Game, set, match!

"Yay! He won the game six to two!" I said to Brent while watching Rafael Nadal at the U.S. Open this past weekend.


"No he didn't. He won the set six to two," he quickly corrected me, then once again proceeded to explain that a "set" is made up of several "games." (I had already flubbed up the lingo earlier in the day when I asked when we'd be heading to the game, and he said we weren't going to just a "game," but instead would be heading to one whole "match.")


You see, it's important to Brent that I understand the way sports work because, like a typical guy, they actually mean something to him. He's actually told me that sports are "the social lubrication of the world." And he was serious.


To me, sports are meant to be PLAYED, not WATCHED. I'd much rather be playing football or basketball or tennis than watching someone else have fun doing it. Whenever the players mess up, I'm usually on the couch or at the stadium screaming, "Put me in, coach!" This annoys Brent a lot, though he's easily annoyed while watching his teams lose.


Back to the tennis match as I am attempting to master the lingo:


"OK, so they play games to see who wins the set. Whoever wins three sets wins the match," I said to Brent slowly, making sure I understood the lingo. "So it's game... then set... then match."


(Wait for the ephiphany)...


"Hey! Do you think that's where the phrase 'game, set, match' comes from?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes and laughs. Rightfully so.