I’m one of those rare birds; I don’t need to have any action on a sporting event to enjoy watching. In fact, I learned a long time ago that having do re mi on a game can and will ruin the experience.

And as much as I no longer get worked up when other fans choose to enjoy a baseball game differently than I do, sitting next to someone fixated on the lines instead of the action on the field is a downer.

I’m also not a fan of the intrusion of legalized sports betting in sports. It’s hard to escape this part of the game when you are watching or listening to games or sports talk.

Without a real interest in any of the NFL wildcard teams playing this past weekend, I was able to enjoy the craziness without losing money. I have to admit I enjoyed seeing many of the easy-money bets blow up in the faces of the experts. The large spreads that were sure things-weren’t such sure things. We had some great finishes, collapses and performances from lesser-known players. Hype has always bothered me, and hype (supposedly) supported by the numbers, is even more annoying. Many of these experts are proficient than weather forecasters.

If I can enjoy the games without a rooting interest, how much fun can they be for fans with real connections to players and teams!