Why I Love Football

Last week I struggled horribly with my picks going 0-4. That’s right 0 and 4! Yes, I swore a couple of times, and watched intently as the Chargers blew their massive 2^nd half lead. At the end of the game, when my 0-4 record sunk in, I was left with one thought…………..Damn I love this game!

Am I crazy? I bet Charger fans aren’t saying “I love this game.” But wait, why spite the game. Think about why you love football? Among possible answers are: It’s an escape from reality. It brings you closer to your friends and family. It reminds you of your high school heydays. Or maybe just for entertainment. All of these are great reasons, but why do I love it? Because, it can relate to almost anything in life.

You see the brother hood of the players, the will to never give up, and the rookie who surpasses everyone, can relate to every fan. Think about it, Last Sunday the Colts rallied around interim Head Coach Bruce Arians, as Head Coach Chuck Pagano is fighting for his life against leukemia. Watching the game I was left thinking more about the team than the outcome. The Colts probably beat the Packers 1 in 10 times, but when they put it all on the line for a “family member”, that one time happened. Isn’t this true with life as well? Think about your best friend, wouldn’t you do anything to help ease their pain if they were sick. Football is great isn’t it!

How about the will to never give up? We witnessed Manning and the Broncos overcome a 24 point deficient at half, to beat the Chargers. Never in a hundred years would you have thought they would have won the game. A matter of fact it’s the biggest comeback by a road team in NFL history. Haven’t you seen this in real life too? Remember Billy Bob, who barely passed high school, and was the “party boy.” But with a break here and relentless work ethic, he blows your expectations out of the water with a successful job, and wonderful life. Damn, I love this game.

If the last two years have changed our minds on one thing, it’s that age isn’t everything. We saw Cam Newton bust on the scene last year, and Robert Griffin blow up the stage this year. Is it Luck (speaking of which, he’s pretty darn good too) or just a testament of what hard work gets you. I’m sure Newton and Griffin didn’t let age or experience get in their way, would should we?

Basically what I’m trying to say is: I love this game, I love Fantasy football, but most importantly I love life. You hear too often about the fan who goes over the edge with violence, rage, smack talk, or writes hate mail to football writers or football players for bad calls or bad games. Football is part of my life, and I enjoy it for what it is. Remember that it is just a game, a great game that can help you forget your worries or even inspire you to do more. I hope you never lose sight of what football means, even if your team blows a 24 points lead.