody near your thinks that they know the ins and outs of the particular sport that you have chosen to attend. Whenever something during the game happens that this particular fan does not approve of, he is first to bitch and moan about said play....but wait, this person also tells whoever they are with what this player should have done...and most of the time they are wrong. It is most non-triumphant to have to listen to these windbags when you attend a game. If they knew what they were talking aboot it wouldn't be as bad.

2. The Drunken Ass-Hole: Ahhh...the good old drunken ass hole. Some one who has had just way to much to drink and cant censor anything he or she does. Just going about their business without a care in the world for anyone else's virgin ears or eyes. This can borderline ruin ones expereince. *Disclaimer*.... I am willing to bet, that ALL OF US have been this type of person before. I beleive I have been in this category twice in the past calendar year (just ask Salah, Sieve x2, Cooney, Jakey, and Pinkham). Hey, it happens, we cannot judge. It's a risk that everyone must be willing to take when buying tickets. If you dont want to deal with these people, buy your own luxury suite.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST.....

3. The Fat Guy/Person with Bad Breath: This situation applies if you don't have a seat at the end of the row, or you are sitting on the outside seats of your group. This is the worst fear of the unknown one could have going to a sporting event. You are either uncomfortably close to someone you don't know, or you cant breathe without being grossed out. DISMAL. When you go to a game and the seat next to you is empty for the duration, you feel like you have hit the lottery. *Disclaimer* The seats at sporting events are fucking TINY. 18 inches wide to be precise. You only have to be minor league overweight for these seats to present you with a problem regarding space. At professional sporting events, it is 100% normal to see 4 guys with their arms around each other so that they can fit, somewhat comfortably, in their seats.

As I look forward to attending games on March 10th, 19th, and 31st (and whatever games there after) there is always the thought in the back of my mind of whether I am going to encounter something of this nature to detract from my experience. Usually never thinking about whether I will detract from someone else's. But hey, thats the fear of the unknown.