A working knowledge of cars. An aptitude for working with tools. Possibly a handle on the stock market, for the old-timers.
They're the crutches we lean on when we're spending quality time with the father-in-law; our go-to topics when the boss is feeling chatty. And, if we're being honest, most of us use these as our masculinity measuring sticks. Sure, we're guys because we have the dude-bits down below, but are we really men? Fair or not, we look to these core areas to get an answer.
Well, I've never been one to drool over a car. In fact, I've only ever owned one, and it's a 1993 Toyota with a bumper that has gravity issues. I also probably couldn't tell you the difference between a socket wrench and a miter saw, and i'll admit, up until last year I thought when people compared "portfolios" they were talking about photography.
Some guys are wired for this macho stuff. Unfortunately, I'm not. Not even a little bit.
But that's why I thank God for sports.
I'm the guy who knows more about your team than you do. The guy who cringes when people say "Iowa" and they mean Iowa State. The guy who refuses to miss a game...during baseball season.
I've been that guy for as long as I can remember, and as much as it's come at other things' expense (it took me 20 minutes of highway driving the other day to realize I had a flat tire), it's also the only thing I know.
Am I proud that I can't hang a picture? No. Do I feel like a baboon sending my wife to Pep Boys to install wiper blades? Of course I do . But if you're looking for someone to explain the benefits of a 2-3 zone or handicap the A-10 Tournament field, I'm your man.
It's who I am. It's my curse. And it's why I need this blog.
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A criminal justice professional and aspiring amateur sports writer, Reed Domer-Shank lives in Philadelphia with his beautiful and supportive wife. He follows the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Reds, and Cincinnati Bengals religiously, and attended the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at Reed.domershank@gmail.com, or on Twitter @ReedDS20. To check out Reed's full archive of articles at the Bleacher Report, click HERE!
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A criminal justice professional and aspiring amateur sports writer, Reed Domer-Shank lives in Philadelphia with his beautiful and supportive wife. He follows the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Reds, and Cincinnati Bengals religiously, and attended the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at Reed.domershank@gmail.com, or on Twitter @ReedDS20. To check out Reed's full archive of articles at the Bleacher Report, click HERE!
