A Little Less Lunatic, Please

We have finally figured out the trick to getting our boys to sit down and watch a UK basketball game with us...

To not act like lunatics.

Yes, it is no secret that the Workmans are True Blue University of Kentucky Wildcats fans.  It is in our blood.  On both sides.  So, with the extra dose of UK fanaticism, wouldn't you expect our offspring to be ready to cheer on the Cats on game day????

Well, not so much.  Actually, we started noticing that when it was game time, our boys were often no where to be found.  Oh, they would tell us they were rooting for Big Blue and always love suiting up in their UK gear, but getting them to actually watch a game with us and share in our excitement and craziness, was just of little interest to them.

And we finally figured out why.

I have always said that watching a UK game with Eric is more like an event.  Especially, if you know my husband.  You would be hard pressed to find a more level headed, mild mannered guy than Eric Workman.  It takes a lot to ruffle his feathers.  And emotions...well, they are just not his thing.  He is good at making his point and expressing himself quite nicely without any dramatic flare or getting emotionally charged.

Unless he is watching Kentucky on the basketball court. 

Then a whole new side of Eric emerges.

His passion certainly comes out and his tone can turn a bit uncharacteristic of his norm, especially if the game is not quite going our way.  He rarely sits down and can emit some pretty heavy nervous energy.  But it is all in good fun. Especially during those games when he gets so nervous that he starts cleaning the house.  No complaints about that.

However, feeling nervous energy from someone whom you rarely feel nervous energy can be a bit confusing to a seven and four-year-old.  And seeing that UK basketball is the one and only thing that seems to send Dad over the edge, we began to see why our little guys were shying away from it.  That is not to say that we want to squelch that competitive spirit and excitement, because those are not bad things.  We just want to bring it down a notch or two, when things are not going the Cats way or when they are having an off night.  And bring it out of the lunatic realm, where both Eric and I have both been guilty of taking it.

It took us a while to figure this crazy conundrum out, but last week, while we were watching the UK vs. LSU game, we noticed that the boys hung around to watch the game with us and cheered alongside us. They were really enjoying themselves and it was so much fun. Then, it hit us, that we, too, were sitting fairly calmly in our seats and not getting too overly excited at the game.  After all, we led the entire game by multiple digits and there really was no threat of losing our number #1 ranking to the Tigers.  It was a most enjoyable experience for our boys, who liked watching the game, without any real lunatic behavior.

So...once we patted ourselves on the backs for being such good detectives, Eric made a deal with Caleb.  Eric gets three strikes during a game...intense or not.  If Eric gets a too overly excited and aggravated, then that is a strike.  And if it happens again, strike two. Three strikes and Caleb is outta there.  And I am sure that means Seth will follow. There is no limit on excited, happy cheering, but Eric has to keep his negative vibes and unauthorized coaching in check.  At least during the games that the boys are watching with us.

We have tried it out on two other games since, and it is working.  We are again watching the Cats play as a family, just like Eric and I did at their age.  And Eric seems less likely to have a heart attack during the games.  It is a win win!

However, I am not sure how all of this will work come March Madness time.  Maybe Caleb will extend the rule to five strikes.  We will see!

Go Cats!!