I often wonder about stupid things. You know, like why a light switch actually has the words “on” and “off” printed on there. I can’t quite explain my curious wondering, but I’ll mark it down as something I’ll learn one day. Excuse the terrible segue, but you’re currently reading the final edition of “A View from the Sidelines” and hopefully you’ve learned something over the past three years.

I know I’ve learned a ton about stuff that I would’ve never cared about before. For example, I’ve learned that gas prices will never dip below $1.50 a gallon ever again and I don’t care because there’s nothing I can do about it. But come on, this column hasn’t been about me, it’s always been about you, except for the few times it’s been about me. My goal when I started this little thing was for you to get caught up in my world and become a tad more cultured when it comes to sports.

For the ladies, maybe you’ve learned what’s really going on inside a man’s mind. For the most part, we think about two things, women and sports. The other stuff just randomly flows like a raging river we hope to conquer to get back to thinking about women and sports. It’s a vicious cycle and I sincerely apologize on behalf of all men.

As for the fellas, you have to know how to talk sports with other guys because it’s a great icebreaker when your wife or girlfriend brings you to another couple’s house and you have to chit-chat with the other guy. There’s nothing more irritating than asking me if I’ve hunted elk in the Sahara while you sit there not knowing the purpose of middle relief pitching. 

But as I look back at the last three years that I’ve been attempting to write something humorous and educational, it’s amazing to think of what has happened in the world of sports. We’ve seen LeBron James turn into an international superstar, we’ve seen Kobe Bryant’s reputation head down the pooper and we’ve seen the word “dynasty” come back to the forefront of society in the form of New England and USC. Steroids, oh how could I forget about steroids, are now thought about after every home run, bets are being wagered on when Terrell Owens will have his next tirade and the Kansas City Royals still suck.

One of the stories that stands out the most is the “Malice in the Palace.” By far one of the worst scenes in the history of sports, Ron Artest and the rest of the Indiana Pacers decided it was a good idea to rumble with the fans in Detroit. The fact that it was a televised game on ESPN didn’t help the image of the NBA and I really haven’t been interested in pro basketball since then. Heck, I haven’t been into the NBA since Michael Jordan retired the second time.

We have also caught liars dead in their tracks. You can accuse Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa all you want when it comes to being juiced, but Rafael Palmeiro is the only one who failed a drug test. “I have never used steroids, period!” Right, and I never ate glue in second grade either.

But nothing has compared to the NFL over the past few years. The marketing guru’s for the league are outstanding. There’s no reason I should get psyched up for the release of next season’s preseason schedule, but the second it comes out, I’m surfing the Web sites like Laird Hamilton on a wave in Hawaii. I know, I’ve never mentioned ol’ Laird before, so there’s your surfing props. Seriously though, football is my passion and that was the real reason I began writing this thing in the first place. Not only have I been able to profess my love for football here, this little thing has allowed me to meet a number of superstar athletes.

In meeting those athletes, however, my views on certain people have changed dramatically. Take Bret Boone for example. Before I met him a few years back, I had always heard that he was a very difficult guy to talk to you, just extremely arrogant. That couldn’t be further from the truth. When I caught up with him at a Seahawks game last year, he remembered me from earlier in the year when he was still a member of the Mariners and was still just super cool. A few weeks ago when I met Frank Thomas of the Oakland A’s, my view of him changed completely. I simply lost all respect I had for the man. Sorry folks, just the way it is.

Who would’ve guessed I would’ve been able to play catch with Marshall Faulk and rub elbows with “New York Vinny” or chat with Shaun Alexander in the Seahawks locker room? The best part is, I’ve been able to share these experiences with you, and not at all to make you the least bit jealous. I’ve interviewed baseball Hall of Famer’s like Bob Feller and Harmon Killebrew, all in the best interest of you, my faithful readers. Psych (as I jump back in time to 1991), I’m just playing, that was all for me, man!

We’ve covered Mike Tyson, the boom of Texas Hold ‘Em and fantasy sports. But the best story I heard over the last three years was about my man, Jason McElwain. The story of the autistic high schooler who didn’t let his disability get in the way of his hoop dream is fantastic. Do yourself a favor when your kids and grandkids grow up. Find that story and show it to them. It’s heartwarming no matter how tough you think you are.

All in all, I’ve enjoyed writing this column, which is good considering I did it every week. My honest to goodness hope is that you took something from it each and every week. Whether you made fun of my picture or told your friends what an idiot that sports guy is, as long as you got something out of it, I did my job. As sports fans, we must continue to try to end racism, sexism and all cultural biases in the world of sports. If we can do that, it’s a step in the right direction of ending the hatred the world faces these days. Sports has an impact on all of us, whether you realize it or not. Hopefully some of the issues I’ve tackled over the past three years have impacted your life because the kind words I’ve received from you during that time have certainly impacted mine. Respect!