I watched Game 7 in an identity crisis.
This post is about baseball. Sort of…
It’s really about people. The Toronto Blue Jays faced the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship this week.
In case you didn’t already know that.
I was born in Canada, but I grew up just south of Seattle. My formative years.
I’ve been back in Canada for nearly three decades. Raised my family here. I’m so Canadian, I even sound more Canadian than most of my friends, eh.
So… the Blue Jays are my team, right? But the Mariners? They’re my hometown team.
The soul siblings to my Seahawks.
Also, they’re the only team in Major League Baseball never to make it to the World Series. Ever. And truth be told, I’m not really that into baseball.
162 really long games a year. My attention span can’t handle it. So why do I feel compelled to choose in the first place? Aren’t we wired to pick a team? Choose sides and all that?
Plus, this series had all the ingredients to draw me in: My two cities. High stakes. Everyone talking about it. I’m in.
Toronto it is. Go Jays.
Then I talked to my friend Stacy, the biggest Mariners fan I know. Probably the biggest baseball fan, period.
And I thought… maybe, for Stacy’s sake: Go Mariners?
As if the world, the baseball gods, or either team was waiting for my vote to seal the win.
After their second loss, Stacy was embarrassed. Not by how she felt, but by how she behaved the next day. I wasn’t there, but I think she might owe a few people an apology. 🥴
Another friend, a loyal Toronto fan, couldn’t even watch. Too stressful. I get that. I feel it with Seahawks games.
Sometimes I actually enjoy watching other teams more… no skin in the game.
My husband takes “breaks” mid-game to give the Oilers some space from the pressure he’s putting on them. So when Game 7 rolled around, I texted my Seattle friends:
“Go baseball players.”
Then I quietly rooted for Toronto.
Went to bed before the game ended. Woke up in the middle of the night to check the score. So happy for Toronto. And then….sad for Seattle. The rollercoaster of fandom.
In the days since, there’ve been so many conversations:
- Where were you when you watched?
- That final home run.
- The players. How we love them. Who we love most.
- My sad Seattle friends. I haven’t talked to any of them yet. 😬
Here’s what struck me:
Same game. Same stakes. Totally different responses.
Some people yell. Some go silent. Some pace. Or swear. Or cry.
Some bail out completely just to protect their nerves. Others lean in like their loyalty might tip the outcome.
And then… There are the people who don’t care at all. My daughter, Molly, is one of them. Was there a baseball game?
But for those of us who do get swept up, it’s such a fascinating study of human behavior.
- What makes us care?
- How do we show it?
- And what does it do to us — in the moment and after?
My husband still can’t talk about the last two Stanley Cup finals. It hurts too much.
What does our reaction to sports say about the rest of life? So much of it is beautiful.
And it is a gift — to care that much about something. To be that engaged.
You’d have to think that same emotional fingerprint shows up elsewhere:
In how we handle tension at work.
In how we support friends through failure.
In what we do when things don’t go our way.
- Do you hold on tight?
- Or let go early?
- Do you get louder?
- Or go quiet?
- Do you keep showing up?
- Or quietly disappear?
What can we learn from our own patterns — the good, the bad… the ugly?
And once you see it…
- Do I want to keep showing up that way?
- Or is there a new play I’m ready to run?
I choose all the energy and enthusiasm that caring brings. Life is way more fun when you pick a team.
Go Blue Jays!!
Crush LA. Steal their avocado toast and their dignity.
Hey Molly, there’s a pretty big game tomorrow night. Tune in, maybe?
New to One Thing Thursdays?
Each week, I share something I’m learning, living, or working out in real time. It’s part storytelling, part reflection. I hope there’s something in it for you too.
Get it straight to your inbox every Thursday! Subscribe to our newsletter
Mary
P.S. We help visionary leaders and organizations achieve more impact through purpose, engagement and storytelling. When you’re ready, here’s how we can help:
- Build the story of your impact through Envision OnPrpose™
- Energize your people’s potential from the inside out with Engage OnPrpose™
- Amplify your industry voice through Influence OnPrpose™
- Develop purpose-driven leaders and storytellers with Influential Leaders Circle™