My Sports TV Buddy is Gone and I’m Bummed

With all due respect to Shabazz Napier, UConn won the 2014 National Title thanks to my dog Midge.

A Chihuahua-Dachshund mix that Tiffany, my fiancée, rescued from a shelter, Midge watched every single second of UConn’s tournament run lying on the couch next to me. Well, almost every single second.

Midge fell asleep next to me as UConn defeated St. Joseph’s in the first round. This probably doesn’t sound that exciting but the dog didn’t usually hang out with me at night. If Tiffany vacated a room, Midge would follow. But as Tiffany escaped March Madness, Midge stayed – presumably to see how many Fritos crumbs she could devour.

But the second round game against Villanova started much later and Midge had no interest in staying away from her bed for that long. So as that game started, Midge was nowhere to be found. As any UConn fan will tell you, the first half of the Villanova game felt like doom.

Until halftime came and Kevin Ollie told the sideline interviewer that UConn would win after they fixed their issues. As soon as Ollie said that, I realized that I needed to fix my issue too! I went into the bedroom, picked up my sleeping dog and gently laid her down next to me on the couch. She didn’t wake up, but UConn did. They easily dispatched Villanova.

Those next few weeks were pretty cool, both as a UConn fan and a narcissist. Not only was UConn winning, but a post I wrote about Kevin Ollie’s greatness picked up steam online. In fact, I was interviewed by a Florida radio station as the UConn “expert” in advance of that Final Four game. The hosts razzed me, but I knew UConn was going to win. And I was right.

When the final whistle blew on that Monday night for UConn to secure their fourth title, the first person – err, being – I high-fived was my dog. Of course, all that did was remind Midge it was nearly midnight and she wasn’t in the bed yet. So she immediately left. And that was fine, Midge had delivered UConn a title.

So of course if I’m writing like this about my dog, it’s because something terrible has happened and that terrible something is that Midge had to be put down earlier in June. I’ve been bummed out, to say the least. I feel so selfish for feeling sad.

Midge was the best. I know everyone says that about their dog, but Midge was the absolute best because she was the absolute toughest. In May 2013, the vet determined that a tumor on her lower abdomen was likely fatal. She was given three to six months. I imagine Midge laughed when getting that diagnosis, since she lived for another four years.

It wasn’t easy for her. She had three surgeries. There’s a good chance she may have lived the final four years of her life with cancer. But there was never a hint of discomfort. It actually concerned us because she was so tough it was hard to know if she was not feeling good.

One of the first times we took Midge to the vet, she had an infection that the vets were able to treat. As Midge was being poked and prodded, she never made a sound. The vet was astounded. “She is so tough,” the vet said. “It must hurt.”

Even if it did hurt, Midge never let on. I am convinced that Midge, rescued after being abandoned on the mean streets of Hartford, was so happy that Tiffany had given her life that she was never going away. No matter what happen. No matter how she felt. She was going to follow Tiffany for as long as she possibly could.

I need to wrap this up soon because the tears dripping down my cheek are making me feel uncomfortable. I could write a million more words about how great Midge was, how much better she made my every day, and how thoroughly depressed I am that she’s gone.

That’s not why I wrote this. I wrote this because Midge’s toughness is something I need to emulate in my daily life, as should we all. Too often, we are too prone to complain and moan about every little thing. I’m guilty as hell of this. Why do we that? Complaining has rarely solved anything.

I will miss Midge the most because she sat on the couch next to me and watched hours and hours of sports on TV with me. I did so this weekend, watching a tremendous Travelers Championship won by Jordan Spieth, but it just wasn’t the same. My TV buddy wasn’t there to enjoy it with me – even if she was more of a Rory booster than a Spieth fan.

My life was better for having Midge in it. If you’ve read this far and are contemplating a dog – please choose a rescue. It will change your life.

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