Commemorate the beginning of Football Season

Today, I thought it might be fun to commemorate the beginning of Football Season by intentionally going to a sports bar and watching the first game of the season. Now, mind you, I've never much cared for or paid attention to Football or Football Season. It usually comes and goes like the weather and I notice a slight change because of other people. This year, it was different.


I have coworkers who have been actively looking forward and gearing up for Football Season. I had an idea when pre-season started, and the guys all got their Fantasy Football Drafts up. Today there was a special buzz and electricity in the air. The excitement and anticipation of football season was to begin today. Also today is 9-9-10. The number 9 for me is a special and favorite number, so it might be an auspicious day to start paying attention to football.


On a whim, decided to go to our local Yankee Doodles Sports Bar, get some greasy burgers, a few beers and actively celebrate the start of Football Season. My husband is a New Orleans Saints fan and I became one as well. We were absolutely thrilled they won the Superbowl last year, and it was a real pleasure to watch them win the first game of the season this year. For the first time ever, I have a football team allegiance and I am paying attention and actually celebrating the first game of Football Season (I capitalize because, let's face it, it's an official title). 


The first game was good. It was made more fun by the beers, the food and the atmosphere of other fans. We missed the first Saints touchdown but saw the non-touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Overall I think they were doing ok, but like I said I don't watch a lot of football so I didn't really know for sure. In the last quarter the Vikings were doing well and I really thought they would score and beat out New Orleans for the first game. No luck there :) 


We were thrilled, committed, excited and a little buzzed. I really like the sports bar atmosphere, without the obnoxious drunk football fans. We love hearing cheers and excitement from other fans and just being part of the whole communal experience of watching football. I don't know a whole lot about the game and don't plan on becoming an obnoxious fan, but I really enjoy the excitement of it all and how attuned so many people can be to their players, their teams and the game.


I might actually call myself a fan if I earn the right after being faithful and paying attention during the season. I've never been a fan before. Never set my heart on a team. This is definitely a first. I'm going to bank on New Orleans Saints for the season. We'll see how I do. Not that I'm unfaithful, but like I said, I've never been a fan and am not sure how to be one. 


I think I have trouble allying myself with something that is completely out of my power to control or influence. It's different if you're invested in say, your weight loss goals or your car, but to be invested in a sports team whose players and outcome have nothing to do with your input, just odd. Not sure how to defend or celebrate in "my" team's wins and losses, when really, how much of it do you identify with? Plus it's a whole team, not a player, so how can you like or dis-like a whole group of people you don't know that much about. Anyway that's my philosophical rant. I'll probably do more research into "The Saints" to see how much of a fan I can become. 


Here's one thing I am a fan of, the city of New Orleans. Before Katrina, I had a long distance love affair with the city of New Orleans. Creole and Cajun food, Mardi Gras and all that Jazz intrigued me and New Orleans is my dream city. Part of my affection for New Orleans has more to do with the spirit of the people and the city. It's a little gritty, dark, roguish, colorful, fun-loving, artistic, lively and soulful. Most of all, New Orleans is recovering with a fighting spirit. The Saints have that spirit of New Orleans and that is something I am a fan of.


So, that is my new thing of the day. I've paid respect to the football gods by choosing a team to support and commemorating and celebrating the first game of the season. This first was definitely a whole lot of fun and I'm looking forward to future games. Woooooo! Go Saints!