Rubber Tree Plant

I love the Woody Allen quote: "I was going to buy a book on positive-thinking, but then I figured what the hell good would that do."

I have a 14-year-old sports nut. Last night at dinner, he was overwhelmed with the idea that the Sabres were on, Canisius was playing, and Niagara followed it up with a game at 10 PM. He explained to all of us that it was going to be a night filled with joy as all three teams, full of his favorite beasts, were going to win.

They all lost. Being a lifelong pessimist and an eternally frustrated Sabres and Bills booster, I showed him the front page of the sports, and he quickly left the room.

I have always written stories about an underdog who overcomes the odds. I believe that people love such stories. How can you watch Rocky without feeling all choked up, as Stallone wins one for the good guys?

Yet much of the time, In Real Life, the loser stays the loser and the giants win the fight. An ant can't really move a rubber tree plant, can he? Yet high hopes are the stuff of dreams and while I didn't show my son a lot of sympathy, I do encourage that he keep dreaming.

What he has failed to understand is that sports has become less about high hopes and determination and more about money and filling the stands. I suppose that my boys don't have to learn about that right now.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of heading to Barnes & Noble for that piece on positive thinking.

Oh the hell with it - it won't help.

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