It is Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving Thursday, and as if yesterday wasn’t enough, I can’t wait to have some leftovers for lunch and watch more football this afternoon (college in this case, Alabama vs. Auburn). Yesterday was one of my most fun Thanksgivings ever. Instead of listing the really important things I am grateful for this year (family, friends, a fiancé, health…), I thought I should focus on what really occupied my day yesterday, namely football.
Most people are surprised about my love of football. After all, I am a girl. And a foreigner, someone who grew up believing that football was a game played with one’s feet. I started loving football in 1999, and my love affair with the Patriots is stronger than ever. Many will say “ah, of course, you don’t love football, you love Tom Brady.” Well, I do love Tom Brady, but back in 1999 when I first fell in the love with the sport, Drew Bledsoe was the Patriots’ quarterback. Over the last 10 years, many things in my life have changed. But the one constant have been the Patriots (and my 617 area code cell phone number).
Yesterday, I started watching football at 11 am, and with some interruptions, continued until 11 pm. All day long, I was grateful for the Patriots’ win, but even more, I was grateful for NFL football in general.
– Grateful that this week I get two “football Sundays,” one on Thursday and one on Sunday. Thank you G.A. Richards, first owner of the Detroit Lions, for making this an annual tradition.
– Grateful that I can love Sundays again. I have never been a fan of Sundays, especially Sunday evenings. There is something called the “Sunday evening blues,” which for me, during football season, are happily replaced by Sunday night football.
– Grateful for the NBC Sunday night jingle that always gives me goose-bumps. Thank you Faith Hill.
– Grateful that I was randomly upgraded a couple of months ago on a flight to Philly and was seated next to Al Michaels. Thank you US Airways.
– Grateful that any given Sunday, anything at all can happen. Losing teams can win. Winning teams can lose. History can be made.
– Grateful that with football comes the search for the perfect sports bar. That search has been a great one and has taken me to different areas of DC. For now, that search is over. Thank you Town Hall.
– Grateful that football has been the conduit for new friendships. Carol, you know who you are.
And grateful for leftovers and for little by little learning to appreciate college football too. On that note…
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