show a little respect

There are many things in this world that demand my respect. And there are a myriad of reasons why I deliver or deny said respect. However, there's one thing that always gets that respect -- clever, funny writing.

I was just perusing a few old blog posts by one of my buddies. Believe it or not, there was some high-class stuff in there. Great stream of conciousness. Terrific one-liners. There's something to be said about the talent that is needed to write high-quality comedy. And I believe my buddy has a gift. At least, that's my snap judgment after reading a dozen or so blogs written 12-24 months ago.

I love comedy. Those who know me well know that. Others may not. I hold it pretty close to the vest, but I love to laugh. Laughter is not only contagious, but it is also therapeutic, I believe. So, if you can make me laugh, you've got my respect.

Why? Because I ain't funny. Sure, I try. I love to tell jokes. I make cracks all the time. What do I get in return? The obligatory smile and nod. You know what I'm talking about. The whole, "This guy is crazy, but let's not hurt his feelings" routine. Hey, it's true! There's no need to hide it. I'm not very funny. It's OK. I've accepted my lot in life. I can't sign. I'm not funny. I wasn't a great athlete. I'm not rocket scientist smart. It's OK. Bret, just keep telling yourself, it's OK.

But there are people out there who truly do have the gift of comedy. Stand-up comedians have built some great careers off telling jokes and making people laugh. Life is tough, man. And people want to escape it. That's why comedy is so important. It gets us an outlet, something to ease the tension and help us not think about how tough life can be. That's also what makes sports so special. We get to get away from all that troubles us and focus on something fun, exciting and not-so-important.

I know what you're thinking ... wasn't I talking about comedy? How did we get back around to sports? Because, in the case of this post, the two aren't mutually exclusive. My buddy was blogging about sports, or more specifically, his favorite professional sports team. For some reason along the way, he decided to hang up hat and ended the blog. I wish he hadn't. Or better yet, I wish he'd come out of his semi-retirement and return to the blogosphere once again.