As teachers officially settle into the new school year and as New Yorkers and Americans commemorate the day that marks a decade of remembrance and respect, sports fans around the nation login to their Fantasy accounts and ring in the new season of football.
As I thought about the upcoming week being the first full week back in school, I reflected on my new-school-year resolutions and goals. As I watched a bit of the 9/11 memorial program this morning, I reflected on the time that has passed and the sentiments of those who have lost loved ones. As I sat in church today, I reflected on the need for prayer and love in my life, in this world, and prayed for an end to destruction and hate. And as I turned on the TV to watch the Giants lose their first game, I reflected on all the things I have learned about football from my man. Then I heaved a great sigh for the hard times endured and the hard times to come... Welcome, football. NFL, so glad you're not dead. Fantasy Football, you are the woman with which my man openly cheats on me and I will always hate you.
What I Have Learned About Football
There are only two ways to survive football season: make peace and take your time. Firstly, you have to make peace with the fact that he loves football more than you right now. No, he can't do it all. He cannot give you everything whilst giving his football team everything and his fantasy team everything. He just can't. You know it. I know it. Accept it. He cannot multi-task and when it's football season, in his heart of hearts he doesn't even want to. Secondly, it helps to see those Sunday nights as time to be completely free. In a way, the NFL is giving us the gift of time. You can be free in this time. Get busy with a new hobby. Get busy with an old hobby. Watch a movie. Watch Top Chef. Eat, drink, be merry, be free.
Now you might be thinking "That's not true. Football season isn't Survivor. I don't know of this dread you imply. He loves it, I'm cool with it and there is no conflict here." That may be true of you and yours and if it is, then I am sincerely happy for you and completely envious. My football opinions are outcomes of the combination of who he is and who I am. Perhaps your he is like my he. And perhaps you are like me. But it is my sincere hope that you and he are not.
As I thought about the upcoming week being the first full week back in school, I reflected on my new-school-year resolutions and goals. As I watched a bit of the 9/11 memorial program this morning, I reflected on the time that has passed and the sentiments of those who have lost loved ones. As I sat in church today, I reflected on the need for prayer and love in my life, in this world, and prayed for an end to destruction and hate. And as I turned on the TV to watch the Giants lose their first game, I reflected on all the things I have learned about football from my man. Then I heaved a great sigh for the hard times endured and the hard times to come... Welcome, football. NFL, so glad you're not dead. Fantasy Football, you are the woman with which my man openly cheats on me and I will always hate you.
What I Have Learned About Football
There are only two ways to survive football season: make peace and take your time. Firstly, you have to make peace with the fact that he loves football more than you right now. No, he can't do it all. He cannot give you everything whilst giving his football team everything and his fantasy team everything. He just can't. You know it. I know it. Accept it. He cannot multi-task and when it's football season, in his heart of hearts he doesn't even want to. Secondly, it helps to see those Sunday nights as time to be completely free. In a way, the NFL is giving us the gift of time. You can be free in this time. Get busy with a new hobby. Get busy with an old hobby. Watch a movie. Watch Top Chef. Eat, drink, be merry, be free.
Now you might be thinking "That's not true. Football season isn't Survivor. I don't know of this dread you imply. He loves it, I'm cool with it and there is no conflict here." That may be true of you and yours and if it is, then I am sincerely happy for you and completely envious. My football opinions are outcomes of the combination of who he is and who I am. Perhaps your he is like my he. And perhaps you are like me. But it is my sincere hope that you and he are not.
Your he is like my he if...
He is a football fanatic.
He is in at least 1 Fantasy League.
He owns at least 1 football jersey.
He checks ESPN.com and Fantasy Football each at least 10 times a day.
He talks about football at least 20 times a day.
He retells the same stories regarding NFL games, ESPN commentary, and his Fantasy league so often that you wish you could be as stupid as Mike 'The Situation' to knock yourself the eff out.
You are like me if...
You used to mildly enjoy football.
You know what Fantasy Football is because he won't stop talking about it.
You own 1 football jersey, maybe. He bought it for you.
You take interest in it because he does.
You see your act of taking interest as one of love and support of your man.
You, when being absolutely honest with yourself, feel threatened by football and saddened by your loss of his attention during football season. His attention was once only split 3 ways (his life, your life, sports) but is now split at least 50 ways (his team, his Fantasy team, 31 other NFL teams, the 12+ competing Fantasy teams, Sports Center discussions, Fantasy Football discussions, Phainom's Phantasy Phootball Phun, his life, other sports... and maybe you).
Grrr...
In all seriousness, I have learned that football is about much more than winning games and scoring touchdowns thanks to my man, the NY Giants and Coach Taylor. Obviously, as Dan's teams strive to lose all their games, the NY Giants are too busy getting injured to do their job and FNL is no longer on the air, indeed football is grounded in something bigger than the games and players themselves. Football seems to be about seeing something through to the end despite hardship (opposing team), criticism (commentators, fans) and injury (your own gun).
It seems to be about Heart.
And Heart is something women know all about. During football season, women are not excluded from this call to have heart. We have to see this season through to the end just as much as players and fans do. Yes, the screaming will hurt. Yes, you will suffer the losses your man suffers. And yes, just like when he screams at the players to do something and they don't... he won't either. But we have hearts that can rise above such challenges. We have hearts made of perseverance, loyalty and love. And in the world of football, those things work together as harmoniously as do the perfect coach, the perfect offense and the perfect defense.
They work to yield victory.
Let us enjoy this football season and experience victory.
He is a football fanatic.
He is in at least 1 Fantasy League.
He owns at least 1 football jersey.
He checks ESPN.com and Fantasy Football each at least 10 times a day.
He talks about football at least 20 times a day.
He retells the same stories regarding NFL games, ESPN commentary, and his Fantasy league so often that you wish you could be as stupid as Mike 'The Situation' to knock yourself the eff out.
You are like me if...
You used to mildly enjoy football.
You know what Fantasy Football is because he won't stop talking about it.
You own 1 football jersey, maybe. He bought it for you.
You take interest in it because he does.
You see your act of taking interest as one of love and support of your man.
You, when being absolutely honest with yourself, feel threatened by football and saddened by your loss of his attention during football season. His attention was once only split 3 ways (his life, your life, sports) but is now split at least 50 ways (his team, his Fantasy team, 31 other NFL teams, the 12+ competing Fantasy teams, Sports Center discussions, Fantasy Football discussions, Phainom's Phantasy Phootball Phun, his life, other sports... and maybe you).
Grrr... In all seriousness, I have learned that football is about much more than winning games and scoring touchdowns thanks to my man, the NY Giants and Coach Taylor. Obviously, as Dan's teams strive to lose all their games, the NY Giants are too busy getting injured to do their job and FNL is no longer on the air, indeed football is grounded in something bigger than the games and players themselves. Football seems to be about seeing something through to the end despite hardship (opposing team), criticism (commentators, fans) and injury (your own gun).
It seems to be about Heart.
And Heart is something women know all about. During football season, women are not excluded from this call to have heart. We have to see this season through to the end just as much as players and fans do. Yes, the screaming will hurt. Yes, you will suffer the losses your man suffers. And yes, just like when he screams at the players to do something and they don't... he won't either. But we have hearts that can rise above such challenges. We have hearts made of perseverance, loyalty and love. And in the world of football, those things work together as harmoniously as do the perfect coach, the perfect offense and the perfect defense.
They work to yield victory.
Let us enjoy this football season and experience victory.
