Is Parenting a Sport???

Looks just like his father...

Most of you know we're expecting a new member in the LB family some time in November, a boy to finally even the score in this joint.  Many other new additions in the fams of the LB crew in the last year or so, including a recent little lady to Boing (now on Twitter!), Fah's second son, and a baby boy to "who knew he read every week"... let's call him... Bob.  I think he'll know who he is with that one.  Rumor has it many other may be in the pipeline?  Homonym!  YES!!!  I'll be here all week.

Anyways, thought it was time to re-post the only post not about sports, and that was our fatherhood post from a couple years back, guest starring Fah T and Major Mojo who, quite honestly, both hit it on the head.  I have a bigger question when it comes to parenting, though...



Is parenting a sport?

Never has been, never was, never will be.

In case you didn't notice the hyperlink, here is the LB definition of sport:  Sport (n) (sp-O-urt) – any athletic competition during which there is a reasonable opportunity for physical injury when played as the rules dictate.

I think any parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or babysitter will agree that there is "reasonable opportunity for physical injury" when parenting on a regular basis.  Hell, my kid ends up with bloody knees I don't notice til bath time cause she just keeps on truckin' (miss you, Jerry.).  You can't deny the cardio, either.  Anyone else out there exhausted after a day with the kid?  Seriously, where the f**k do they come up with the energy sometimes?  Anyways, so our concern here is whether this is an athletic competition... hmm....

Ahhhh....

One could easily argue being in shape makes parenting easier, i.e., it's pretty damn physical a lot of the time.  Mine's new favorite game is to laugh, then take off in the other direction.  2nd favorite?  Bounce on the bed when we have to go in the morning and see if Daddy can brush my hair.  And anyone who thinks parents don't compete?  Uhhhh... case in point -  

Took ARG to Little Gym a couple weeks ago, and we're chillin' on the high bars, swinging like a monkey.  This rather obese rather obsessive (editor's note - making LB be nice, it's a parenting article.  And he needs the karma) loving, nurturing, clearly good mother (gag me) comes over following her kid, who clearly wants to climb and swing, and makes her count the grips on a rock wall that is laying horizontally on its side nowhere near the playing areas.  Now, I'll give you the girl was a good counter, but this is Little Gym, not school!  They run around like nuts, climing on gym equipment and mats, chasing bubbles, and singing songs (seriously, they need to make one for adults and serve liquor.  Can someone start this business?  Check out that link for real, highly recommend it for your toddler.).  Just sit at the local park or a doctor's office for like 5 minutes and tell me parenting isn't competitive.  As Frenchie so eloquently put it, "your kids are the only ones you truly want to see do better than you."  I'd add family and some close friends here, but you get the point.

Alas, as much as I would LOVE to stick it to NASCAR fan again here (though I know I already got to one of them who has probably not finished reading this yet and is tweeting and emailing me as we speak), I can't really call this grand experiment an athletic competion.  Physical?  Athletic?  Demanding?  Competitive?  Yessir.  Just not all in one.

Cheers to you, NASCAR.

On to the main course.  This is one of my favorite LB posts, so I hope you enjoy reading it again as much as I did.  Thanks to my parents, it hangs in my house.  Thanks to my co-writers and many, many conversations the past couple years with my close friends and family, those with and without kids, the post means even more now.  Thank you all for being a part of my and my family's life. 

Click here for the original post. 

Sign of Mayan Doom - Last weekend, a fight broke out at a wedding in one of the nicest sections of Philly, leaving one dead and cops tasering people.  The dude who started it was from a suburb of NYC.  The Mayans are pitting our law enforcement against us during the happiest times of our lives, severing families across the world, and doing all men a huge favor.  Thank you, Mayans.

Week 6 Picks 7-6, 3-1 Locks (hells yes!) last week(pre MNF), 32-38-1, 4-4 Locks overall

Pittsburgh (-5) at Tennessee - Titans keep getting smoked, and yet, their lines keep seeming small.  So weird.  No lock, but I'd lay some cash in a drunken stupor in Vegas.  Hell, why not, I'm not betting on this anyways.  Lock #1.

Miami (-3) vs. St. Louis - I like this Miami team.  They're feisty.  That said, I'd rather watch the Y*****s than watch this game.

Baltimore (-3.5) vs. Dallas - Every time I ignore the fishy line rule, it works.  Lock #2, love the Ravens here.

Detroit (+5) at Philadelphia - 1.  Mojo is coming down and we're going to the game, so I gotta give him something.  2.  Philly hasn't won a game by more than 2 points.  3.  I've seen them blow too many games at home versus average teams.

Cleveland (+1.5) vs. Cincinnatti - What the hell is that line?  Is this where the Browns avoid 0-16???  I started this post Monday, and it was 2.5.  It's Tuesday, and that's the line.  Bet down???  Tease that line to 10.5 with Pittsburgh +4 and Baltimore +5.5.  LB 3 team teasers are 1-0, FYI.

Indianapolis (+3) at NY Jets - Really?  That game against the Texans sold you on the Jets?  Really?

Tampa Bay (-3) vs. Kansas City - Or with Tampa +6.  Did you see how the Chiefs fans were cheering when Cassel got hurt?  Pathetic.  And Philly fans who said they would have been crucified for that are absolutely right.

Atlanta (-9) vs. Oakland  - Atlanta's due to light someone up.  I say it happens in their dome.

New England (-3.5) at Seattle - Hmmmm... Lock #3.  Pats seem so much more focused now.  Running the ball a lot more.  Smart adjustment.  You watching, Mr. Reid?  Seattle keeps getting lucky, if you ask me.  Or if you don't ask me.  Where did that saying come from, anyways?

Arizona (-4.5) vs. Buffalo - Ugly, ugly from the Cards on Thursday.  Buffalo looks bad enough on the defensive side for the Cards to cover.

NY Giants (+6) at San Francisco - Seen this everywhere from 5.5-7.  This is a huge stay away game for a gambler.  Random note - I don't hate all NY teams.  Just the d-bag Ys.  Giants tough on the road.

Minnesota (+1.5) at Washington - This is such a head scratcher... favored again???  Doesn't Vegas know Washington ain't that good?  Minnesota seems pretty freaking good, and RG3 is a maybe to play.  Stays aways, plays!

Green Bay (+3.5) at Houston - Green Bay HAS to win this game, and that line seems really low.  I think Green Bay is getting respect from last year here.  If Houston wins this, we might seriously have to start calling them the favorites to win the Super Bowl...

San Diego (-1.5) vs. Denver- Tough picks this week, right?  I'm sensing a bad record for me.  This week.  Good Sunday and Monday night games, though.  Is this Peyton getting too much respect here?  San Diego got jobbed in that New Orleans game.

Contact Logical Betting at logicalbetting@gmail.com and www.twitter.com/logicalbetting.  I meant every word about my family and friends.  You all know who you are.  And if the Tigers do their thing, I might see some of you in late October.  Go Tigers!!!