Orange Bowl at half-time

This second day of January finds me watching the Orange Bowl. [Wake Forest almost blocked a punt] I have been a pretty serious NFL football fan –– as in the New York Giants –– for twenty years now. [two commercials] My Dad was a pretty big football fan, but for some reason I did not enjoy watching football all that much as a kid. I am not sure why. [Wake Forest scored a field goal and another commercial] Perhaps it was because I did not understand the game. But I do understand the game now, and have been enjoying watching college football this season. As an alumnus of Rutgers and a football fan, I have gotten interested in college football because the Rutgers football team had one of their best year. [first down Louisville]. And won their first bowl game. [first down Louisville but there is an official review, and another commercial]

We are watching our fourth bowl game in two days, with three more to go, I am thinking of my Dad. My Dad lived in Pasadena CA for five years when he was a little boy. He talked about being able to watch the Rose Bowl from the roof of his house. I always wondered if he snuck out onto his roof. I would have tried, I think. [booth review upheld call on field, first down Louisville]. I remember this beat up football that he had. He said it was a game ball from the Rose Bowl. I wanted to play with it, and even snuck it outside one day. [field goal Louisville. Tie game] He let me play with it for a while then took it away saying it was too fragile. At this time the ball was probably between 25 and 30 years old.

Now if my Dad were alive, he would ask me what I am doing writing this blog entry while I am watching the Orange Bowl. This is a big game for us because our conference is playing in the Orange Bowl. And I’d tell him that since I am good at keyboarding that I can write this AND watch the game at the same time. And correct my typos during the commercials.

My Dad preferred college football to professional football, but he watched both. [another commercial] There was one thing he hated, the super bowl pre game show. My Dad died on January 22, 1992. It took awhile to gather family together for his funeral so his wake did happen until the following Sunday. Super bowl Sunday, Washington Redskins v Buffalo Bills, his wake was during the super bowl pre–game show. Not a coincidence. By the way, the Redskins won, 37–24. In case you are wondering, I have a helper, a copy of the 2007 Sports Almanac.

[Wake Forest fumble with less than two minutes to go in the half. Louisville goes three and out. Wake Forest drives down to within field goal range and their hotshot kicker misses a 47–yard field goal. Louisville is up, 10 to 3 at half time.]