Explaining my Fandom

I don't have to explain anything to you!!! But just in case you were wondering, I thought I would fill you in on why I cheer for particular teams as I wait during halftime of the Badger game. 

Cheering your team on and in turn, talking smack to fans of other teams are two of the most enjoyable aspects of sports. It is tough to describe that feeling of walking into school or the office the morning after a big win! You can't really replicate that with music or sports. You never hear people at work saying "Man, Bon Jovi is going to kick Beck's butt at the Grammy's! I realize they're probably not in the same category, but just roll with me ...

vs.

Wisconsin Badgers: Born and raised in Wisco and graduated from UW-Madison so there you can take it from there ... Why can't they shoot right now BTW? Very frustrating. We cannot lose to UVa. Come on, man! ... Should be an interesting football game on Saturday for the B10 title against Nebraska ... Hopefully Borland and Abrederis will be healthy because I would love to make that 10-hour trip down to LA from SLC again for the Rose Bowl!

Utah Utes: Living in SLC, it is a natural. GO UTES!

Now this is where it gets tricky ... I'm a Wisconsin native, but love Chicago professional sports. Before you ask, "What the hell?", the town I'm from was six miles from the Illinois border and I could make the drive down to Chicago in two hours. So there ... And the most deciding factor was that my dad is a huge fan of all three of these clubs as well, and I have followed in his footsteps.

Chicago Bears: Bear Down! Going to elementary and middle school in Wisconsin was hell when the Pack was winning NFC titles and even a Super Bowl, but it made me a stronger fan in the long run.

Chicago Cubs: Misery loves company so I joined my dad as a 'Loveable Loser'. We Cub fans are an odd sort. Obviously, we're eternal optimists because who the hell would keep coming back for more disappointment season after season, but we are also the most paranoid fan base in pro sports. No one is quicker to say 'Here we go again' faster than Cub fans. I know one thing, when 'it' finally does happen (the Cubs win the World Series for non-sports people), I will be there on Clark Street tipping back a 'tall, cool Budweiser' in the name of Harry Caray.

Chicago Bulls: This organization will always hold a special place in my heart. They '90-91 team that won the NBA title was really the first team I ever got behind and was the first sign to my dad that I was understanding sports. I still remember watching Isiah Thomas and Co. leave the court before Game 4 of the ECF was finished without shaking hands with the Bulls. And one of my dad's favorite memories was of me crying my eyes out while watching a Bulls game against Portland the following year. The Bulls were down big and I thought it was over so I started balling ... but MJ and crew started hitting 3 after 3 and the Bulls came back to pull out the win and good people of Chicago decided to riot. Ahhh, the memories!

  
And like Ron Burgundy would say, "If you don't think these are the greatest teams ever, I will fight you."

- Mike

The A Gap: PUT UP OR SHUT UP

Hey y'all! Welcome to the A-Gap - (what will hopefully become) your essential stop for opinions on professional sports and whatnot! 

Thanks for stopping by (Holy smokes, I want to punch myself in the face for that lame intro.) ... It's Mike DeVine here typing live from my couch in Salt Lake City. I work a lot in a fast-pace environment and don't always get a chance to write for myself so I decided blogging would be the way to go because 140 CHARACTERS CANNOT HOLD ME! (But still go ahead and follow me on Twitter @_MikeDeVine).

Initially I envision this thing to be my own personal soundboard for opinions on professional sports, music, current events, politics, pretty much anything I see fit, but maybe one day I'll be up there with sports blogging giants like EDSBS or In the Bleachers ... SO DON'T WORRY ... I GOT THIS! 

How it began? Basically, my sister Ann just kicked me in the butt to start a blog so here we are ... I fancy myself a pretty good writer and pretty witty at times so why not start a blog. Every nerd in the world "living in their mother's basement" seems to have one, so why not me?

Inspiration of the name? The name of the blog was inspired by football terminology ... the A gap refers to the area between the right and left guards and the center on an offensive line. Success on any play on the gridiron requires success in the A gap. If your guards and centers get blown off the ball, the offense is screwed. If the guards and centers get driven back 5 yards off the line of scrimmage, the offense is going to have the upper hand. Forget the flash of a wide receiver or the flamboyance of a quarterback, the 'A Gap' truly is the first place where games are won or lost (or tied, sometimes I guess).

My hope would be that this blog becomes your first stop for opinions on sports and anything else big happening in the world, so without further ado ... IT'S TIME FOR ME TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP.

- Mike