The Masters

It's April in Georgia...and that means a few things. Pollen, nice spring weather, and golf. I'm most excited, at least this weekend, about the latter. I'm watching the second round now of the 72nd Masters Tournament. It really is incredible. Speaking of grass, it really does seem greener there at Augusta National, and the azalea blooms, brighter. But I don't think that's why we watch, for the beauty, although that's part of it. For the Masters, I think it has something to do with the history, the legends that have been made there, and the majesty that goes with it. But why in general do we love to watch sports?

I'm thinking it's something in how we are wired--we rejoice when the impossible is accomplished by the ordinary. We love to see Tiger get in his predicaments, (like on the 18th just now, taking his third shot from another hole's fairway) because we love to watch him get out of it. We love those last second 3-pointers that take us into overtime, like in Monday night's game. Or in the Super Bowl, when Eli Manning broke loose of what appeared to be a sure sack, hurled it to the other end and it was caught by his teammate--with his helmet! That impossible play turned the game around. The underdogs won, and we love it when that happens. But why? I think because we can all indentify with the underdog. We know all too well our limits and frailties, but we also know our potential. When we see another human do something great, it reminds us of our original design--the Image of the Almighty who created us that's still on us.
Sure--it's just sports--but I think when we watch the impossible achieved by a fellow human it echos of the divinity that is a part of our orginal design. We want to believe that ordinary people can do extraordinary things because God is a God that can accomplish those impossiblities in us.
Am I off here? What do you think? Post in the comments...and enjoy your weekend!