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Sunday, December 09, 2007

how 'bout them 'boyz?

28-27
I know I don't talk about football here, or anywhere/time in life. But I am not, as a friend recently joked, a fair weather fan, only liking my Cowboys when they do well. I am a fairly new fan, who is only within the last two years following my boys.
How could this be? I know. I was raised in Texas, a state where football is like a religion. But I never liked it. I thought it was boring, I didn't get it, my high school football team almost never won a game and there was a little bit of animosity between football and me every few years when Super Bowl Sunday happened to fall on my birthday.
But then I left Texas. After a brief detour in California, I moved here, a place where more often than not when someone (usually male, but not always) finds out I'm from Dallas, the question is "oh, so you must be a Cowboy fan?" And so, out of loyalty to my city, I had to state that yes, it was.
Then another interesting thing happened. I went to a Cowboy's game with family friends one holiday season in Dallas. And the strange thing was that I had a great time. I found the atmosphere incredible, with the enthusiasm in the crowd, and the tailgating outside, and how many people were there...it was a little exhilarating (I hadn't been to a football game since I was very little, and I don't remember much since most people were standing and I couldn't see the field for the fans).
The second thing was my father's friend sat next to me during the entire first half explaining everything that went on. Which I think must have taken a lot of patience since I knew absolutely nothing. And even though I have since forgotten most of what he told me, I remember that during that game, I got it. I understood the game and I actually enjoyed it. I had fun.
Imagine that.
I may not ever be like my co-worker, a woman who can carry on a football conversation with the best of them, but I have a little more understanding to the Sunday afternoon hiatus. And if my birthday should ever fall on Super Bowl Sunday again, well...I'll be understanding as well. Just know that I better get a nice dinner or some flowers later in the week.

2 comments:

Across The River said...

I agree, the atmosphere at a pro football game is pretty incredible. I would normally engage in some good natured trash talk with you, but with my skins this year it would be a pretty short exchange.

Patricia said...

I know...I haven't been following the Skins this year (mainly tracking my Boyz and the Steelers), but that's what I've heard. I'm sorry about that.

Now if only we can get that football atmosphere into a soccer game's audience...that would be a lot of fun.