Post (American) Football

If you're an American, and you're scratching your head about the title, it's because, in most countries around the world, "football" means what we call "soccer."  Other than the Philadelphia Eagles' celebration parade to exhibit the Lombardi Trophy after last night's Super Bowl, the professional football season has ended.
   I grew up watching football on television, and at high-school and college fields.  Dad always rooted for the under-dog team, even though he had a few favorite college teams.  And, of course, he cheered for my sister's and my school teams.  I have never, personally, been to a professional football game.  I like to be able to see the game clearly, via cameras, and to see instant replays.  I can easily go to the bathroom, without waiting in a line, and I don't have to pay an exorbitant ticket fee and outrageous prices for food and drink. 
   I used to be an avid football fan, with a wide array of likes and dislikes on both the college and professional level.  Since almost every single one of my favorite players is no longer playing - except two, but one was injured and missed almost the entire season - I haven't been watching.  I still the the plays and the moves and the fakes, but I'm no longer personally invested like I was before.
   Yesterday, and last night, I was hoping the Eagles would defeat the New England Patriots.  Number one, the Eagles were the under-dogs.  Number two, I really dislike Tom Brady.  So I was quite excited when I checked on-line last night and saw the Eagles were trailing by a single point with over 8 minutes left in the game.   I actually became hopeful that the Eagles would be able to beat the Kraft-Belichick-Brady machine.  When people were running around screaming in the restaurant parking lot last night, I checked the final score - and did a little jig beside my desk chair. 
   When I was a kid, I remember that the quarterbacks and receivers were the "known names," but that they always said it was a team effort and most shied away from the spotlight.  Joe Namath began the change - and I have to admit that I always laughed at Joe, even though he was a good player.  I've always loved the defensive players - they never seem to get that much credit, unless a quarterback sack is made... 
   In any event, there are three professional football teams that are anathema to me, just because of their quarterbacks - Tom Brady of the Patriots, Philip Rivers of the Chargers, and Ben Rothlesberger of the Steelers.  I have to say that I pretty much "hate" all three of those quarterbacks, even though they are good players.  It both their attitudes, and their actions that I dislike. - And, so, stupidly, I dislike the entire team.....
    But, way to go, Eagles!!!  You did it, men!!   A 41 to 33 win!  Thank you!

American Football

Saturday would have been a huge football (American) day for me, but since I no longer have any favorites to cheer for, it's kind of dull.  I grew up supporting the Florida Gators, and I graduated from there, and I love the Gators - but since Tim Tebow graduated, none of the coaches nor individual players have been able to arouse my football competitiveness.  I guess that Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel, Errict Rhett, and Tim Tebow spoiled me...  Yesterday the Gators played their arch-rivals, the Florida State Seminoles, and I was bored.  First, I was upset, as always, by the 'Noles' use of "Chief Osceola" on an Appaloosa horse as their school character. I also knew that the Gators were on their way to Atlanta, to vie for the SEC Championship.  And, I don't think the Gators are that good this year...  Their play is extremely uneven, and while the defense is good to great, the offense stinks.  So I wasn't very surprised when the Seminoles won the game.
   The Colorado Buffaloes, on the other hand, have been this year's surprise team, and by defeating the Utah Utes, here in Boulder, last night, they won the Pac-12 South Championship, for the first time since they joined this conference.  But, again, even though I live here, I feel no connection to either the coaches, or any of the players.  It's a weird feeling for me - I've followed college football for 45 years, and now I just don't care.
    And it's the same for our professional football teams this year - there is no one player, or any coach, that really interests me.  There are a lot of players that I completely dislike - mainly those that have gotten away with rape (by paying off the women involved), and there are two players that are quarterbacks that I simply dislike, period - for any and/or all reasons - they just "rub me the wrong way."  So after 45 years of Friday night through Monday night football games, I find myself adrift - nothing to watch or talk about - other than my obsessions with genealogy, history, and horses....  Oh, well.  I guess that's enough to keep me busy and out of trouble...

Flooding, Football, Coyote Attack & Snow on Pike's Peak

Pre-season NFL games have begun.  Thursday night I watched the first half of the Broncos and 49ers game, and wasn't impressed.  Last night, I watched the Patriots and the Eagles play and was happy to see Tim Tebow on the field; but I was not happy when the NFL Channel stopped showing the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter to show the Cowboys.  I also realize that it was a home game for the Eagles, but I was overwhelmed with information about the Eagles and very little info about the Patriots.  Likewise, I would have preferred to have seen the game playing on the field, rather than the announcers and the Eagles' General Manager.  But enough of my grousing...
  Our summer rains wreaked havoc in the Black Forest burn area yesterday - there was flash flooding along highway 24 in Manitou Springs (near Colorado Springs), which swept more than 20 cars away in a huge mud and ash wave (and causing at least one death).  Fountain Creek in Manitou Springs also flooded across roads and restaurant patios because of the rain.  We are expecting summer thunderstorms each afternoon for the next five days, so I'm hoping none of them stay long in the Black Forest burn area.
  One of the home owners in the neighborhood where I walk dogs is quite deaf.  If she doesn't have both of her hearing aids in place and turned on, she can't hear a word one speaks at a normal conversational level. She was awakened at 4:30 Friday morning by an animal "screaming" - she was sound asleep, no hearing aids in or on, and she ran from window to window in her house, trying to see what was causing the disturbance. She was never able to see anything making the sound, and it died down after about eight minutes.  However, when she was outside, working in her garden at 7:30, she observed a mother doe with twin fawns walking haltingly along the side of her yard.  She grabbed her binoculars, and saw that the chest area of the doe was ripped open and bleeding, and that the wounds went between the doe's front legs and on to the rib area. Since the fawns looked rather young, she called local Animal Control, because she was afraid the doe would die and leave orphans.  The people at the office told her to "let nature take it's course" and, if she saw the doe's body, to contact them again, and they'd see if they could find and rescue the fawns.  She described the wounds to Animal Control, and they told her they thought that coyotes and tried to attack the fawns, and that the doe fought them off, which accounted for the screaming which was heard.  So I sent out a BOLO to the neighborhood regarding the doe and her fawns.
  My brother-in-law is running in a half-marathon today up around Georgetown.  Next weekend, he'll be competing in the Pike's Peak Double - and the weather folks just announced they'd had snow on Pike's Peak this morning.  I'm certain glad I'm not running (or even walking) up that 14,110 foot mountain!