I was a high school junior by the time I started to really appreciate quality literature and wordplay. It was around that time that I discovered ESPN’s quirky Sportscenter anchors. Rich Eisen, Kenny Mayne, Dan Patrick and John Anderson, just to name a few, were gifts to a teenage boy looking for a way to combine loves of sports, humor and good writing. Chris Berman, in addition to being one of the original ESPN anchors, was larger than life in both his energy on set and his physical size. When many of his colleagues were using catchphrases to liven up their highlights, Berman found his niche by making popular culture references using athletes’ names during his narration.
I loved every minute of it.
The Chicago Bears didn’t produce too many highlights during my high school years; at least, not the kinds of highlights for which they would have been proud. They finished last in their division every season that I was in high school (1997-2000); their best record in that stretch was in 1999, when they went 6-10. Their defense was mediocre and their offense was even worse, largely due to the quality of their quarterbacks. Erik Kramer was in his mid-30s in ’97 and ’98 and at the end of his career. The next two seasons featured the combinations of colossal-draft-bust Cade McNown, the talented-in-college-but-inconsistent-pro Shane Matthews and the serviceable-but-hardly-a-world-beater Jim Miller.
Matthews might not have set the NFL world on fire but he had a few moments in the sun. More importantly, he had a name that rhymed almost exactly with one of the most popular bands of the ’90s and Chris Berman knew it. I can still hear Berman cheering his way through the highlight, describing the Bears scoring play that never came frequently enough.
“The Shane Matthews Band finds The Space Between for the touchdown!”
I was looking for a way to describe my recent mood when I remembered Berman and Matthews. It wasn’t the touchdown that reminded me; on the contrary, scoring celebrations and division titles have been the farthest things from my mind. If anything, lately I’ve been feeling much more connected to the last-place Bears – mistake-prone, overwhelmed by circumstance and unable to control the pace of the game. Every time I’ve felt like I was starting to gain yardage and start a rally, I’ve been cut short by a silly false start penalty or an unforced fumble.
I attributed my struggle, at least in part, to the time of year. The days at the end of December and early January seem to exist in a different dimension than the rest of the calendar year. Time slows down and the days run together between relaxed work schedules and the lack of structure and routine that school days provide. I went to work but wished I was home; I stayed home and felt antsy about not being at work.
You could tell me it's literally any day of the week right now and I would believe you
— Andrew Knott (@aknott21) December 28, 2019
The analogy took root in my head as the rest of my family seemed to present more examples. We were all in a sort of holding pattern as we tried to find the balance between holding our position and moving forward. We wanted to spend time together, playing games and watching movies. But my son had homework, my wife needed to prepare for the second half of the school year and I had paperwork to catch up on for my job. My wife and I tried to reconnect with a date night but we were interrupted by a call from our babysitter and nagging thoughts about caring for aging relatives. We were all caught between two worlds, unable to fully immerse in one or the other, forced to remain in purgatory.
Fortunately, although the new year hasn’t exactly had an auspicious start, I’ve finally started working my way forward again. I’ve been able to refocus my energy, get back into the more productive habits that had been present before, schedule necessary medical and mental health appointments and start matriculating the ball down the field one yard at a time. Whether I reach the end zone, settle for a field goal or even end up punting away remains to be seen; at least I know I’m controlling the pace once again.
Chris Berman would be proud.
(This video clip includes the Shane Matthews Band name, plus references to two other Dave Matthews Band songs; “The Space Between” wasn’t released until 2001.)
