Tales Of A Football Fan—And His Wife
How does a woman understand her husband's passion for football? The shoe metaphor.
I close my eyes and don't say a word. I replay the game in slow motion in my head, re-analyzing every play, daydreaming of how, if it had only gone differently, I'd still be cheering and pumping my fists in the air. I'd still have my cake and ice cream.
Part II. by Stephanie Powell
My husband, James, is lying in bed, moping because his beloved Green Bay Packers just lost some football game.
"It's just a game," I venture.
"A championship game," he corrects me. The game, excuse me—the championship game, ended two hours ago, and he's still in a bad mood because of it. Frankly, I don't get it. Football is okay. I'm as happy as the next person to throw back a few beers and down greasy pizza on Sunday afternoon while watching men in tight pants run across a field.
But the fact that James' mood revolves around weekly wins and losses? And that on any given Sunday for five months out of the year, his day can be made or ruined by a scoreboard? It boggles my mind. How To Trick Yourself Into Liking Football
"I don't understand why you're so upset," I say. "How can a game affect you so personally?"
James stares at the ceiling and sighs I'm about to remind him that he's not actually playing on the team he's so distraught over, but the lost puppy dog look he gives me makes me think better of it.
"It's not every year a team gets this far," he finally says. "I'll be lucky to see the Packers this deep into the playoffs before I'm 40." Forty, I think, is actually not that far away. But I decide that this, too, is a fact he'd rather not be reminded of at the moment.
"I was just hoping they'd get a chance to win the Super Bowl one last time—especially before Favre retires."
Now it's my turn to stare at the ceiling and sigh. While James goes into some story about his best friend going to summer camp, I rack my brain trying to think of something that I care about as much as he cares about the Packers.
What I finally come up with are shoes. Like football, shoes certainly have the power to alter your mood. When you pull on a pair of pants that are getting too tight to button, for instance—slipping on a cute wedge can take your focus away from your pinched waist. The right heel can make you stand taller and walk prouder. A new pair of tennis shoes can make you feel like maybe actually playing tennis. And purchasing a sparkly pair of beach sandals can even make bathing suit shopping enjoyable. Or at least somewhat bearable.
Of course, shoes can induce trauma on your psyche, too. Like when a pair of your favorite shoes is forced into early retirement. Now there's tragedy for you. Throwing out a pair of your favorite kicks only means on thing: starting fresh. And you never know if a rookie pair will be as good as the previous one. There's no guarantee that they'll fit as well or last as long or be a true team player, looking as good with jeans as they do with dress pants—like your old pair did.
Discussion
Not a football,basketball,baseball,hockey,soccer golf,NASCAR,or even billiards or poker --TV fan. Some actually think the later two ARE sports-and of course the partcipants would have to be 'athletes'. I like physical activity. I even played football for the Air Force and often joined local softball groups. I like to run, sail,canooe, exercise, even use to body build back in my 20's. So it's not as if I'm averse to physical challange. I'm just not a fan of watching them on TV. While I might go and see a Miami Dolphins game or go to Daytona to see a race(it's been a long while), watching one on TV just seems so mindless. Ever observe someone watching a NASCAR race on TV? It appears they're doing a 'range-of-motion' exercise with their neck. Round and round, for hours! Talk about monotomy. And basketball, that involves only lateral movements of the head-left...then right.....then left.....then right. Same head motions as in a ping-pong tournament-only slower. Golf, forget it. Aside from the excitement and suspense of watching it, any fan viewing it with you on TV could have suffered a cardiac arrest at the first tee and you wouldn't ever know it tilll after the 18th hole.
I often wondered if maybe I was missing a certain 'gene' that most other males had. I actually don't miss 'not being interested.' Neither did my wife. Superbowl Sunday is often one of the best days to go out sailing down here in Florida. There's no yahoo's out catching 'wahoo's' out on the water in their noisy motorboats-DWB-ing(Drinking or Drunk While Boating). Florida winters are most often crystal clear skies,moderate temperature, and low humidity. We're the only fools not sitting at home watching TV on such a beautiful day.
