You Don't Remember The Score

"If you think back to the first sporting event you went to, you don't remember the score, you don't remember a home run, you don't remember a dunk. You remember who you were with. Were you with your mom, your dad, your brother, on a date?"

-Mark Cuban

I've had the privilege of going to many baseball games at Yankee Stadium, but I'd never been to a professional rugby game.  Two weekends ago, that changed for me.

NYU gave out some tickets to the rugby game for the Harlequins vs. Worcester, so I went with my friend Kat.  Thankfully, it was a beautiful, sunny day in London (I swear, these are becoming more and more common) so the walk from the train station to the stadium wasn't bad at all.  The weather was perfect as we entered and found our seats.

via Kat's Instragram

Now, I'm not really sure about any of the rules of rugby, but we watched some of the players practice, and it kind of looked like grown-men cheerleading.  I couldn't tell you what moves they were practicing or why, but three guys lifted another into the air and he caught the rugby ball.  It looked like something out of the movie "Fired Up."

Thanks but no thanks

Anyway, once the game started, it looked like typical rugby.  You know, guys running each other into the ground and such.  However, I tend to find that I like sporting events for the atmosphere and the people, not just the actual sport.

Last Wednesday, NYU gave students tickets (gosh, isn't NYU great?) to go see the England vs. Denmark soccer game (football match) at Wembley Stadium.  Again, I went with Kat and a few of my other friends to take a quick (3 hour) study break.  

Note the English flags made out
of people in the stands

With a Finance midterm looming the next day, I figured the soccer (football) game would help me relax.  Again, the atmosphere was incredible, and it was even better once England scored!  When basically all the people in the stadium are united, it's such a great, sometimes even overwhelming, environment to be in.  People were running up and down the aisles waving England flags, singing the National Anthem, and cheering so loudly!  It really took my mind off Finance for a few hours (still debating whether this was a good or bad thing...).

So, I can check "going to a rugby game" off my list, and add another experience to the stories I tell my soccer-obsessed cousins when I go home.



Rachel