Sox win. Cubs lost. Bears blew it. Bulls did it. Sporting events mean endless trips to parties, bars and liquor stores. Whether our favorite team wins or loses we still find reason to celebrate. Sports fans have their own sport—getting drunk.

I know because I’m a part of this scenario. How many people out there tailgated on Saturday but skipped the Homecoming game? I did.

What is more fun than throwing some hamburgers on the grill, drinking a couple beers and gabbing with some of your best friends or freezing your butt off on a cold bench, watching girls in silver glitter and thigh-high boots kick their legs around a football field and running from the stampede of crazy people tearing down the goalposts? The first choice also includes a nap. That would be mine.

People in my group still support the Huskies, but far be it for us to lose sleep over a sporting event. People in the other group are the ones who drive my group home.

You see I was in the obnoxious group last year. I was up at 6:00 a.m. at the bars and tailgating at 10:00, only I was too drunk to go to the game. I didn’t want to be the drunken fan pissing off people in the stands. So I left.

When the alarm went off this Saturday morning to get me up and off to the bars, I shut it off. My bed was too warm, my eyes were too heavy and I was just too damn tired. So I rolled over and woke up later to do the tailgating thing.

I felt pretty wise. My friends did the same. We all knew what was best for us. We didn’t need alcohol poisoning.

There’s no problem with indulging, but overindulgence is just plain rude. Does anyone remember seeing any of his friends just completely blitzed out of their minds on Saturday? Are we supposed to believe that their drunkenness was a direct result of the Huskies’ victory? Whatever.

We have forgotten about the enjoyment sports is intended to bring. Alcohol inhibits the enjoyment, and sadly enough we promote this kind of behavior.

Think about Saturday Night Live’s Super Fans. They epitomize this mentality. These guys not only revel in alcohol they relish in food, too. Everybody loves them. ‘Da Fans.

Then there’s the Superbowl that has become a late Christmas in America. Food, fun and spirits. You bring the chips I’ll supply the beer and by half-time we’ll be loaded. ‘Da Bears.

Did anyone watch the NBA Finals from a bar in Chicago? I went to the north side and the cops dressed in their battle gear were everywhere. It was frightening. Could people get crazy enough that they would destroy property as a form of celebration?

If you recall in 1992 when the Bulls had their repeat this happened. The west side of Chicago was completely ransacked. ‘Da Bulls.

We should be surprised that when Mike Ditka was fired, crazy drunken sports fans didn’t torch Soldier Field or Mike McCaskey’s home for that matter. Was Mike that important?

I know of people who cried when Jordan retired and the Sox lost. I could see if they died, but it’s only a game.

When baseball originated in the United States it was done to teach people a lesson. It taught discipline and respect and that is why it became the great American pastime. Baseball proved that when you play by the rules you win.

It wasn’t created for loaded bleacher bums, bar specials, beer commercials, and most importantly so people would become more interested in what brand of beer was at the ball-park and not with who was playing that day.

Once again I have realized that it all boils down to money, the fans spending it, and the team, bar and network owners making a killing.

Somewhere amid the tailgating, sport hype and happy hours we lost sight about the lessons sports have to offer. It’s too bad that most of us were too drunk to notice their departure.