It seems like looking forward to an event will always exceed the event itself. Anyone anticipating a Triple Crown Winner (in baseball or horse racing) or the NBA Finals knows what I'm talking about. Almost every guy who honestly looks back at the first time they had sex (remember those 20 seconds?) knows what I'm talking about. All the people who stood in line for months to see Star Wars: Episode 1 knows what I'm talking about. Why do we do it? Because there is nothing quite as addictive as Hype. We love Hype for one simple reason. Before an event takes place, everything we ever wanted to experience is possible.

Sometimes, Hype is because of the immense amount of preparation. Families spend tens of thousands of dollars to make sure their daughter has the best wedding ever. People tailgate football games, excessively eating and drinking in anticipation of their team crushing the competition. The freaking Olympians have to train for four years to do their thing on the right day.

Sometimes, people are tailor-made for Hype. Mike Tyson has made an entire career on Hype. In the 1980s, he literally scared his opponents into taking dives and getting knocked out in record time. We sadistically love our crazy Hype champion. He beat his wife repeatedly and raped a few other women, bit off chunks of Evander Holyfield's ears, tried to intimidate Lennox Lewis by throwing punches at him in the press conference. When Las Vegas refused to grant him permission to fight in Nevada, a dozen other states rolled out the red carpet for Mr. Hype. Last night, Tyson was pummeled for eight rounds before getting knocked out by Lewis. Is this the end of Mike Tyson? Not if Hype has anything to say about it.

Sometimes, Hype causes overconfidence. The questions asked of the St. Louis Rams before the Super Bowl against the Patriots weren't about whether they would win, but if they could cover the immense point spread. The United States rolled into Vietnam having never lost a war to any great power, let alone a little Pacific coastal country. Remember Ross Perot? All Hype.

Sometimes, Hype is justified. The series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings was one for the ages. The presidential election between Gore and Bush went into overtime. That girl you've been chasing for years might actually be worth it. The Godfather II, Aliens, House II: The Second Story, all worthy flicks to anticipate.

Sometimes, Hype is disastrous. All those new series TV runs promos for three months in advance, Christmas, the Challenger Shuttle, New Coke, that girl you've been chasing for years, Ghostbusters II, House Party II, Almost Any Movie II. We get sucked in hoping for the best of all possible possibilities, and reality slaps us across the face. Hard.

That's just the way it is. As a society, we will always choose to waste our enthusiasm on irrational anticipation before an event rather than justified gratification afterwards. We want our rewards, and we want them yesterday.

So I can hardly wait for...This is going to be the best ever...Can you believe it's about to happen...We will crush them...I can't wait to get my hands on...Only three more days until...I can't wait...I can't wait...I can't wait...

What would this world be without Hype? One day at a time, and no one is looking forward to living like that.

Chris Jungle will come out with The Best Column Ever in a mere seven days!