Many years ago -in my 20's(a few years ago) I use to join my friends for TV Football games. By my 30''s-when I actually quit drinking altogether, I realized the only real attraction had been a reason for drinking lots of beer. The social aspect was good... I thought. Interacting with old friends, talking about everything, drinking beer and having a good time. The wives or girlfriends got time to chat, and relax and just hang out. When I quit drinking ....and went to join them to watch the games.....I realized- there wasnt much REAL conversation or communication after the first two or three beers. At least nothing you could really call exchange of coherent ideas. And some had opened that third beer on the way TO the game. So, Superbowl Sunday, I go for a jog, and enjoy the intracoastal or the ocean-all to myself. My old friends, who have become even MUCH BIGGER fans thanks to trays of lasagna, cheeses, chips,dip,pretzels,meatballs(alright, I am getting hungry now) and of course-the kegs of beer, can't figure why I don't like sports.
Sports and the Dating Scene. Having recently become single again and even more recently finally checked out some of the internet dating sites- I can't help but notice all the women that are 'die hard' sport enthusiasts. Or so they claim. I'm a little intimidated. NO, I'm very intimidated. I read her bio and am attracted. Pretty face, attractive legs,beautiful eyes "Five foot seven,130lbs Brunette hair, social drinker,smoking-'420'(what is that suppose to mean), enjoy traveling, family,watersports(don't go there) AND NEVER MISS A SEMINOLES,PACKERS, BOSTON BRUINS OR CELTICS GAME! " "So" says she on our first date. "Who's your team this Sunday?" Oh, uh, ya mean football team? " No, this is basketball season." I'd be lost. I'd feel my 'masculinity was in the balance. My longtime friends wife says women just feign interest in sports to relate to men. Well, If I met her and really liked her, and she really was interested in following all the games, I guess I could patronize her interest. Women have been doing it for years.
BTW--- Would this author even be complaining if the Packers had won the Super Bowl???? I think she/he would be ridin' the GOOD YEAR Blimp all da waaaaay home. Whoa Nelly goin' for da deep 6 and screaming a few Hail Mary's along da way. Turn out da the lights--- dat party not over Dandy Don. LOL
The only comparison between football and shoes I can see is they are both maufactured from leather. We say don't compare apples and oranges and heck at least they are both fruit 4 crying out loud! LOL
How bout working Grey's Anatomy, Desperative Housewives, Young and the Restless into the equation eh?
My Super Bowl classic comparison would be General Hospital -the year 1985- the bedroom was like the frozen tundra of Curly Lambeau field home of the Packers. As Luke and Laura walked through the tunnell and entered the aisle to exchange vows no tight ends could be seen- totally blocked- as all offensive strategies were denied and defence stole the show as there was no completed passes , no holes to plunge through and definitely the opposing red zone was inpenetrable. Any and all maneuvers were flagged with Kleenex for illegal procedure as tears flowed. As Luke slipped the Vince Lombardi trophy onto Laura's finger did I also weep profusely as I envisionned Dan Marino shouting I'm going to Disneyland.? Then I understood-soap opera fanatics are worse than the biggest football fan which I consider myself to be.
Many guys I know watched that episode of GH and many women love sports. In a relationship we choose to share in the excitement of our partner's passions or enable them to enjoy them with other friends or alone. Either way, the most fanatical fan of soap operas and/or football would not complain.
Funny too how many football fans later watch the highlights and many soap fans watch North West Afternoon- home of self-appointed soap opera queen/ guru Cindi Reinhart. A voice more annoying than Howard Cosell ever could be.
I think you gotta understand football and/or General Hospital and be at least 35 y/o to even get this posting-LOL-------BTW-- Cardinals 24 Steel Curtain 23--Super Bowl XLIII - February 1st.
don't you think this is a little stereotypical? he likes football, she can't understand unless she's thinking about shoes??? i know plenty of women who are into sports.
I have a friend who's fiance is obsessed with baseball. His mood is determined by whether his team wins or loses. He once woke her up in the middle of the night by yelling at the television--and he was on down the hall in a different room on the other side of the apartment. But she's been great about it--she goes to games with him and is now a fan and has taken it all in stride. She didn't really have a choice, but she's done well with it.
