I have grown up watching football, softball, baseball and basketball. For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan. I remember "Love Ya Blue" paraphernalia around Houston. This was when the football team was the Houston Oilers and their uniforms were a light blue. I knew that I didn't like Dallas Cowboys. I even liked the Cowboys less after the Buffalo Bills debacle in the Super Bowls in 1993 and 1994.
My dad coached my older brother's football team in elementary school. I am sure this is where my love for football was born. I loved watching my brothers play. I remember running the laps with the boys and doing the exercises. There has been a story told that I even tackled one of the players. I don't remember that. I was pretty young. I remember being on the cheerleading squad... although I am sure I enjoyed watching the games more than cheerleading.
My first word was "ball." This is because my dad was a softball player. He would play several nights a week. I guess that I would just see the lights on at a ball field and I would start saying "ball, ball." I watched my dad play ball until we moved when I was 9. He started playing again when I was in college. My younger brothers played on the team with him. My sisters, my two younger brothers, my dad and I all played on a co-ed team together for a softball tournament in Allegany in 2008. That is memorable, although we didn't do very well. It was the first game I had played in since I was 9.
My dad also played church basketball. I remember watching him play and knowing that the ball going in the hoop was good. I didn't really understand the fouls and penalties until I was much older. My older brother played high school basketball for a season, and then my youngest brother played high school basketball for a few seasons. It helped me to start understanding what the fouls were about. I started watching professional basketball when I was in college. I picked the Utah Jazz as "my team" because I was in college in Utah. My younger brothers played basketball at a church last year. I went to as many games as I could. I have a decent understanding of the game now.
Having lived in Houston for the first several years of my life, I attended most home Astros games. I was there in the era of Nolan Ryan, Alan Ashby, Art Howe, Jose Cruz, to name a few. Those are names I remember right now anyway. My brothers all played baseball. I enjoy watching the World Series and I became a Mets fan in the years I lived in NY. Although I still like them, I get stuck watching the Colorado Rockies now. I enjoy that as well. I guess I don't really have a team that I am a fan of, I just pick a team that I want to have win on a given night.
I mention this because I sit here and watch football by myself. I don't know how it happened, but I managed to marry someone that doesn't care to watch football, or any other sport for that matter. My children couldn't care less about sports either. They may think I am crazy as I sit and scream at the television. Today hasn't been a good day in football. The Bills once again lost to the Cowboys... not only lost, but got crushed. It was quite sad. The teams I have wanted to see win haven't been able to win.
I hope, perhaps, my 3 year-old will enjoy watching the games with me as he gets older, or perhaps, my newborn will grow up and want to yell at the television with me. It can be quite energizing! We shall see. I miss my family in NY a lot. Sundays during football season only make me miss them more. We would all sit around and yell at the television together. It was wonderful to have my mother here for 3 1/2 weeks after my baby was born. We would watch the sports together. We got to watch the World Series (would have loved to see the Rangers win), and many college football games and professional games.
That is just something about me. Sports has been a part of my life. I imagine it always will be.
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