There are two days set aside each year for the specific purpose of honoring our parents.
In May, we thank our mothers for everything they do for us and show our gratitude in a number of different ways on Mother's Day.

On this day we commonly give our mothers a bouquet of flowers, take her out or prepare a nice lunch, or give her the day off from the hassles of everyday life.
Sports don't usually factor much into the day, though.

Some sports, such as NASCAR, try every way possible to avoid interrupting this special day by holding their events a day earlier or limiting the number of games.

Major League Baseball has started the tradition of using pink bats and wearing pink wristbands and ribbons on this day while making a special effort to promote breast cancer awareness, an issue that many women support due to the susceptibility of women to this form of cancer.
However, just by scanning the crowd of most games on this day, one can tell that taking their mother to a game isn't a real priority.

But Father's Day seems to be the complete opposite. It seems that this day is related to sports in some way a majority of the time.
If you plan it just right, you can watch some form of racing for nearly eight hours if you so desire.
If racing isn't your thing, maybe you'd prefer to watch golf.
The U.S. Open will come to a conclusion, barring more weather problems or a tie at the end of 72 holes, on Sunday afternoon.

Maybe you'll hit the links with your father as a part of this day.
If neither of those work for you, there's always a full slate of baseball games to watch or go to.
But no matter how you slice it, sports seem to be as much a part of Father's Day as that new tie or power tool you'll give him.

Why is it such an important part of the day?
I think the obvious answer is most males are overly fascinated with sports.
Some of my best memories with my own father growing up are associated with them.
I remember watching Monday Night Football every week with my father when I was younger.

I remember waking up each morning and checking the paper to see who was winning the chase to break the home run record between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1998.
I've spent several evenings breathing dust and rubber at a dirt track with my father.

There's also the countless number of football, basketball, and baseball games we've watched or and the hours we've talked about it as well.
And the list goes on and on.

I know there are plenty of people out there that have their own traditions and special bonds with their father as well.
I know that, like me, many of these traditions and bonds revolve around sports.

For that reason, sports and Father's Day seem to go together as well as turkey and Thanksgiving.
So to all the fathers out there, and especially mine, I want to wish you a happy Father's Day.

Whether today is spent on the couch watching any number of sporting events or its spent doing countless other activities, I hope the day is as meaningful to you as you are to us.