Football is Life....

You know why I like Autumn?  Not only does Mother Earth show us just how beautiful she is with all of her vibrant colors, but Autumn means it's Football Season.  Ever since I was a little girl, Football, to me, meant time with my family.  It meant 5 pm living room High School Football picks with my sister and my dad.  My dad would read the match-ups for the week and my sister and I would have to guess who the sportswriters had picked to win that week.  If we got it right, my dad wouldn't make a sound. But if we got it wrong he would make a funny buzzer sound....I can hear him making that sound as I write this.  Then there was Saturday afternoon College Football - not too big of a deal in our household unless one of our favorite schools was in a Bowl Game - Then we watched them an cheered our team on.  However, the biggest deal in our household was Pro-Football - but more importantly was Cleveland Browns Football and our hatred of the Steelers and the Broncos.  Cleveland Browns football - win or lose they were our team.  And even though people would tease us for being such big fans - they represented our hometown - they represented Ohio and they represented some of the best memories of my childhood.  

My parents had season tickets and I remember every year on my birthday (or as close to my birthday as possible) my mom would give up her ticket so I could go to the game with my dad and their group of friends that they had season tickets with.  "Uncle" Jim and "Aunt" Margie, Rick and T.J., Melissa and Susan.  I loved being their....I loved watching Bernie, Hanford, and the crew running and passing the ball up and down the field.  I loved being their when the Dawg Pound came to life every time our beloved Brownies would score --- it was especially sweet when they won.  Sitting at the Old Municipal Stadium with the smell of beef hot dogs and Ballpark Mustard mixed with the aroma of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer or Miller Lite.  

Then on December 17, 1995 - I was in my car at Kent State University Ashtabula when Art Modell came on WTAM 1100 AM to announce that at the end of the season, he was moving MY team to Baltimore, MD.  I won't lie, it brought tears to my eyes - how could he do this to Cleveland?  How could he do this to me? I wouldn't get to have those football games with my dad anymore.  I wouldn't get to spend that special time with him.  And who was I going to call "my" team now?  Back then Kent didn't have a good football team and it was hard to get excited about football.  

I did what any other football crazy girl would do - with reservation - I picked another team.  So I picked a team that reminded me of the glory days of my beloved Cleveland Browns. And the team that had one of the most attractive, blue-collar looking QB in the NFL - that's right I became a "Cheesehead".  I cheered on the Green Bay Packers every week of every season.  And I learned more and more about what it takes to be a great QB - a fast Wide Receiver, a strong Safety.  How important the Running Back is and how far a great Kicker could land a field goal - right through the middle of uprights from 53 yards away.  Ahhhhh - football - such a great thing. 

Then there was August 1999 - the Browns came back!!!!  It was a great day in Cleveland.  Even though the history was there - it was a new time - a new Era.  They weren't the same Browns of my childhood and I haven't shared a football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium with my Dad since 1994.  I miss those days.  The Browns aren't a good team right now - but they are still my team - I still bleed Brown & Orange.  I stay loyal to my home and the nostalgia of my child years.  I still love the Packers though and cheer them on every week as well.  Now I have two teams to cheer for and it just makes football that much more enjoyable.  

My daughter asked me "Why do you like football so much Mom?  It's boring."  I can't explain it to her; other than saying "It's life."  She might never understand Pass Interference, roughing the passer or encroachment.  She might never know what "offensive holding" is or understand why the coach throws a red flag when he doesn't agree with the referee's call on the field or why, if he loses the challenge, the team loses one of their timeouts for the half.  But what she will know is that mom wasn't afraid to cheer for the underdog.  Mom remained passionate about her teams.  

I will cheer on the Browns, the Packers, the Golden Flashes and the Buckeyes - win or lose they are my teams.  Win or lose they help give meaning to life.