Are You Ready for Some Football?

Apparently the Detroit Lions defense wasn't! Losing to the Saints 45-27 and letting their QB throw for 6 touchdowns. It wasn't shown live here, which is just as well. It was replayed on Monday, but for some reason I didn't feel like watching it.

Despite the inauspicious start for the Lions, I'm still thrilled the football season started. I, like many others here, have been looking forward to this for weeks. Watching football over here, like many other things, is just a little bit different. We are 7 hours ahead of the Eastern time zone, so the early college football games start at 1900 and the early pro games start at 2000. I can usually watch either half or all of those games. It is bedtime for me when the mid-afternoon games are starting. The night games have already started when I wake up in the morning, so I can watch part of them before church on Sunday or work on Monday and Tuesday. The daylight savings time change will make it easier to see the night games but harder to watch even the early afternoon ones. Wah!

Those who know me know I'm a diehard Michigan Wolverines fan. Of course I root for my alma mater, the Air Force Academy, but I live and die with the U of M. All last week I was looking forward to the Michigan-Notre Dame game. For me, ND is the second most hated rival behind Ohio State. I spent all day last Saturday looking forward to the game since it started at 2230. At game time, I was comfortably settled into my recliner (yes, I'm spoiled) and ready for some football. I watched the game nervously as it went back and forth. About halftime, which was around midnight, I almost fell asleep. I am so glad I stayed awake. What a game! When Michigan scored the go-ahead touchdown with 10 seconds left in the game, I had to restrain myself from yelling and possibly waking up my neighbor. I was also really excited when CMU (where my brother John went to school) upset MSU on a last second field goal (sorry Jenny). I can't wait for the rest of the season (in fact, I'm watching the UM/EMU game as I type this).

In addition to watching the games, it is nice to have something to look forward each week other than work. People mark their time here in different ways. Some people count each day. That would drive me crazy. The DFACs (aka chow halls) have different specialties on different days. One day will be Chinese, another Mongolian BBQ, another Arabic, and so on. So some people mark their day by when their favorite food is being served. Even after 4 months here I still can't remember the DFAC schedule, so that doesn't work for me. I'm not counting down my days, but I am looking forward to football making the time pass. Also, I already figured out I'll have 3 months left after the Super Bowl and I'll be close to finding out where my next assignment is. Therefore, football is my calendar.

Watching football brings a taste of home to the deployment. I can't say this enough, I have it good that I can watch the games, especially in the comfort of my room. I don't have to get dressed up to watch the game at a rec center or, even worse, not be able to watch the games at all and have to wait a day or two to get results. Hallejuah for the Armed Forces Network and having a TV in my room and office (where I'm at now). Go Blue, go Air Force, and go Lions!