To be honest...not really. Football season is more like the prelude to basketball season, in my opinion. I have gotten more interested in football in the past couple of years, but it's still not, and will never be, my favorite sport to watch.
I don't have a specific team I cheer for. I'll support the local team, the Titans, of course and I guess if I had to pick a favorite I'd go with the Packers. Not because I am particularly fond of cheese, but because Randall Cobb (most beautiful eyes ever) and Tim Masthay (former UK football players) are currently members of that team. Last year I became more interested in the game when I joined my first Fantasy Football League. I could pretend I spent weeks before the FF draft studying player's stats, looking for their weaknesses, and reading predictions about their seasons. In all actuality, I picked my team based on two criteria: 1.) Did they play for UK and 2.) Did they have creative hairstles in their ESPN picture. Not the most scientific method, but I did make the play-offs so shove it.
This year I'm joining two FF leagues. One where we play for money, and one where we play for wine. Guess which one is my favorite. I'm trying to think of creative team names but so far am drawing a blank. I'll come up with something.
I've also become more interested in football because of tailgating. My undergrad alma mater did not have a football team, so there was no tailgating. UK, where I went to grad school, does have a football team, and I went to a few games, but I didn't find the friend base there I have here in Nashville. Don't get me wrong, I made some great friends there, just not the group of 40+ that show up to Vandy tailgates here. I've been lucky enough to meet a group of people that have themed tailgates every Vandy home game. Past themes have included Greek themed (wear your pearls, bring your paddles), mystery cooler (put lots of different beer in a crate and pick out your beverage blind), and others I can't remember at this point. There's no better way to spend a fall morning/afternoon than being with your best friends, playing flip cup (even though I am terrible at it) and eating delicious food. The tailgate set-up is no joke. It even comes with a crib and play area for our friends' adorable little son.
Last fall the NBA's loss was my (and every other UK fan's) gain. Because of the lockout, several former UK players came back to Rupp for exhibition games. I went to one with my friends A & K and my dad, and another with just A. Poor A was treated to girl talk he really did not want to hear while driving back from the first one, but hey...I was driving and K was riding shotgun, and we thought he was asleep in the backseat. During that road trip we also played several rousing games of marry/f***/kill and built our perfect significant other using body parts of our friends...a very messed up Mr. Potato Head, if you will. Hey, when you drive 7 hours in one day and get home at 1:30 a.m., you never know what will be a topic of conversation.
I'm sad there will not be similar games this fall. I finally got to tell Christian Laettner what I thought about him (although he probably didn't hear me) and see him wipe the floor of Rupp Arena. A small penance for his sin of "the shot." A enjoyed the games as well...he especially enjoyed commenting on the fact that Chuck Hayes had gained weight...and we think Chuck may have actually heard that one. Oops.
Every year I try to go to the UK/Vandy game here in Nashville because it's usually around my birthday. However, this year, it is in January, which is a bit of a bummer. I might save my ticket money for the SEC Tournament, which is in Nashville! Four of the most fun days I have ever had took place when the SEC Tournament was last here and I am planning on being at every game. I've already asked off from work. Luckily, my boss is a basketball fanatic like I am...although he supports those lowdown, dirty snitches in Knoxville...who got beaten last year in football by a wide receiver acting as quarterback. I figure we will lose to them this year, so I have to get in my bragging while I can.
So, to sum up this post, I am only excited about football because it means basketball (and hopefully the wine from the FF league I'm in) is right around the corner. I mean, Nerlens Noel has a flat top...you can not tell me he isn't going to be entertaining.
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