I Love to Hate Football

I love football, but not for the obvious reasons. At best, I’m a fair weather sports fan and will only watch a game if certain stars are aligned. First requirement: my favorite teams must be playing against teams I hate. FYI, the teams I love wear attractive color combinations or are from my home state of New York. Conversely, the teams I hate have unattractive uniforms and typically destroy the Giants, Jets, and Bills (talk about a formula for failure).

Next requirement: my algorithm leads to a pivotal game, like the play-offs or Super Bowl. I’m already hanging by a thread at this point since my home teams usually end up as wild cards – if they’re lucky.

Last step in the sorting process: I have nothing else to do (hundred-to-one odds). Especially since I’d have to give up that precious me-time while my husband watches the game in question.

So how can I possibly claim to love football? Because it provides an estimated 24 hours per week of personal time. Between college games on Saturday, pro games on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday – not to mention the pre- and post- game analysis, I am a merry football widow .

Then there are those football stories that are more heart-wrenching than any daytime soap could ever be. Think Brian’s Song, Blindside, and Rudy. These inspiring movies describe the lowest and highest points in an athlete’s life, and are testaments to the endurance of the human spirit. I’ve shed way more tears watching the struggles of antiheroes than any tale of star-crossed lovers.

We Gladiators About to Die Salute You

Last but not least, football players are new age gladiators. Not surprising, I am an avid fan of all things ancient Rome, and gladiatorial combat figured large in Roman entertainment. The parallels are many: from the culling and grooming of the finest athletes, to the adoration of fans and the hard-won accolades. The downsides are also striking: critical injuries, punishing training regimens, and post- career pain and suffering.

People love competitive sports, though most of us can’t play on a grand scale. In my case, I lack the courage, talent and drive to compete at even an amateur level. So I live vicariously through those who have earned a place in the spotlight of fandom. To paraphrase the Emperor Commodus, Today I saw a quarterback become more powerful than the leaders of the free world. Or as Mike Ditka said, “If you’re not IN the game, you WATCH the game. That’s life“.

The Romans had their bread and circuses, grand spectacles designed to entertain the populace and create political capital. And we have football, a game of high risk and great rewards that has provided a steady stream of inspirational role models to countless fans. So YES, I’m ready for some football!