By Matt Godbee
9:23 PM EST on March 28, 2026
I’m only 37 years old. I say “only” a little tongue-in-cheek, because I feel older than that most days. Years of anxiety, inflation, COVID, and Georgia football games will do that to a man.
A lot has changed as I’ve gotten older. Things I used to enjoy don’t hit the same. Places I used to go don’t even cross my mind anymore. Life—marriage, responsibility, routine—has a way of quietly reshaping everything.
But one of the more unexpected changes has been how I watch sports.
There was a time when a packed sports bar felt like the perfect place to be. The noise, the crowd, the energy—it was all part of the experience. And if you couldn’t make it to the bar, going to the game itself was even better.
Now? I have no desire to do either.
What used to feel exciting now feels exhausting. The sports bar isn’t an experience—it’s an obstacle course between me and the TV. The crowds, the noise, the chaos—it’s all a little too much. And the idea of fighting traffic, standing in lines, and dealing with drunk buffoons makes staying home feel like a luxury. The stadium bathrooms? A constant reminder of the charm of my own.
And maybe that’s the point.
See, getting older doesn’t just change your routine—it changes how you experience the things you once loved. Even sports. Sports will always be a major part of my life; that’s not going to change. But the how and the why certainly have.
Sports have become the main event now—the centerpiece. When life mostly consists of work, the gym, and home, sports fit neatly into the routine.
When you stop making plans to go out—and start making plans not to—sports become the go-to.
My focus has narrowed. The time is there now to actually pay attention, to think about it, to write about it—something I never would have done before, back when my priorities were more aligned with bar tabs and hangovers.
I’ve moved on from taking shots. Now I take naps—and write about sports.
And honestly, I’m good with that.
