Although sports are an important aspect of my family's life, we would rather play than watch. I've never understood spending an entire afternoon in front of a television set watching someone else play a game when you could be outside playing the sport yourself. But that's just me.

In fact, I am at a complete loss to understand professional sports. These people, mostly men, get paid millions of dollars to PLAY A GAME and still don't appreciate the status they have achieved.

But the part I really don't understand is the fanaticism that people reach over professional sports teams.

These fans spend their hard-earned dollars to attend these sporting events, or to cloth themselves in team-inspired attire, or to buy products endorsed by these athletes. Yet, win or lose, the fan is not affected by the performance of the team. The only thing hurt is the fan's ego if he or she supports a losing team.

But I digress. What actually got me started thinking about professional sports were some recent stories in the news about professional sports leagues.

The National Hockey League returned to action this season after losing a year to failed talks about what to serve in the concession stands.

Actually, I'm not completely sure about the reason for the cancelation of the season, but I'm sure it involved money and somebody not making enough of it on one side or the other.

My point, and there is one in here, is this: Did anyone miss the NHL being gone, aside from the players, coaches and owners? More to the point, does the absence of a professional sport, any pro sport, really affect anyone beyond that core group of people?

Then, there was the requirement by the head of the National Basketball Association requiring players to wear "dress casual wear" during game-related travel and to and from games.

Numerous excuses came flying from the players, ranging from stifling their individuality to we-don't-earn-enough-and-will-need-a-clothing-stipend.

After I gained control of my laughter, I vowed never to attend a NBA game in the future. This shouldn't be a problem since I never attended one in the past.

In fact, the only professional sporting event I have ever attended was a Chicago White Sox game in the early '90s. And since I didn't pay for the ticket myself, I consider my conscience pretty clean. The event had so little impact on me that I didn't remember being at the game until talking to a college roommate during the World Series last month. Neither of us remembered much about the game, recalling only the vastness and plushiness of the owner's box we were using for the day. After all, isn't that what professional sports is all about?

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While I don't understand professional sports, I do have some support for college sports because the average person -- the student athletes -- can benefit from the games.

I also commend those who are giving up their Nebraska football tickets for this Saturday's game, choosing instead to attend their local high school games for McCook/ Cambridge/Chase County.

Although with the Nebraska football season progressing as it is, how much of a sacrifice are you really making in giving up these tickets?

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One personal comment on Monday's McCook-Holdrege game:

My family and I were returning from Kearney on Monday night and listened to the game via a Holdrege AM station for the first three quarters. The announcer was very gracious and knowledgeable about the McCook players, commending a Bison if he made a good play. He regularly provided background on the Dusters as well as the Bison players. It was interesting to listen to the "other side" for a change of pace.

As we progressed west on our way home, the Holdrege station began to fade away and we listened to the final quarter on KICX.

Now armed with 20/20 hindsight , we wish we would have driven a little slower or came to a stop completely in Holdrege. Why? To listen to the end of the game through the perspective of the Holdrege radio announcer, seeing if he retained his impartiality through the end.

Instead, we celebrated the McCook win and stayed to the right of the road as much as we could. After all, most of the cars passing us in the other direction were filled with Holdrege fans, likely saying things not able to be repeated in a family paper.

-- Ronda Graff is sure she offended many sports fans today, but is fairly certain she won't be sitting next to them at any pro sports game in the near future.