From August until about the 2nd week of January, typically there's this other member of our family that come to live with us - the Auburn Tiger football team - coaches and all! I'm just joking. They just live in the mind of my college football fan husband.
When he's away, my emotion on Saturdays goes back and forth. Opening day of the season always makes me sad that he's not here to see the games and listen to the same commentary over and over and over. Seriously. How many times can they possibly play the same play before just beating their point to the ground? Another part of me is grateful, especially years when the Tigers aren't doing so hot - that he's not here to get emotionally involved in the games that don't necessarily come out in his favor.
Obviously last year was a great season for him since they won the National Championship. Surprisingly, he was even in the states to watch the game. Not at home, but at least in the states.
He thinks that I just tolerate watching games for his sake. That's not really true, because I've always enjoyed watching college football on Saturdays. Even when I lived in my very first apartment and was single, I'd spend Saturdays with game after game on the TV while I did homework or whatever. We did only get 2 other channels so my options were limited! I do enjoy rooting for the underdog to win a game every now and then. I also enjoy the human interest stories. I'm just not committed or emotionally tied to any team that I let my blood pressure get elevated or that I pace the floor or scream at the players when they screw up. It's just a game!
Just about every Saturday since he's been gone, I've watched at least one game or I should say parts of a game since there are many small children interruptions over the course of an entire game. Since we have Army friends from all over the country who all have their favorite teams, I like to see how their teams are doing. It's like it's a point of connection to people we're separated from as we've moved from place to place. It also makes me feel like I'm enjoying a part of Cpt's life even though he's not here. We rarely even discuss football when we talk, but it's still a way that I can feel connected to him.
It is funny, though, that I have a favorite ref. As a matter of fact he was the head ref in the Auburn game today. He just looks like he'd just be a nice guy. Will Muschamp, who was once the offensive coordinator for Auburn, now the head coach at Florida, looks like a guy we went to college with. We never even call him by his real name because we refer to him by the name of the guy we went to school with.
Honestly, by the end of last season with all the Cam Newton scandal and the constant banter and bashing that happened on Facebook walls, if college football had ended and another season had never been played again, it would've been fine with me! Being the good wife that I am, though, I know that college football and more importantly, Auburn Football, is a big part of Cpt's life, so it's part of mine too.
War Eagle!
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