Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Happy Fall For All

With a crazy work schedule today, my husband was sweet enough to write a blog for me. So, introducing my guest blogger for the day, my better half, Brad...

For many people, Fall is their most favorite time of the year. There are many great reasons for that. The weather begins to cool, the canyons are on fire with the changing colors of nature, of course there is the harvest, and for some, they look forward to the hunting season. My reasons for loving this time of year are far more simple, but in my opinion every bit as exciting.

Walter Camp is the one that can be blamed for this. He is the one that came up with the idea of a line of scrimmage, and the down and distance rule. Many others have made their contributions along the way, but Mr. Camp is widely considered the father of American Football. So I need to say thank you Walter for helping to make this time of year my favorite.

So what is it that makes this such a great time of the year for me? Football is a violent, almost gladiator like contest. It involves great preparation, strategy and execution. Those that participate at the highest levels are incredible athletes. I believe there is no other sport that requires more team effort than football. And while I enjoy these aspects of the sport, there are other things that are outside of the actual game that I also enjoy. What other sport do you show up for on game day 4 hours before the game starts? Not sure who the founder of tailgating was, but he is a genius. Hanging out with friends and family, throwing around a ball and just hanging out are a great part of the game. At least it is in my family. I have a son that doesn’t like sports all that much, but he rarely misses a game, because he knows it is important to me, and it is a chance for he and I to spend some time together. I appreciate that more then he will ever know.

Football has given me a chance to see several areas of the country as my brothers and I, along with our dad have had the good fortune to travel to many away games. That has been a great chance for us emotionally closed men to bond. I have to remember that because I love Saturday football games in the Fall, it isn’t for everyone. I should have never “surprised” Jeri with a trip to Rice/Eccles stadium and a game time bratwurst for her birthday one year. In my defense it was our first year of marriage and she didn’t have a chance to properly train me. However this year she got the same “birthday surprise”, what a great women to put up with me for 20 years with surprises like that! Jeri has also learned that there is more to the game then a bunch of over sized sweaty guys running into each other and hugging.

So by way of advice let me say a few things.
Season tickets to your favorite team is a great birthday gift, if you’re a guy.
Stadiums are the only place on earth where all the favorite “guy” food can be found in one place, that alone makes it a truly special place to be.
Spending $52 dollars for donuts for a weekend road game is totally reasonable.
We guys really do need a different team shirt for each day of the week.
Occasionally a foam finger, painted belly, or even a cheese head are acceptable fashion statements in the right setting.

Thanks for listening……Brad

6 comments:

Cheri J. Crane said...

Having been the only female in our clan for lo' these many years (until the arrival of my two daughters-in-law and my granddaughter)I totally understand "game day." I often picked the opposite team that my sons and husband were cheering for just to make things exciting. =D

My youngest son loved football from the time he was old enough to walk. He played it all through jr. high and high school and I attended every game . . . threatening to go out on the field waving my trusty purse if things got too far out of hand. (Devin played center all through his football days. Oy, no wonder I'm fighting gray hair!)

We've had a lot of fun together compliments of football. We still get together on occasion for some games and I provide all kinds of "manly" food. Though we women don't always get into football as much as our counterparts (men) we understand that it's important to them, and we hope they understand our great love in live: shopping!!! ;)

Cheri J. Crane said...

That should read: life, not live. My bad . . . and it's early. One should never type anything before 6:00 a.m. Sigh . . .

Lynn Gardner said...

Bravo, Brad, for opening a new vista to those of us who left football behind when our sons graduated high school and we didn't have to sit and freeze every Friday night for months. One year I think I even considering praying that they would not win the regional championship so I wouldn't have to continue for more weeks of State! I didn't and they did go on to win State. My son would never have forgiven me if I had done that! Now I have grandsons who are playing the game and loving it. This Gramma even takes in some of those games. :)

Jennie said...

I don't think anything can make me appreciate football, but hurray for television. My husband can watch the games he chooses and I have free time to read or do something I want to do. I've been a good sport and attended games when someone important to me played, but I thought they'd never end and I'm just not into sitting on hard bleachers freezing. I spent my Junior High and high school years playing in the band for games. At least we got to march around and keep warm. The coach even came to some of our practices and taught us how the game works and is played. That was helpful and appreciated, but football and burnt hotdogs will never replace a good book in my heart. And don't even get me started on inconsiderate family members who think family hlidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have to be spent with the television drowning out all other activities and conversations. But thanks, Brad for subbing for Jeri. It's always fun to get a guest blog.

Jeri Gilchrist said...

Brad and I have a deal. I don't make him go to fabric and craft stores and he doesn't make me go to football games. HOWEVER, to me a tailgating party is another word for family-get-together. Great fun and good food. Love those!

The truth is, he is converting me, very slowly. It has only taken twenty years.

I am fortunate enough to say that I don't have the problem of inconsiderate family members who think the Holidays are spent with the television/game days drowning out all other family activities and conversations because I know that can happen.

It may not be one of my favorite things, but seeing him happy after his favorite team wins a game is. :)

Jeri Gilchrist said...

I forgot one important comment. I forgot to thank Brad for posting for me. This was his first time to ever blog and I am really grateful to him for helping me out.

Thank you dear heart! I think you did a great job! :) I owe you big.