When I first decided to honor Valentine’s Day by writing a sports column about how to take a non-sports fan on a sports-oriented date, the ideas I came up with on my own veered toward things like a scavenger hunt around the University’s sports facilities, or teaching your significant other to shoot hoops with the promise of ice cream and kisses afterwards.
But after a discussion with several of my gal pals (one of whom initially seemed completely mortified by the idea that I was trying to encourage people to incorporate sports into Valentine’s Day), what soon became abundantly clear was that many girls are actually not opposed to sports in terms of the physical activity. (Girls don’t necessarily have to spend five hours at the mall to have fun. They like being active too.) The reason your girlfriend groans when you settle into the couch for a three-hour long football date with your TV is probably more because she finds the act of watching 22 men jostle for a tiny ball incredibly snooze inducing.
Thus I present, written by a committee of girls no less: how to incorporate sports into your date with a non-sports fan, and do it with some semblance of romance.
Rule number one: You can add sports to some aspects of the date, but there are certain factors that should remain the same if you want things to go somewhat smoothly.
For one thing, unless you’re absolutely positive that your girlfriend is an XBox fan or a Ducks basketball maniac, shy away from Madden 2007 or personalized jerseys as Valentine’s Day gifts: Tempting as it might seem, a Ducks basketball jersey with your girlfriend’s name on the back is not the most romantic gift in the world.
In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s probably a good idea to not athleticize the gift too much: Keep that standard and pander to your significant other’s likes. After all, every experiment has got to have at least one constant to balance out all the variables, right?
Now, depending on how involved you are with someone else, cutting a deal’s always good: If you let me teach you to rock climb, I will return the favor later tonight with the lights out, football-shaped candles lit, and massage oil on the bathtub ledge.
Hikes for two with a picnic and a sunset to cap things off were also high on my female advice panel’s list of ‘good, sports-related dates.’ Apparently girls like picnics a lot more than I ever knew. You could try to make the food, we always appreciate the effort. But if it comes to a point where what used to look edible suddenly looks as unrecognizable, Market of Choice has some pretty good sushi and an assortment of different kinds of sandwiches and salads.
Skydiving, if you can afford it, would be a nice change up from the standard dinner-movie combination. Just make sure neither one of you is afraid of heights. Otherwise that could turn out slightly embarrassing.
Eugene has always been a good place for frisbee, frisbee golf, mini golf, or monster golf. And while I personally hate golf, I feel as if I could be convinced to go on a golf date if I were offered an incentive after every ball I sank. So be creative: combine the sports element with the romantic element. Handing out a kiss coupon after every hole would definitely compensate for the boredom presented by spending a day at the golf course.
Also, you’d be surprised by how frequently bodies of water factor into people’s nighttime fantasies. The hot springs aren’t that far away. certain places have hot tubs that you could rent for you and your beloved after a sweaty afternoon of rock climbing/tennis/golf/shooting hoops, and the appeal of a fun shower afterward can’t hurt.
Top it all off with dinner – I dare you to take your date to a sports bar… heh heh. That was a joke by the way – and a quiet night at home with a romance-infused sports movie.
I emphasize the term “romance-infused.” Meaning that your date would probably not be particularly thrilled by action-oriented sports movies like Any Given Sunday. Any of Stallone’s fifty different versions of Rocky are also not a great idea.
Instead, here’s a list of good sports movies in terms of increasing romance quotient.
In the spirit of being inclusive of everyone’s sexual orientations, Personal Best and A League of Their Own are two good sports movies sans a male presence.
But for everyone else, first on the list: Love and Basketball – this one’s a classic if both of you have some working interest in sports. The Replacements is a good one too because it features a bunch of goofballs and Keanu Reeves (while he’s a pretty wooden actor, most girls would probably agree that he’s not too painful on the eyes.) I’ve always liked the Mighty Ducks movies, but if that’s too 1990s for you, The Natural or Happy Gilmore could work too. Finally, hardcore Duck fans might enjoy the Steve Prefontaine biopic Without Limits.
After the movie, either fall asleep on the couch or end the night with a bout of, uh, wrestling. Heh.
Have a happy Valentine’s Day. And as a last note from the girl-advice panel: Don’t forget the flowers. Everyone likes those.
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Putting balls into your Valentine’s Day date night
Daily Emerald
February 13, 2007
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