What does football mean to you?

[baumy300]

As autumn slowly approaches, along with it comes something else: Football season.

I am not necessarily referring to the NFL or even the NCAA. It can be high school, pee-wee or even a league played by wannabe be NFL dreamers who get their football fix in a neighborhood close by. The fact of the matter is that football can be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.

Now growing up in North Dakota also means that autumn is a beautiful time of the year. The colored leaves, orange skies, calm breezes and fresh smelling air all signify the arrival of the pigskin season. Having played football since the first day I could legally strap on pads, this wonderful pastime still has not left my mind and I am reminded of the glory days from way back in my own self-admired career whenever this time of year starts to creep up.

Normally most people are not as fond of the fall as I am. It is normally the time when school starts, the weather is less friendly and when the sun goes down faster each day. Without football in my life this is exactly how I would feel. The worries of college starting and the fact I will be back to the mundane life of course work has no effect on me. The somewhat chillier weather makes me reminisce about all the times my mother had packed an extra turtle neck in my school bag for after school when football practice came around. It all just comes into play to not only excite me for a simple game, but for an entire magical time of the year.

I will stand by this statement from now until the time I die - Football season has the power to take any pain away from my life and bring pure, unmatched joy into every aspect of everyday living. The friendships that I have made over the course of my playing time are still with me. The bonding time I have spent with my father and other relatives can only be gained by watching football - No other form of entertainment could ever compare. The feeling that overcomes me Saturday nights is similar to the ones that I had as a child on Christmas Eve. Just knowing that when you wake up the next morning that the rest of the day will be pure happiness. Even if whatever team I am following happens to lose, I can at least get 3 hours of joy out of it.

Before people start to claim that I am overly excited, have no life, or too "hardcore" let me explain that I do not solely feel this way just because of my beloved Vikings. This is all so much bigger than any one team in the entire world. This is more than the games themselves. This is about people from all over the country - wait - the world, coming together and standing behind something they believe in. How many of you have made friends - good friends - just off of O.S. or because of tailgating parties? How many of you
have just been standing in a line some place and spotted a person wearing a t-shirt or hat that had your teams logo on it, which prompted you make a comment about it? How many of you have made friends or acquaintances that you would normally never have talked to if it wasn't for football? Being a football fan makes you belong to something.

Football to me is friendship, hopes and dreams, memories, joy, sorrow, and motivation. As the time of year changes, so does my outlook on life. Call me crazy, insane, overboard, or a moron. I'll just call myself a fan.

What does this time of the year mean to you?

[nyisles16]

Quote: Originally Posted by baumy300

As autumn slowly approaches, along with it comes something else: Football season. I am not necessarily referring to the NFL or even the NCAA. It can be high school, pee-wee or even a league played by wannabe be NFL dreamers who get their football fix in a neighborhood close by. The fact of the matter is that football can be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. Now growing up in North Dakota also means that autumn is a beautiful time of the year. The colored leaves, orange skies, calm breezes and fresh smelling air all signify the arrival of the pigskin season. Having played football since the first day I could legally strap on pads, this wonderful pastime still has not left my mind and I am reminded of the glory days from way back in my own self-admired career whenever this time of year starts to creep up. Normally most people are not as fond of the fall as I am. It is normally the time when school starts, the weather is less friendly and when the sun goes down faster each day. Without football in my life this is exactly how I would feel. The worries of college starting and the fact I will be back to the mundane life of course work has no effect on me. The somewhat chillier weather makes me reminisce about all the times my mother had packed an extra turtle neck in my school bag for after school when football practice came around. It all just comes into play to not only excite me for a simple game, but for an entire magical time of the year. I will stand by this statement from now until the time I die - Football season has the power to take any pain away from my life and bring pure, unmatched joy into every aspect of everyday living. The friendships that I have made over the course of my playing time are still with me. The bonding time I have spent with my father and other relatives can only be gained by watching football - No other form of entertainment could ever compare. The feeling that overcomes me Saturday nights is similar to the ones that I had as a child on Christmas Eve. Just knowing that when you wake up the next morning that the rest of the day will be pure happiness. Even if whatever team I am following happens to lose, I can at least get 3 hours of joy out of it. Before people start to claim that I am overly excited, have no life, or too "hardcore" let me explain that I do not solely feel this way just because of my beloved Vikings. This is all so much bigger than any one team in the entire world. This is more than the games themselves. This is about people from all over the country - wait - the world, coming together and standing behind something they believe in. How many of you have made friends - good friends - just off of O.S. or because of tailgating parties? How many of you have just been standing in a line some place and spotted a person wearing a t-shirt or hat that had your teams logo on it, which prompted you make a comment about it? How many of you have made friends or acquaintances that you would normally never have talked to if it wasn't for football? Being a football fan makes you belong to something. Football to me is friendship, hopes and dreams, memories, joy, sorrow, and motivation. As the time of year changes, so does my outlook on life. Call me crazy, insane, overboard, or a moron. I'll just call myself a fan. What does this time of the year mean to you?

