just returned home from a day spent watching my college football team lose to one of our nation’s service academys.  While I always feel slightly unpatriotic  rooting against our service academies, I find some way to overcome those feelings and cheer for my boys.  Today, however, involved rooting for my boys in a torrential downpour.  I was amply prepared for the bad weather, with polka dot galoshes and protective rain gear.    I had a little bourbon before heading into the game, which was meant to dull the effects of the pouring rain.   Unfortunately, my boys played terribly and the skies just opened up in the second half.   My friends took that as a sign to head on home, but I had driven another friend’s dad to the game and as a former player, he refused to leave until the bitter end.  I wandered around the stadium trying to stay dry and headed back in for the fourth quarter.  My boys made one last defensive stop and gave the ball back to the offense to bring a victory home.   Despite the pouring rain, we were given a great opportunity and the few remaining fans rallied together behind our team.   Even though a few hours has passed, I still remember feeling so much pride as I stood with this soaking wet group of fans, hoping for our boys to pull out one last touchdown.

Then we went 3 and out, my friend’s dad called to say he was ready, I took one look around at my fellow fans, and ran for the warmth of my car.  Maybe “True Fan” is a bit of an overstatement.

Advertisement