Those who know me must think I'm on drugs. This is no great confession - I don't know diddly about football. Gasp! I've never been a bonafide fan, and I'll get more into that in a minute. Last night, Akemi and I were invited by my new boss to attend a Jaguars pre-season game against the Miami Dolphins. He's a season ticket holder. I wanted Akemi to witness a real American professional football game and all the sensory accoutrements that go along with it -- the food, the noise, the smells, the sounds, the people. Oh, especially the people! Where else do you get to see as many people standup in reverence for the playing of Lynyrd Skynyrd as you do for the playing of the national anthem? One large man wearing a Dan Marino jersey actually stood for the entire duration of the game yelling gibberish. Nonetheless, we had great seats, ate an awesome Polish sausage dog and a bag of hot boiled peanuts, and enjoyed the company of our gracious hosts.
So back to football fandom. When I was growing up, if there was an athletic event being viewed on tv, it was either boxing, tennis, or soccer. My dad couldn't stand football, especially when it delayed his beloved news or 60 Minutes. He was like Kathy Bates in "Waterboy" - "Who wants to watch foosball and all them gorillas jumping on each other?". Thus, football never affected me the way it does other people. I've never lived or died the way others do on how their team performs. In fact, it always puzzled on what kind of criteria people went by in choosing "their" team. Is it where they live? Is it where they've lived in the past? Is it the team mascot? Is it the team colors? Is it the players? Is it the coach? Is it because they played some form of organized football themselves? I've seen many obsessed Gators and Bulldogs fans who certainly did not attend those schools - some of them looked like they could barely count to ten, much less fill out a college application. Sure, I grew up playing football with neighborhood friends, but it was never more than throw, catch, run, tackle (anybody remember "smear the queer with the ball"?). I never learned the rules, positions, plays, etc., and I never made any effort too. I couldn't tell you the difference between a full back, a half back, or a running back - isn't there a hunch back, a baby back, and a flap jack in there somewhere too? I kind of caught a lot of flack for my apathy from my friends in dental school when everyone was mesmerized by Steve Spurrier's reign of victory with the Gators - it just appalled people that I didn't give a flip. Well you's just un-Amercan, boy!!
But now that I'm all grows up, I'm really trying to make an effort to understand and appreciate football. I'll get there, just give me time. If I work real hard, watch all the games, and study all the stats, maybe one day you'll see me on the jumbotron at a Jag's game, shirtless with a teal and gold afro, just dancing my little heart out to "Sweet Home Alabama". When you dream, dream big!
He hasn't blinked in half an hour! Is he is still breathing?
1 comment:
I never understood the whole football frenzy myself until a few years ago when I went to my first game. There was something in me that changed that day as I stood while they sang the national anthem and the falcon flew around the dome. Then the fireworks went off and the crowd went crazy as they introduced the players. From that day on I was hooked. I quickly learned everything about the game, the rules, the objectives, the calls. I could probably be an announcer and do a better job than half of the schmucks they've got on the tube. Maybe it takes a certain type of person but I guess I'm that type because I'm soooooo ready for some football!!!!
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