Friday Five-Super Bowl

There is so much going on this weekend that I thought I'd provide an options Friday 5!!!!

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First Superbowl ( someone explain to this Brit the significance)- love it or hate it?

1. Sally, American football is about as incomprehensible to Brits as is Cricket to us. I grew up in TX where there was only one sport that anyone followed—football. Everything revolved around the local teams. High school football is taken to extremes there and is about as vociferous as rugby or soccer is in northern UK.

2. Obviously I love the sport. I even understand some of it. I was in the band from 5th grade through college and went to every schools’ football games for 16 years. Then professional football caught my fancy and I have watched, or now later in life more precisely, I doze through all the games I can get.


3. When I was younger, I am sure that attendance was a part of growing up in TX. In my childhood it was one of the few things that whole families could do together with other families in the neighborhood. It was one of the few things that both men and women could do together. We didn’t do tailgate parties then, but it wasn’t long before snacks came out and beer was passed around.


4. I remember Super Bowl #1. (Yes, Virginia, I am THAT old!) I was teaching in Dallas and one of my colleagues was the wife of a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. (The team had been originally the Dallas Texans.) A bunch of teachers got together and cheered Abner. It was the first party in an African-American’s home I had ever been to. (This was in the middle of the integration of Dallas public schools) We did brave things in those days.


5. I am a Dallas Cowboys’ fan to this day even though I live in NY. Now that the NY Giants have beaten the Cowboys to get to the Superbowl, I will cheer for the Giants. This will ingratiate me with the guys of my parish.

As for other celebrations of Feb. 1 or 2? Though I am quite catholic in my religious bent, I don’t pay much attention to Candlemas Day, or even St. Bridgid. Groundhog Day is a bit more important because I live in an area noted for our nasty weather. If the groundhog comes out of his hole and sees his shadow, we are bound for 6 more weeks of winter. It would be best if it were just cold and rainy here.

And you forgot St. Blaise day when you got your throats blessed so you wouldn’t get strep the rest of the winter.

Meanwhile, have a Happy Birthday, Sally.