Why Do I Love This?

As I watched the first football game of the 2013 NFL season, I realized that I might be one of three friends who would be switching their schedule around in order to be able to watch the game in its entirety. This blog is not intended for my dear friends who are my pigskin-soulmates, I am writing to all my other wonderful friends who are mystified as to why I love the game so much. I will attempt to explain the game in a way that will help you find the veiwing enjoyment that I have. I am unsure of main reason why I love the game of football. I have to say that I love the allegiance that comes from rooting for a team. I enjoy the escape it gives me from the ovewhelming pressures of reality. Yet it is the ultimate reality TV show with no worries of it being scripted.

I grew up watching the game with my father, and during the tumultuous teen years (mine not my father's), it became the one topic of conversation that didn't result in a yelling match. In my younger years, my mother taught me the basic premise of game and after a while my father taught me to watch the little nuances of the match-ups. I soon found myself engrossed in the violent chess match that describes the strategy of football. Each player on the field is like a chess piece pondered over by the coaching staff; they are brought in to shore up weaknesses on the team, moved around to answer another team's strength, the opposing chess pieces are studied in the hopes of finding a way to stop them. The difference of these chess pieces compared to the board pieces are they aren't quiet, they sweat, can weigh over 300 lbs, make Gatorade commercials and can collect $120 million over 4 years (see QB Joe Flacco of Ravens).

The goal of the game is to win by putting up more points that the opponent. There are more than a few ways to score points; there is a touchdown that equals 6 points, extra point after a touchdown which equals one point, 2 point conversion after a touchdown, a field goal which equals 3 points and a safety which equals 2 points. Field goals and safeties are ways of scoring points without being contingent on a touchdown. The teams have to use these methods or a combination of them in order to attempt to score the most points to win.

I realize that most have the basic premsie and scoring understood, but it is the less understood rules and less known strategies that make football fascinating. In the next days and weeks, my hope is that I can help you gain a new appreciation and enjoyment for the game that has become the newest national pastime.