Saturday, September 05, 2009
Are You Ready for Some Football?
I am. College Football, that is. It's useless to try and fight it. I can't fight this feeling any longer. I live in the land of the Florida Gators and have for the past 24 years. I did resist the College Football euphoria that engulfs this area every fall for maybe 2 years. But I couldn't fight it anymore. The feelings are just too strong to ignore forever.
So I became a loyal Gator fan somewhere around 1987. The performance of Emmitt Smith had something to do with that at the time. He was incredible. And I also became a fan of the lowly basketball team in the days of Vernon Maxwell and Andrew Moten, the M and M boys. Good stuff.
You see, I had always been a Major League Baseball and NBA fan. More accurately, a St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Celtics fan. Big time. I never looked at College sports. I was not interested in that level of play. I had a brief interest in the NFL, notably the San Diego Chargers when I lived in San Diego that centered mostly on quarterback Dan Fouts., a great passing quarterback. But I rarely ever paid any attention to any College level sports.
But I succumbed in 1987, with the constant exposure to a well-loved local College team. And I love it. Thankfully I still have much interest in the Cardinals, so the summertime still gives me a reason to be passionate about sports. That ties me over until school is back in session and football begins again.
And that day is today. Coming off of a National Championship season last year, their 2nd in 3 seasons, with the entire starting defense returning and the always potent offense headed by a Hesiman winner in Tim Tebow, I have heard it said that Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas, the excitement for an undefeated season and a repeat Championship is high as it has ever been.
Gainesville is an exciting place in the fall. A magical place where you can feel the excitement in the air vibrating with anticipation at the next game. For those who do not enjoy sports of any kind, this is not the place to be. But for those who do, it is like heaven on earth.
Yeah, I know, college towns are liberal bastions of thought. This is true. I can't stand the politics in Alachua County. I see stupidity and lack of reason everyday and everywhere, but all of that is canceled out by the enjoyment of rugged competition of the nation's best athletes. It's just a game but it is the best way I know of letting it all go by taking a break from the tedium and stress of everyday life and simply rooting for my favorite team in my favorite sports. It's somewhat cathartic, and I like it.
These four months pass by so quickly and before you know it, it will be Christmas. But it will be an exciting four months with lots of ups and downs. It always is.
So come on, Hank. I am Ready for Some Football!
Let's play!
OH.
So I became a loyal Gator fan somewhere around 1987. The performance of Emmitt Smith had something to do with that at the time. He was incredible. And I also became a fan of the lowly basketball team in the days of Vernon Maxwell and Andrew Moten, the M and M boys. Good stuff.
You see, I had always been a Major League Baseball and NBA fan. More accurately, a St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Celtics fan. Big time. I never looked at College sports. I was not interested in that level of play. I had a brief interest in the NFL, notably the San Diego Chargers when I lived in San Diego that centered mostly on quarterback Dan Fouts., a great passing quarterback. But I rarely ever paid any attention to any College level sports.
But I succumbed in 1987, with the constant exposure to a well-loved local College team. And I love it. Thankfully I still have much interest in the Cardinals, so the summertime still gives me a reason to be passionate about sports. That ties me over until school is back in session and football begins again.
And that day is today. Coming off of a National Championship season last year, their 2nd in 3 seasons, with the entire starting defense returning and the always potent offense headed by a Hesiman winner in Tim Tebow, I have heard it said that Superman wears Tim Tebow pajamas, the excitement for an undefeated season and a repeat Championship is high as it has ever been.
Gainesville is an exciting place in the fall. A magical place where you can feel the excitement in the air vibrating with anticipation at the next game. For those who do not enjoy sports of any kind, this is not the place to be. But for those who do, it is like heaven on earth.
Yeah, I know, college towns are liberal bastions of thought. This is true. I can't stand the politics in Alachua County. I see stupidity and lack of reason everyday and everywhere, but all of that is canceled out by the enjoyment of rugged competition of the nation's best athletes. It's just a game but it is the best way I know of letting it all go by taking a break from the tedium and stress of everyday life and simply rooting for my favorite team in my favorite sports. It's somewhat cathartic, and I like it.
These four months pass by so quickly and before you know it, it will be Christmas. But it will be an exciting four months with lots of ups and downs. It always is.
So come on, Hank. I am Ready for Some Football!
Let's play!
OH.
# posted by OH @ 8:08 AM 
