Do you watch sport on TV with your husband?
My family were a little surprised, I have to say.
My brothers even hassled me a bit. When did you start liking rugby? they’d joke.
I can understand it really. I never particularly paid much attention to rugby growing up. You could hardly call me an avid supporter. But that was until I met someone who was.
Michael loves rugby, and he loves the All Blacks (our national team).
It’s not that I decided to start liking rugby all of sudden, it’s just that Michael’s zeal was kind of contagious.
I would hear random cheers from in front of the TV, and I started lingering around to see what all keenness was about.
Then, he’d start explaining things to me. What makes a good player, our historical rivals, the rules … the more I picked up, the more I started to enjoy it!
At the end of the day, it’s competitive sport, and I love the challenge! I also respect the players’ athleticism. My uncles were athletes, and when you hear about the discipline and focus involved in the training, it’s pretty inspiring.
So now I’m a convert! Yay rugby! And this morning, when our team plays Ireland, and we’re sitting in front of the TV together, I’ll be cheering as much as Michael. 
So, what about you? Do you watch sport on TV with your husband?
Understanding of the game certainly increases a viewer’s interest since they can derive so much more out of it :]
Some people find watching sports really really boring (think golf) so I guess you do need to have some level of enthusiasm or interest in learning about what the bunch of people are doing.
When I first saw rugby in Auckland I was like geez, don’t their heads hurt? Why are they hitting their heads into each other?
Then much later on, I realized reasons behind it :p
Hi aporia - yeah, that’s so true about understanding the game, and the way that increases interest and enjoyment of it. I’ve found that’s the case with most sport for me, except for golf maybe
but then that looks like kind of fun if you were actually a player. Thanks for your comments.
i love college football!!! im in oregon so we’re big Duck fans!!! my man, son and i will sit with each other every game! my daughter is an orphan during football season. she spends a lot of time in her room playing her guitar. i check on her during half time. terrible eh?!
Hi Brigit! I came across your blog through a comment you made on Alece’s blog.
I am slowly getting into basketball with my husband. He is a huge NBA fan, specifically The Lakers, and with them being in the finals, there’s a lot of hype in my house.
I was really encouraged by your post! My husband absolutely loves sports and I am prayerfully trying to be more interested so we can share that joy and excitement.
Have a blessed day!
the all-blacks are my favorite rugby team, which is a bit awkward at times living in south africa and married to a south african man! ha ha.
Hi Tam, that’s so funny!
I know what you mean about watching the game with family though, everyone gets really caught up in it, and it’s so much fun 
Hi gchyayles - great to hear from you
I can relate to hype in the house, it gets like that at our place when it comes to the finals of any series, and it’s great fun! That’s so great that you are taking more of an interest in The Lakers and watching sport with husband - I think it must add to our husband’s enjoyment of it even more 
Hi alece - and may I say what GREAT TASTE you have in rugby teams!! he, he
Actually I visited your beautiful adopted country in April and stayed with a friend who was so passionate about the Springboks, so I got a sense of how much rugby means in South Africa too 
where were you in SA?
We were in Cape Town and just north of there, in a town called Worcester. My brother married a South African lady, and so we went down for their wedding. It is such a beautiful country. Which city do you live in?
I put together a slideshow of pictures if you’d like to see …. http://birgitwhelan.com/2008/04/19/scenes-from-south-africa/
i live in harrismith, which is a tiny town halfway between johannesburg and durban. cape town is gorgeous though; i love it down there. your pictures are great!
I’ve just seen on your site where your ministry is based in Harrismith and learning more about the work you and your husband do working with the churches in the region - so inspiring.
Yeah, Cape Town and the surrounding area is so beautiful, such a dramatic landscape, especially the moutain ranges - really breathtaking.