I don't know if you heard, but I like football.
I know this may seem strange since I am a girl. However, it's becoming more and more of an acceptable thing for girls to like football. So I'm not totally alone in this.
The odd thing is, in this family, I am the ONLY one who likes football. I am the one camped out on the couch on Saturday watching whatever college game is on until it's time for LSU to play. Stewart is usually working in the yard or cooking. Evan is doing his own thing. Zach actually tried to change the channel last Saturday, and I nearly took his arm off. That's how much I love football. I just do.
This love for me started young. I can remember watching Cowboys games with my dad every Sunday. He would yell at that TV, and so would I. We frequently attended Cowboys games in the old Texas Stadium. My school was also pretty football obsessed, and football season was the highlight of the year for us. Once I got into high school, I was the only person on the danceline that actually knew what was happening in the game. The cheerleaders would ask me what cheer we should do because I knew whether or not we were on offense or defense.
It was sometime in high school that I learned that Louisiana actually had a NFL team called the New Orleans Saints. This was a new revelation to me because my dad had so saturated our house with all things Dallas Cowboys that there was no room for much else. And in their years before the 90s, the Saints had been historically awful. In my high school years, the Saints had their first ever (unsuccessful) run toward the playoffs, and it was in these years that I took notice of them. Sweatshirts were purchased, and I was hooked. I kept up with the Saints all through college and even after I moved to Texas for seminary. We did attend a couple of Cowboys games after I moved to Fort Worth, but by then, I was divided in my allegiance. The Saints were becoming my favorite team.
However, the deal was sealed with one blocked punt in 2006 on a Monday night. We lived in Forestburg, Texas at the time. Stewart was gone to a meeting out of town that evening, so as I perused the channels for something to watch, I saw that the Saints were playing on Monday Night Football. I immediately turned on the game, knowing that this must be their first game back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. The season before had been horrible in more ways than one, and all of us Saints fans were hoping and praying for something better that year. And we got it. Boy, did we ever! I sat and cried as Steve Gleason blocked Atlanta's punt and the Saints scored. Three years later, they made me cry more as they won their first ever Super Bowl. My love for them was a done deal.
As I mentioned, I have been to many Cowboys games, but I had never even set foot on the ground at the Superdome even though I've been to New Orleans numerous times. It had become a bucket list item for me to attend a Saints game and see Drew Brees play. Well, Monday night, my bucket list got a few things marked off of it. My husband bought me tickets to the Atlanta game for Mother's Day. And let me just say, it was the best Mother's Day gift ever! Even though the Saints lost, I still had the time of my life. It was absolutely thrilling just being in the building. And let me tell you, that place can get LOUD! I mean deafening. It was unreal. I cheered, I danced, and I marveled at it all. Thank you, Stewart, for giving me a gift that fulfilled one of my dreams!
I know this may seem strange since I am a girl. However, it's becoming more and more of an acceptable thing for girls to like football. So I'm not totally alone in this.
The odd thing is, in this family, I am the ONLY one who likes football. I am the one camped out on the couch on Saturday watching whatever college game is on until it's time for LSU to play. Stewart is usually working in the yard or cooking. Evan is doing his own thing. Zach actually tried to change the channel last Saturday, and I nearly took his arm off. That's how much I love football. I just do.
This love for me started young. I can remember watching Cowboys games with my dad every Sunday. He would yell at that TV, and so would I. We frequently attended Cowboys games in the old Texas Stadium. My school was also pretty football obsessed, and football season was the highlight of the year for us. Once I got into high school, I was the only person on the danceline that actually knew what was happening in the game. The cheerleaders would ask me what cheer we should do because I knew whether or not we were on offense or defense.
It was sometime in high school that I learned that Louisiana actually had a NFL team called the New Orleans Saints. This was a new revelation to me because my dad had so saturated our house with all things Dallas Cowboys that there was no room for much else. And in their years before the 90s, the Saints had been historically awful. In my high school years, the Saints had their first ever (unsuccessful) run toward the playoffs, and it was in these years that I took notice of them. Sweatshirts were purchased, and I was hooked. I kept up with the Saints all through college and even after I moved to Texas for seminary. We did attend a couple of Cowboys games after I moved to Fort Worth, but by then, I was divided in my allegiance. The Saints were becoming my favorite team.
However, the deal was sealed with one blocked punt in 2006 on a Monday night. We lived in Forestburg, Texas at the time. Stewart was gone to a meeting out of town that evening, so as I perused the channels for something to watch, I saw that the Saints were playing on Monday Night Football. I immediately turned on the game, knowing that this must be their first game back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. The season before had been horrible in more ways than one, and all of us Saints fans were hoping and praying for something better that year. And we got it. Boy, did we ever! I sat and cried as Steve Gleason blocked Atlanta's punt and the Saints scored. Three years later, they made me cry more as they won their first ever Super Bowl. My love for them was a done deal.
As I mentioned, I have been to many Cowboys games, but I had never even set foot on the ground at the Superdome even though I've been to New Orleans numerous times. It had become a bucket list item for me to attend a Saints game and see Drew Brees play. Well, Monday night, my bucket list got a few things marked off of it. My husband bought me tickets to the Atlanta game for Mother's Day. And let me just say, it was the best Mother's Day gift ever! Even though the Saints lost, I still had the time of my life. It was absolutely thrilling just being in the building. And let me tell you, that place can get LOUD! I mean deafening. It was unreal. I cheered, I danced, and I marveled at it all. Thank you, Stewart, for giving me a gift that fulfilled one of my dreams!
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