I walked in on a conversation between my co-workers the other day, nothing unusual, mostly sports talk. One of the guys asked me about my favorite sport. I thought for a moment and ran through a mental list of sporting events that I like to watch. I thought, football, basketball, hockey, auto-racing, I really couldn't name one that stood out from the rest. Another person mentioned his favorite sport was football. He said that no matter which teams were playing he would become so engrossed in the game that he would hold his breath every single play and completely lose track of time. He was definitely passionate about football.

I joined the conversation at this point with the statement "politics are my favorite sport". "We have two primary teams, conservative and liberal. Neither side pursuing a championship, but the dominance of their ideals. Both sides share casual observers and die hard fans alike. Whether the field is a small community or the world stage, the competitors share equal passion for their views."

I have watched every Super Bowl as far back as I can remember, but in my home it was never a major event. At least not compared to the election of 2000, during which I rented a big screen TV and invited a politically diverse group of friends over to watch the returns. There was cheering and booing throughout the evening and we all lost track of time. Tempers flared, words were exchanged, it was about as emotional as any sporting event where everything was on the line and no second chances.

I like watching sports, all sports. There is no substitute for witnessing spirited competition or experiencing the thrill when your team is victorious. In my opinion the greatest sport of them all is American politics and this sport is not just a game.