Are you questioning my fanhood?

"You shouldn't talk about sports with guys. They'll never ask you out if they think you know more about sports than they do."
MJ walks into the office and starts talking to BT about a football game over the weekend. I pretend to be working on a project, but I'm really listening to the weekend sports update. I open and close my mouth many times and bite my lip to stop myself from saying anything until I can't take it anymore. "Did you see that touchdown pass?" I blurt out and then instantly regret my comment when I see 'the look.' It's the 'I'm a guy so I know sports, you're a girl which means you don't know anything look. I'm getting used to that look, but that doesn't mean I like it. I admit there are times when I pretend to not know much about a sport when I first meet someone. MJ goes back to discussing the great plays of the game, but BT interrupts him. "Shelley knows her stuff." MJ laughs and keeps talking, but I'm beginning to think that I was right when I thought MJ gets his sports information from the newspaper and not by actually watching a game once in awhile. "No, really, she knows sports" BJ exclaims. I feel like I'm in a glass box watching my life unravel before me and any moment now I will be laughed at or shunned. This is followed by MJ giving my other favorite look. It's the 'So you think you know sports? I'll be the judge of that look.' MJ quizzes me and I must have answered correctly because since that day MJ comes to the office every Monday to chat sports with BT...and me.
My sports knowledge isn't much, but it'll do for now. I have been known to spout off stats to guys who seem cocky just to let them know they don't know everything. Probably not the best way to handle those situations, but until I find a better solution, that's how it will be. I watch sports because I love the 'game', not so I can make someone feel stupid or to show how much I might know. Growing up, life was playing and watching sports with family and friends.
In college my guy friends thought it was fun to play Mascot Trivia. They would say the name of a college and I was supposed to know the mascot and a couple players from either their football or basketball team. I didn't always know the mascot or who played for a certain team, but it was a great game.
I have a friend who wants me to date a guy she knows. Why? Partly because he's a guy and I'm a girl, but also because she thinks we're the perfect sports match. The plan was to meet after a basketball game, but his team lost to my team and he didn't feel like meeting. Uh, okay. I'm not sure I want to date someone who is that passionate or zealous about a team. Still haven't met the guy, but maybe if his team ever beats my team, we can finally meet...unless I lock myself in my room after the loss.
There's something about sports that makes me happy. Seeing two teams who have prepared for competition battle for bragging rights and so much more is what I love. So the next time we talk about sports, understand that I am not trying to hurt your ego and most of the time I will let you think you know more-I'm that nice.