Giants play today. Well, technically they played yesterday. But the NFL network chose to go with the stupid Redskins for it’s live game last night. So today at 2pm est they will play the Giants game from last night. I can’t wait!
Football. That’s right. It’s that time of year again.
I’d love to say how wonderful this time of year is. How I love the fall, not to hot but not to cold either. How football is so much fun to watch, and being a true fan is hard when you know your team is going to suck this year. But you suck it up and spend too much money on DirectTv’s Sunday ticket because you wouldn’t dare miss a minute of the train wreck the season is bound to be. The ups and downs you go through watching your team’s offensive get picked apart, but the defense stepping up. How much I will miss seeing Tiki Barber running the field, but how much I am looking forward to watching Strahan pick apart offenses, and Osi sacking quarterbacks.
I’d love to say all that and more. But the truth is, Football season will forever remind me of Daddy. I remember how I wasn’t really into it until my folks moved from one state to another in ’89. I got interested in football because the whole area was soaked in the area team colors and I hated it! That coupled with an antenna (pre-DTv days) that only picked up a few channels and the only thing on TV on Sundays was football. I remember sitting at my Daddy’s feet – unless the game was going bad, then you didn’t get near him. *S* Everything I know about football, I learned from my dad.
I remember the year (1991) the Giants made it to the Superbowl, and Dad let me stay up late to watch it with him. I remember watching from over his shoulder as we camped out in my parents bedroom. He was sitting on the floor so he could be closer to the TV so he might have half a chance at seeing something on the screen. I was lying on the bed over him, munching on Cheez-Its, and loving every second of the close game, which turned out to be one of the best in Superbowl history. It was great! I remember the years of watching games with him – yelling at referees, cheering on Phil Simms, Dave Megget, Rodney Hampton, Mark Bavaro, and good ol’ LT. I remember sitting next to dad when LT played his final game. I remember how we laughed at the ‘skins quarterback who just about peed his pants when LT came out and stared a big hole right into the guy before the play started. LT was such a scary force on the defense the guy muffed the snap! I can still hear Dad’s laughter over that play.
I remember the years before DTv’s Sunday ticket, when we were stuck watching Heath “wonder boy” Shuler, and Gus “Brick Wall” Ferrotte. I remember the years after he bought Sunday Ticket, when he would drive us nuts flipping to other games during the commercial breaks. Brett Farve and Green Bay was his favorite alternate for years. Then came Peyton Manning and Indy. But through it all, the wins and the losses (let’s not talk about the ’01 superbowl, ‘k?) the ups and downs, he was a die hard NY Giants fan. And he passed his love of the game, and the team on to me.
Today I look forward to the game, but I miss my Dad. I miss knowing that after every touchdown he will call, just to make sure I saw that play! I miss knowing that I can call him to celebrate or commiserate on how the team did. I feel like running into Giants stadium and shouting from the 50 yard line. How can they not know? How can they not realize what they have lost? How is it possible that no one on the team realizes such a die-hard fan is no longer here??
I miss my Daddy.
But I will still watch the game… Well, the first half anyway. After all, it’s only pre-season, first half is all that really counts at this stage. I know. My Daddy told me so.