| There had to be a rock, bone or stick throwing | | | | So as part of the extensive scientific research for |
| contest near a cave that sparked the foray into | | | | this Manly Musing, I decided to ask my 13 year-old |
| Sports and sports rules for Ancient Man. And men | | | | son which sports he thought were Manly and |
| have been working on how they can be Alpha | | | | which ones weren't. We agreed on Rugby, |
| Males in some physical, mental or combined | | | | Football and Boxing pretty much right away. Then |
| discipline ever since. | | | | the Man-Boy asked, "How about cheer leading |
| Sports and games usually have one goal -- to | | | | dad?" At this point, I took the opportunity to |
| declare a winner and to let participants defend | | | | remind him of some of the basic Manly principles |
| their title. Regardless of whether it involves | | | | -- Real Men are attracted to women and Real |
| individual or team competition, a winner must be | | | | Men usually like doing stuff that gets them |
| eventually declared. Even in the world's most | | | | sweaty which can result in staying in shape. And |
| popular ball sport, where ties are quite common, | | | | then I let him answer his own question. You |
| soccer/futbol ultimately crowns a winner -- even | | | | guessed it, he concluded that guys cheer leading |
| if it requires such a barbaric showdown called the | | | | qualified as Manly -- and on many dimensions. |
| 'shootout'. | | | | This precious moment of Mentoring in the Man |
| So, what sports are Manly and which ones are | | | | Cave almost brought a tear to my eye, but I |
| way in the opposite direction? When considering | | | | quickly shook off that UnManly emotional |
| the entire spectrum of the sports world, | | | | response. Instead, I complimented him on his wise |
| Tiddlywinks and Pigeon Racing have to rank high | | | | reasoning and gave him a high five. |
| on the Wimpy Scale. For some reason, the | | | | By all accounts, helping my son hone his Manly |
| thought of Team Gatorade high five-ing over | | | | instincts and determine the Manliness of |
| successfully defending their World Pigeon Racing | | | | cheerleading on his own was a modern result of |
| Championship just doesn't get my heart rate up. | | | | real reasoning by a Real Man. And it was certainly |
| However, watching a Real Dude doing something | | | | better than calling him a Neanderthal and smacking |
| super-physical like sky surfing, moto-cross racing | | | | him upside the head with a rock, bone or stick. |
| or wingsuit flying gets the blood pumping of most | | | | Hey -- I think I have another ManSport idea... |
| Manly Men in (literally) a heart beat. | | | | |