Football Saturday

The awe of your first game—walking through those gates with all those people, up a small slope, then through a short tunnel to come out nearly at the top of the biggest college football stadium in the world, the ground gaping open before you to drop to a field of green, and maize and blue clad people swarming in to fill all those seats—that awe was Calvin's today.

We have never really pushed football on him, but because I love watching Michigan play he's been exposed to the game over the years. He has seen them play on TV and has been to almost every tailgate with our friends and family since he was born. Then this year he asked to go to a game, and my parents were able to arrange that fun (thanks to my aunt and uncle who sit next to them and were not using their tickets this week, so thanks go to all of the above).

Calvin enjoyed the crowd, asked questions about the game, and seemed to love singing the various team songs. He went home after half time because the game was slightly dull, because three hours of sitting can be a lot for a five year old (and my mom so I could stay with my dad), and because the band had already played, and that was the perfect day for him. I didn't need him to stay for the whole game—I didn't need him to be there at all—but there is great joy in sharing the things that you love with your child, especially when they seem to enjoy them as well.

Saturday football to the nth degree

I got to carry my son, half asleep, up to his bed last night. I haven't enjoyed the feel of his cheek molded to my shoulder in a long time, and likely won't get to much longer. His feet dangled past my knees as I lumbered up the stairs to undress him and deposit him in bed.

We were all exhausted after a day that started with a county parks program on insects and ended with the exciting conclusion to Michigan's first night game ever in the Big House. 

We have found that even if games start later in the day the tailgaters don't. They just party longer. We parked at eleven and ate lunch then dinner with friends and family, ducking under tents for short bouts of rain, walking to the park for afternoon entertainment, and mingling as the sun rose and then descended. It was edging toward the horizon as Jon, Calvin, and I headed for home to catch the game on TV.

Calvin's day ended at half time, which because of the night game was still hours after his usual bedtime, but he was hoping for a glimpse of the Airborne Paratroopers we'd met while tailgating. He got to take his picture with them and they were very nice about answering questions, and gave him a football, so we'd hoped their drop into the stadium at half time would be shown on TV. Alas, it wasn't.

That time of year again

College football is back. We live in a college football town and the start of the season is something we look forward to every year. I know not everyone feels that way. People who live here usually either love or hate the football program because on home game Saturdays the entire city gets locked up. We have the largest football stadium (the third largest sports stadium in the world), and funneling more than 110,000 fans into, and then out of, such a small area for every game is a practice in patience for all who live here, and all who are visiting.

This year's football season arrived in a rather unusual fashion. Tailgating in temperatures upwards of 90 degrees is not as much fun as usual, but my family has been tailgating with the same crowd since I was young, possibly since before I was born, and our festivities are as much tradition as any other holiday. And as with other holidays, it brings me great joy to see my son enjoying the same activities with the same people, and the next generation. So, not to be missed, we spent a very hot afternoon enjoying grilled sausage and other fun foods while summoning the energy to play games, dance, and laugh in spite of the heat. We don't get to go to all the games, but I can honestly say that today I didn't envy anyone their tickets. And as it turned out the game was short lived, being called in the third quarter due to severe weather. And that makes our first win under a new coach. I can only hope the remainder of the year is less eventful, but equally as successful.

Well, there's always next year

The football year started out with what seemed like promise, but fizzled out with what seemed more like the waning efferevesence of flat ginger ale, and that's no real fizzle at all. To that all I can say is, well, there's always next year.

Good times tailgate fun.

Tailgates are always fun because they come before the game. Enough said.