OK, I'll admit that I've always been kind of a girly-girl when it comes to understanding football.
This year I was kind of forced into "getting it" a little more because my husband coached football at his high school.
But that doesn't mean I completely enjoyed sitting through the games.
It's not that I don't like sports. In fact, I would consider myself an athlete. I swam competitively from age 5 to age 17. I ran track and cross-country in high school, and was even recruited to run in college. I played Little League softball until I was in 8th grade.
I get sports.
I just never got football.
You see, back when I was in high school, going to my school's football games was all about the social aspect. I don't think I ever really even watched most of the action (or lack thereof) taking place.
My college's football team was... a little pathetic. I remember one of my brothers coming to visit me one weekend, and I took him to a game. We were walking into the stadium and he asked me, "Where do we pay to get in?"
I laughed. Pay!? They were begging people to go.
As for watching the professional teams play, I have really only ever followed (and I use that term rather loosely) the Patriots (of course!).
And I've always watched the Super Bowl because, well... what else is there to do that night but eat and do what everyone else is doing? (Yeah, I follow the crowd like that.)
Sure, I've always understood the major point of the game - the touchdown, the field goal, the grown men touching other grown men on their backsides.
But, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that up until this year, I never really knew that there were guys who just played offense and guys who just played defense. (*Hiding in shame*)
I also didn't get why the words "he's going for it on fourth down" sent people into a panic mode. (*Running away*)
And I swear in the name of Tom Brady, I never knew that the quarterback was only on the field with the offense. (*Changing my name*)
But I'm proud to announce, ladies and gentlemen, that I now get football - for the most part.
I mean, I am still unsure of what the hell everyone on the field is in charge of, what with their fancy names and all - Safety, Linebacker, Tight end, Running back. But I think that's OK, because at least I know what they're trying to accomplish.
In other words, I get the big picture. And I'm cool with that.
So this weekend when I'm watching the Pats play (and hopefully they'll be playing in two weeks, too), I can enjoy the game(s) with my newfound football knowledge. And that makes me happy.
I think it will make the serious-football-fanatic-don't-ask-me-questions-during-these-big-plays men around me happy, too.
- Jane
If you're a Pats fan, or know someone who is, there is a giveaway for 2 wicked awesome Pats T's going on over here.
I too and ready for some football. From the comfort of my livingroom. Not in 15 degrees in Foxboro. And I've gotten by just fine with big picture football.
If I require a little more indepth information, all I have to do is tune into the profanity-laden diatribe being directed at the TV by my husband, brother, and brothers-in-law.
Posted by: Manic Mommy | January 18, 2008 at 03:34 PM
Our new game would be perfect for you!
It's Quick Count Football card game.
My friend referred to herself as a "Football Widow" for 30 years. Now she plays our game with her husband and their friends, and she's starting to "get it" after all these years. Every time she sees me she says "thank you!"
Posted by: Michelle | January 19, 2008 at 02:22 PM
I drove my crazed football fan of a husband crazy for years with my incessant questions.
"What does fourth and inches mean, honey? Third and long? What's a safety? Hey, how come that guy in the stripes threw a yellow bean bag? What's off-sides?"
I'm surprised he didn't divorce me. Seriously.
Now I can just watch the game, which saves me a bunch of icy glares and spares me from scraping nacho cheese out of my ottman.
Go Pats!
Posted by: lemony | January 21, 2008 at 04:49 PM