Good post, because I get that same sort of feeling with both the NFL and MLB (they actually work like clockwork like the seasons).

Football to mean means going back to HS days and catching up with some old friends watching the team play. It also means sitting in front of the TV on Thanksgiving with my family.

It also makes me "sad" as it means baseball is ending, and that the days will turn colder, the grass and leaves start to die out...

Start out with hope for my team, only to see them end up with a top 5 pick (Oakland)

[ProfessaPackMan]

Didn't read the first pos(too long lol and too tired to read all of it)but to answer the question, Football season starting up is like Christmas and my birthday all in one.

With Football season, it's like all the negative stuff that goes on doesn't even matter to me when it starts up. Like every Sunday, I'm probably happier than I'll be the rest of the week just because I get do something I enjoy the most.

When I watch the Packers, it's almost like watching your own kid out there. I've grown up with them or should I say, I've grown up WATCHING them, and see them go through the ups and downs during the years but would still support them no matter what.

[SPTO]

I feel the same as packman here. When I watch the Bills it's like watching your kid out there or a really close friend. I live and die with that team and usually i'm in tunnel vision. As a kid I basically only cared about the Bills and nothing else but i've learned to expand my horizons a little.

Still, nobody, and I mean NOBODY circles the wagons like the BUFFALO BILLS!

(Berman may suck at a lot of things but if he's the one that originated that saying then he gets a pass for almost all his sins)

[Brian Gee]

It's weird. College football I've always watched by myself while drawing or doing homework for college. I'd start at 11am in college and work on my projects (art school) until the late games on ESPN were over.

NFL Sunday is about the only time I spend with my father anymore (outside of holidays). So that's a plus.

What does it REALLY mean to me? Back to teaching and back to school, so I'd rather we were talking about the NBA finals right now.

[McLite]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

Berman may suck at a lot of things but if he's the one that originated that saying then he gets a pass for almost all his sins

I liked his 2 minute drill this week though. Saying goodbye to the old Jets stadium and had his dad on since they had season tickets when Chris was young. They talked about some of the games they went to and at the end he thanked his dad for making him who he is today. It was nice to see that...and probably a thrill for his dad as well.

[Laettner32]

Great Freakin Post! Man, football to me is about colder weather, grilling with my friends and family. Growing up in Austin, every Sunday, my family and ALL of our cousins would drive to my grandmas house about 30 minutes from Austin and spend the whole day grillin, cookin', drinkin' (at least the men), and us kids would run around and play or watch the Dallas Cowboys! Hell, I watched every game of that wretched 1-15 season from my Grandmas house and praying that Coach Johnson would just start Walsh instead of Aikman. In HS, going to the games on Friday and getting the info on the party to go to afterword. Pretty much same thing in college. God Bless Football!!

[McLite]

Quote: Originally Posted by Laettner32

Great Freakin Post! Man, football to me is about colder weather, grilling with my friends and family. Growing up in Austin, every Sunday, my family and ALL of our cousins would drive to my grandmas house about 30 minutes from Austin and spend the whole day grillin, cookin', drinkin' (at least the men), and us kids would run around and play or watch the Dallas Cowboys! Hell, I watched every game of that wretched 1-15 season from my Grandmas house and praying that Coach Johnson would just start Walsh instead of Aikman. In HS, going to the games on Friday and getting the info on the party to go to afterword. Pretty much same thing in college. God Bless Football!!

I grew up in Temple, TX. I remember the 1-15 season quite well. God bless the Redskins that season.