Football Musings

I have always loved football. 

I remember watching with my dad when I was about 3 or 4 pointing to the players on our black and white tv and asking him, "Are we rooting for the players in the white shirts or the gray shirts, Daddy?"

Yes, my love affair with the game started very young.

I was the only girl in high school that guys knew, "got it".  They could talk about the Giants or Jet game and know and that I understood. 

I watched my high schools football games with great interest.

I drove on the weekends with my parents and my best friend, sister of my heart, Kathy, 45 minutes to my little cousin's football games!  We watched him as a mite, a pee-wee, a junior and a senior, right on up the league.

I turned my Kathy from a football hater into a football-loving, Giants fanatic fan in about 2 years!  It was wonderful!  Phil Simms, ex-quarterback of the Giants came to her work and she damn near passed out with excitement!  I consider her conversion to fan one of my stellar achievements!

Enter my hubby into my life.  An avid Giant fan.  Yay!  We went to a game our first football season together and have tried to continue that tradition whenever we can.

Enter kids, we have always had football on the tv since they were little and they all root for the Giants and Jets!  We are a two team household, as my dad loves the Jets, but liked the Giants, too, and hubby is all GIANTS, but can tolerate the Jets.

I was so thrilled when Fuzzy decided to play football.  I mean, I was really, really over-joyed.  I get to be the football mom!  YAY! 

My mom friends were all, "Oh Dawn, aren't you worried?"

No, not at all.  I really didn't fear him getting hurt.  I know he can, but we know people whose kids have broken things playing soccer and they have almost no pads.  We have added to the minimum pads required, and Fuzzy is very well protected.

Hubby is also on the field as a coach.  It is the only was Fuzzy would play, daddy had to coach and daddy, of course, obliged as he has and does with all the sports the kids have played.  I know that hubby is there to be sure that my Fuzzy will be watched for any problems and there to help him if needed.

So, there we were yesterday in the bleachers.  My parents, Hammer, Pumpkin and myself.  I could barely sit still because I was so excited.  My baby is about to play his first football game!

As he took the field for the first play of the game, my heart was pounding and I was smiling so much that my face still hurts today! 

And, he only played half the game!  lol

I felt like my son was in the Olympics, I wanted to shout out to everyone, that's my SON, after every play.  I kept myself fairly subdued to the outside world, though.  I didn't embarass myself.

However, I am looking forward to the first home game which is October 2nd...then we can go really nuts in the stands!  Hammer wants to paint himself in the team colors....hmmm, not many moms do that, but maybe...

I honestly think I may be enjoying this a little too much!

Be well,
Dawn

Ps.  My sons team lost 22-0.  I don't care!  It was still great!