Game Day!!!!

Back in the day when I played sports competitively, I remember there was no better feeling than waking up on the day of a game. As any athlete will tell you, often we had our own strange routines. A certain kind of breakfast, or not eating at all. The way we dressed, the way we handled ourselves during the day. Then there was the team pride and bonding of dressing up or wearing your jersey. All day was a preparation for the big game. For some reason it was always easier to wake up on those days.

Now that the careers of myself and most of my friends have come to an end, what do we have to look forward to now? Certainly work does not offer the same thrill. Special occasions such as Holidays or Weddings are just too seldom. What do we have to look forward to?

I think I found the answer, and it has come with football. See I am not really a fan of football. While I enjoyed playing it in high school and for fun, something about over juiced up players running around intending on injuring each other just doesn't seem enjoyable to me. Blame that on my baseball purist roots.

Regardless, football (college or pro, i prefer pro) can be our escape. No wonder it is so appealing. Every Saturday or Sunday you can prepare like you did in the good ole days. You wake up, and put coffee on the pot. You eat breakfast, you hope in the shower, you get dressed.

You put on your teams jersey and you can wear it with pride. You get in touch with your buddies, you have a few beverages and you watch. All the rituals and preparations are still there, they have just changed, and your viewing as a fan.

But it is your team, and you do have an impact on their season. You will build your own rituals and superstitions. Like who is allowed to watch and who isn't based on team records. What drinks, where each of you sit on the couch, all of this can be fun little ways to feel like your a part of the action.

Today I am going to my second ever pro game, (Dolphins are coming into town) my first was a blast. It is not even 7 am yet and I am up and excited, a true testament to the power of Game Day.