I Love Football

There are a few things I love about this time of year - Head Races, warm weather, but not hot weather and most of all football. I enjoy pro football and follow our home team (the Redskins) as close as the next fan, but my true love is college football. I love the tradition, I love the atmosphere, the rivalries, the BCS upstarts, in short everything (except for the lack of a football playoff ,but that's a post for another day). I love being able to watch several college games a week. I look forward to College Game Day every Saturday morning. I went to a college (Auburn) where football is king. There was nothing like attending a game at Jordan Hare Stadium. I was lucky to have attended Auburn during the run of Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley. While Auburn never won a National Championships during those years, Pat Sullivan did win the Heisman so it was exciting times for Auburn football. If I didn't know it before, going to Auburn taught me there is no better thing to do on a Saturday then to be at a college football game.

My life travels have taken me far away from my alma meter so attending games back on the loveliest village on the plains isn't practical. That doesn't mean there aren't options. When I moved back to the Washington DC area, I started attending University of Maryland football games. My now ex-brother in law (actually deceased now) was a big fan of Maryland so Ann and I would go. Eventually we bought season tickets with him. Section 6, on the 45 yard line. We've had those tickets now for over 25 years. By no stretch of the imagination is Maryland on the same level footballwize as Auburn and to be sure there have been some ups and downs over the years. The fact remains though that we enjoy going to the games. The tailgating, the band, just the sense of excitement as you enter the stadium. It's a perfect way to spend a day. And so it was this past Saturday. After Saturday's rowing practice, Ann and I headed to College Park. It was a gorgeous day. Bright blue sky with not a cloud to be seen. The temperature in the high 70s. We munched on veggies with ranch dressing, Italian Subs and chips, washed down with some cold Coronas. The only downer was Maryland lost - to Middle Tennessee State. Ugh. Maryland hosts Rutgers next week so hopefully the outcome will be better. On a happier note, Auburn rallied to beat West Virginia Saturday night on ESPN2. West Virginia has some of the most obnoxious fans I've even encountered so I love when they lose. So Saturday night closed out on a good note.

On the rowing front, we had our first race last weekend and I've been meaning to write about it ever since. I took pictures that I want to include, but I'm always forgetting to upload them. I need to get that done, but the good news is we won! Details to follow. On other rowing news, I got bumped out of our 8+ for our next race, which comes this coming Sunday - Head of the Potomac. It's a great venue as you race down the Potomac through the key Bridge and the Georgetown waterfront and finish in front of the Kennedy Center. I'll be racing in our old (50+) 4+ and in a mixed 8+ with some of our women. I have been rowing 2 seat in the 4+, but got asked to move to stroke. A little added pressure there, but I've rowed stroke before so we'll see how that goes.