Every Year

 Always in August football season begins.  It's the pro's first and then by September college football begins.  And every year I say the same thing:  I won't watch.  But every year I watch.  Why?  I know football is a violent sport and hardly ever does a former player lives to see 90.  And if it isn't their bodies, it's their minds.  But why do I watch when I say I won't?  It's not about the violence of the game, but the game itself.

A quarterback might be a star, but it takes a team and his leadership skills.  It takes great coaching.  In fact, football involves everyone on a team.  In college ball, it might start with the president of a school or in pro ball, it begins with front office, from team ownership on down.  Then there are the fans, some of whom are rabid and willing to suffer loss when it happens.  It's just everything about football.  And maybe that is why I watch.

But the elephant in the room is the violence of the game.  The violence can't be ignored from brain damage to broken bones.  Maybe fans love the violence of the game, but I don't.  I hate when someone gets hurt.  But some might say the hurt sometimes is from the players themselves.  They can just slip and break an ankle.  Sometimes the pain is self-inflicted.  But certainly not on purpose.  It just happens.  

But if a receiver catches an uncatchable pass, or an impossible interception occurs you're happily amazed or amazingly disappointed depending on the play.  Someone said football is a balet with cleates.  And in a way it is.  Everyone on the field is involved.  The rules change every year to make it safer and the equipment gets better every year.  A hundred years ago young men got killed playing the game.  Now career-ending injuries hardly ever happen.

And if a player is thought to be seriously injured the crowd is silent.  No one cheers injuries.  And the opposing team will kneel in prayer if it is thought a player is seriously injured no matter who it is that is injured.  But one coach said football is like war where even an inch can make a difference.  I hate the analogy to war, but it is about geography.  

I was watching one of the first pro season games of the year not really caring who won or lost.  I watched rookies who have never played in a pro game with pro atmosphere.  But why did I watch yesterday?  Football is the only sport I like.  And I was smoking my pipe thinking the game to be a nice distraction.  It's just football.  Win or lose, I still dont like the violence, but I like the game itself.  Sometimes I wish it were just flag football and personal equipment wouldn't be needed for protection.  There are still a lot of bumps and bruises. Today is Sunday and my pipe is my Angel pipe and my tobacco is Old Professor.  My coffee is from Trader Joe's.  Thank you for your time and Peace to each one of you.

Dave