This past Monday night, I had to make the arduous choice of which television program to engage myself in. My choices were the presidential debate, the Chicago Bears game, or the final game of the Major League Baseball NLCS, St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants.

Being an active political enthusiast (pause for laughs) but also a fan of both the Bears and the Cardinals, my decision would require a great deal of thought. Truly, it may well have been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make in the past week, dare I say, week and a half. Would I rather watch seemingly meaningless competition or something as important as two skilled opponents battling for one of America’s most respected positions? Needless to say, I chose to watch the Cardinals game, switching to the Bears game during commercials.

Now, I understand that some of you more politically savvy hipsters out there (Hans Weaver) may criticize me for my eventual decision, but trust me when I say the decision was not an easy one.

It took me several seconds of contemplation before my rational brain finally told my fingers to input the digits for Fox on the clicker instead of PBS, ABC, or CBS (all three of which failed that night in their commitment to provide their viewers with quality entertaining television).

To all you naysayers, baseball haters and Cubs fans who may take pleasure in knowing that my Cardinals suffered an embarrassing defeat, 0-9, to the Giants, I give you each a kind but firm flipping of the bird. Do know, however, that my hostility is only fueled by the fresh wounds that I’m still licking as I sit here writing mere hours after my team’s loss.

The question that you have inevitably been asking, and that I continue to ask myself after the fact is: why did I choose to watch sports, especially sports as boring as baseball, instead of something as thrilling as the presidential debate? The short answer is, “because politics sug.”

The answer I would give after reading NPR the next day is “because the debate was more of a battle of style rather than content.” The real answer has more to do with tradition than anything else. I have many memories from my childhood of watching Cardinal’s games with my dad, going to the ballpark, playing catch in the backyard, little league, etc.

I’m sure many of you can relate, especially that ostracized group on campus, the Goshen baseball team. Also, I figure that because I call myself a Cardinal’s fan, and I didn’t watch a single other game this season, I might as well watch the one game that actually matters.

Oh and as a side note, I would like to apologize to Hans Weaver for making fun of him in this article. Hans is actually a dear friend of mine, which is why I found it appropriate to include him. Hans, don’t worry, brother. I don’t think you’re politically savvy at all.