The memories, stories, essays, and ruminations included in this work are the products of nearly five decades of Bob Mitchell living, loving, eating, drinking, sleeping, playing, studying, pondering, and going completely crazy ga-ga over sports. Over time Mitchell has learned a few things. Sports are universal, a cosmic entity with a strong appeal to an incredibly wide variety of human beings. They are profound, representing nothing less than a mirror of the human condition, a virtual reflection of the best and the worst in us, and perhaps our most powerful metaphor for the challenges and mysteries of life itself. And, of course, sports can be a therapeutic elixir, inspiring passion, fascination, and nostalgia. The essays in this work reflect all of these ideas and work to show the true power of sports, teamwork, and the influence "the game" (whichever you play) has over our everyday lives.