MY WIFE HATES SPORTS

Our courtship suggested otherwise, and once I learned the truth, it was too late

We sat in the upper deck at Reunion Arena watching the Mavericks stumble around the court. We checked out a polo match back when there was a field at Willow Bend. We even went to a high school football game to watch two teams neither of us cared about just because watching sports was something fun to do.

But no sporting event offered the sheer enjoyment of professional baseball, where we sat in cheap seats and bought cheap hot dogs. (My wife’s was smeared with so much mustard you couldn’t see the dog or the bun from the top.)

And then something happened that dramatically changed our lives we were married. And only then, after the wedding gift exchange and the honeymoon and the new house, and once her name was all over my meager but still estimable assets, did I find out the truth: My wife hates sports. as we trudged forward with a happy public face.

It’s not that she harbors resentment toward sporting events; she absolutely, positively yawns through sports of all kinds and, as it turns out, always has. Well, I have to say that for a while, I felt duped. This revelation shook our marriage. I considered, privately and without consulting my wife, whether counseling (for her, of course) might help bridge the gap between us. But when I weighed the cost of counseling versus the number of annual sporting event tickets that would then be unaffordable, I glumly accepted my ‘til-death-do-us-part fate.

And then, something happened that completely and dramatically changed our lives again: Our two sons were born, and they loved sports, too!

As the boys became older, and as their interest in sports grew, we did what any self-respecting family does when confronted with life-altering choices.

We voted on which activities to attend, and we agreed that majority ruled.

Rangers game this weekend, who wants to go? 3-1 in favor! Mavs vs. the Thunder? 3-1 in favor! Stars vs. anyone? 3-1 in favor!

Rick Wamre is publisher of Advocate Publishing. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; FAX to 214.823.8866; or e-mail to rwamre@advocatemag.com.

DISTRIBUTION PH/214.560.4203

From time to time thereafter, I tried to conjure the old magic, slyly leaving tickets to a particularly enticing sporting event on the kitchen table the Stars versus the Red Wings, or the Mavs against the Pistons, or the ultimate sporting event, a Rangers double-header (two games on the same day!). No dice.

There seemed to be no way back from this deep, dark hole in our lives, even

ADVERTISING PH/214.560.4203 advertising coordinator: JUDY LILES /214.560.4203 jliles@advocatemag.com advertising sales director: KRISTY GACONNIER /214.560.4213 kgaconnier@advocatemag.com display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS /214.560.4201 bbeavers@advocatemag.com senior advertising consultant: AMY DURANT /214.560.4205 adurant@advocatemag.com advertising consultants: CATHERINE PATE /214.292.0494 cpate@advocatemag.com

Married life is good now, but I’m becoming a little worried since we’re losing our oldest to a college out of state next year; I’m afraid the vote might start looking like 2-1 more often, and that’s a little close for comfort.

But I have an ace up my sleeve for that day when son number two inevitably hits the road and I’ll be looking at a 1-1 standoff again, harkening back to those early, difficult years after we were married.

It turns out, unbeknownst to my wife, that I don’t like shopping. Never have and never will.

NORA JONES /214.292.0962 njones@advocatemag.com MADELYN RYBCZYK /214.292.0485 mrybczyk@advocatemag.com BRANDI STRINGER /469.916.7864 bstringer@advocatemag.com

PATTI MILLER /214.292.0961 pmiller@advocatemag.com classified manager: PRIO BERGER /214.560.4211 pberger@advocatemag.com classified consultants: SALLY ACKERMAN /214.560.4202 sackerman@advocatemag.com SUSAN CLARK /469.916.7866 sclark@advocatemag.com

EDITORIAL PH/ 214.292.2053 publisher: RICK WAMRE /214.560.4212 rwamre@advocatemag.com managing editor: KERI MITCHELL /214.292.0487 kmitchell@advocatemag.com editors: MARLENA CHAVIRA-MEDFORD /214.292.2053 mchavira-medford@advocatemag.com CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB /214.560.4204 chughes@advocatemag.com

RACHEL STONE /214.292.0490 rstone@advocatemag.com senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL /214.560.4206 jneal@advocatemag.com assistant art director: JULIANNE RICE /214.292.0493 jrice@advocatemag.com designers: JEANINE MICHNA-BALES, LARRY OLIVER, contributing editors: JEFF SIEGEL, SALLY WAMRE contributors: SEANCHAFFIN,SANDYGREYSON, BILL KEFFER, GAYLA KOKEL, ERIN MOYER,GEORGEMASON,BLAIRMONIE,ELLENRAFF web editor: COLLEENYANCY /469.916.7860 cyancy@advocatemag.com photo editor: CAN TÜRKYILMAZ /214.560.4200 cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com photographers: ROBERT BUNCH, MARK DAVIS, MOLLY DICKSON interns: ALEX price! Wonderful bedding, pillows,window treatments, fabrics, and trim on site with a workroom in back. Incredible in stock selection or design your own!

2000 Greenville (before Ross @ Oram)

M-F 10 - 5 Sat by appt. 214.515.9109 ibcdesignstudio.com