While I "lettered" in soccer in junior high and high school, I did so only because I was persistant NOT because I was good at it. I managed to participate in enough sports to earn some sports-related merit badges in scouts but they were never truly an obsession. (Okay, for awhile it was fun being a Non-Mennonite "ringer" on my scout buddy's Mennonite volleyball team. It was fun watching those young, vivacious Mennonite girls jump up and down in their shorts and t-shirts. Man, get some Malt Duck into those cuties and they are as bad as Catholic girls. . .but, I digress. . .)

"From the rainforests to the dustbowls
It's bigger than Jesus,
Bigger than Rock & Roll,
What is it?
Sport!" -- Chumbawamba

Many people have enjoyed playing games like Trivial Pursuit for decades. One specific trivia subject is sports. Sporting activities themselves are almost as old as time itself. In fact, sports can be an almost endless source of trivia.

According to online information, researchers have discovered cave

paintings as well as recorded stories of early European explorers that show us today that sports could very well hearken back to the very beginning of mankind. A great number of the sports that people watch and participate in today, such as what Americans call soccer, have origins that can be traced back to

numerous, different ancient games played many years ago in medieval Europe.

For example, the aristocratic classes of Europe used to play golf, race horses and play other games. Sports trivia, in essence, grew as our society grew. As we went from an agrarian society to an industrial one, our

public school system was born. The school system grew to include classes in physical education, which in turn injected sports into our everyday lives.

When sports became a part of our daily lives so too did additional sources and interests in sports trivia.

The growing popularity of major sports obviously extends to sports trivia as well. The presence of sports trivia books, the numerous sports trivia posts online as well as the sports quizzes there are ample evidence of the popularity of sports trivia.

So sports fans, I've whored myself out for you again. . .and you didn't even have to feed me!  I hope you enjoyed this piece.  if you didn't,  please don't make "sport" of me.

(Sorry.)

My name is Phoenix and . . . that's the bottom line.