Football: The great distractor
Thank God for fall Sundays.
My team, the Tennessee Titans, are now 4-0, their best start ever (even when they were called the Oilers and located in Houston). Only the Buffalo Bills have as good a record. The Titans grind out wins — their longest run on Sunday was just nine yards, and their quarterback is Kerry Collins, a graying veteran taking the place of an emotionally unstable Vince Young.
It seems like every day, for me, consists of a bunch of reading about politics. It’s interesting, but on Sunday I realize that it’s overkill. Instead, I can relax and watch a totally unneccesary game, played at the highest level, and let a lot of my other worries fall by the wayside.
Don’t get me wrong… there are far too many men whose lives this time of year are singularly focused on football. They watch games all day, checking their fantasy football leagues during commercial breaks; during the week, they watch SportsCenter and read FanNation.com and do more of the fantasy league stuff. I’m not one of those guys, and don’t intend to become one. It’s often said that Americans are too distracted, and I’m inclined to agree. How many people I know, who have some supposedly solid opinion on our parties or the candidates or the economic plan or the courts — people who, ultimately, know very little if anything about the real issues or the real motivations of “conservatives” or “liberals.”
But Sunday’s hours of distraction, for me, are a blessing right now. I can play with Lewis and Owen and still keep an eye on the game; I can talk to Shelley about all kinds of things during a day mostly spent at home, and we can both enjoy the long bomb into double coverage, the defensive breakdown that allows a 5-yard run to turn into a 50-yarder, the QB sack that comes with such ferocity that we can FEEL the hit, cringing when it happens.
It’s fun! It’s football, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Now back to the real world. Until later tonight, of course, for the Monday Night Football game that really caps the weekend.
Tags: Football, Tennessee Titans
This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 9.03 am and is filed under Football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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September 29th, 2008 at 1.09 pm
Very good. Just keep football in it’s proper place: BEHIND basketball.
Kidding. Enjoying this blog a lot, btw.
September 30th, 2008 at 7.15 am
That’s the point, Cort! I don’t have to spend myriad hours in front of the TV… 16 regular-season games, and then the three or four on the way to the Super Bowl (yeah, I know, but they’re 4-0, it could happen!). It’s certainly the least time-consuming sport to follow, especially if you’re only dedicated to following a particular team, and not a bunch of individual players for your “fantasy” team. (Question: Why is it taboo for little boys to play with My Little Pony toys but OK for a grown man to engage in “fantasy” football?)
October 1st, 2008 at 12.15 pm
After five years of marriage, I have finally come to enjoy professional football somewhat! It has certainly helped that Kerry Collins is the consistent quarterback for the Titans, at least for the time being. Do you think the coaches finally heard all my shouting at the TV last season? Either way, it is a nice break from all the political coverage which adds to my stress level without being conscious of it. And so here ends my comment on this non-political blog entry.
October 1st, 2008 at 12.29 pm
Commenting on my blog? She’s trying so hard to engage on my terms! What a wonderful wife…
October 3rd, 2008 at 12.22 pm
I get you, man. I gave up “fantasy football” after a year or two. It does damage to the natural rivalries. No self-respecting Raiders fan should EVER, EVER, EVER have to root for the Broncos just because s/he “owns” their defense.
It’s just not right.
Your point about time is a good one–which is why I gave up on pro sports long ago. WKU sports can be a family affair for us (until they price us out), although I’m not sure Laurie will ever have real enjoyment of football as a game (may have to ask for your help here, Shelley).
GOING to the game is fun for her, I think, but the on-the-field action she can take or leave.
Even “big-time” college hoops turns me off to some degree. I pretty much try to make it a point to watch the non-Big Six conference schools if they make it TV…which isn’t on that much what with all the Duke/UNC, Duke/Maryland, Duke/whoever games to show.
Anyway, WKU has an exhibition game in Diddle in 28 days. My sports window is only Nov-Mar, so I’m ready for it.