Boys of Fall

"What are you doing today?" The answer is simple: It's Saturday and it's fall; therefore, my TV is set to College Gameday from 10 a.m. until my I lay my head on the pillow tonight. I'll be honest, there are very few times that I actually watch an entire game. The best part is, I don't need to. Growing up, the background noises in the fall consisted of cheering crowds and yelling from my dad and brother when the referees made a less than pleasing call. Burning leaves and the smell of chili filled our home as we relaxed and enjoyed a sport we have all grown to love.

Last night I sat through a high school football game, and I couldn't help but smile as I enjoyed the company of my coworkers and the occasional chat with a student. I felt at home as we all shared stories and cheered on our "boys of fall." Luckily, we crushed the other team pretty effortlessly :-)

A few weekends ago, I was invited to my brother's place for the weekend to enjoy some tailgating and a UNI vs. Iowa football game. Mike is oddly obsessed with Hawkeye football, and I felt so privileged to share the weekend with him. While the Hawks did beat my Panthers, I was able to shake it off and continue on having a great time with my brother and friends. The sense of pride people have towards "their team" is so cool. I am not very competitive, but I do think it is important to have pride in where you come from. It represents who we are as people and as a community. There is just something about slipping on your teams colors on a Saturday morning.

Go Panthers!!