Watching football has a long history for me. While a kid, living at home, watching the Cleveland Browns every Sunday was what my Dad did. And while I enjoyed the sound of football in the background, I secretly prayed I’d find a husband that wasn’t obsessed with it. And I did marry a man who didn’t like football at all. The ironic part is that we went every Sunday afternoon to his parent’s home for dinner, and his Mom, who loved the Browns, somehow converted me.
When my husband’s job transferred us to Maryland, I immediately became an avid Baltimore Colts fan. That is, until the owner, in the middle of the night, moved the Colts to Indianapolis. I grieved for my Colts until I moved back to Ohio, where I resumed being a Browns fan. Then one day, the Brown’s owner, moved the team to Baltimore. That is when I gave up on NFL football.
I never really watched or was exposed to college football until I moved back to Ohio and landed in Columbus. Here, Ohio State football rules, and is practically a religion. I was finally sucked in. Here was a team I could love, and the best part was, no one could move them to another city.
I usually don’t watch football unless I’m doing something else at the same time. People often ask me how I can do that and not miss the plays. But after years of watching football, you can tell by the crowd noise, when the ball is going to be snapped. That is when I look up, and if I do miss the play, there is always instant replay.
Usually while watching, I’m working on state map wall hangings for my Etsy shop. But this year, I decided to work on the states for the teams I am watching. This past weekend, I chose to watch the Texas/Oklahoma game at noon, and the Iowa/Penn State game at 7:30pm. I cut the states out of plywood the day before so I’m ready at game time.
I work upstairs in my cozy work room, where everything is stored and no comfort spared. I work at a standing work table I made to help my back.
And a cozy chair in case I just want to rest awhile.
Usually, this is where Moby hangs out while I work.
A caddy for all the tools I need and the remotes . . .
. . . because of course, a TV is a must. That pile of Ohio maps were all made while watching Ohio State games.
College football has lots of rivalries, but one of the best known ones is The Red River Rivalry. It is played every year in October between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns at The Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, TX during The Texas State Fair. The Red River forms part of the boundary between Oklahoma and Texas, which in the past has been the cause of conflict between the two states. Several football rivalries are a result of boundary disputes, including the Ohio State and Michigan rivalry.
A fun part of making state maps to sell is that I always try to learn something new about the states. I may never get to visit them, but I do my traveling by looking at the rivers, mountain ranges, cities, and parks.
Since I was interested in watching a Big Ten night game, I took the opportunity of the 3-4 hours in-between games to take the dog for a walk, make dinner, and catch a nap. Dinner was a nice bowl of potato soup with bacon and cheese sprinkled on top, perfect for a cool fall day.
By the time the evening game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Iowa Hawkeyes came on, I was refreshed and ready to go for a few more hours of map making. I don’t usually watch games, unless as an Ohio State fan, I have a vested interest in them, knowing that the outcome of these games, will have an impact on our standings or future games.
Neither game went the way I was hoping, but nonetheless, it was a productive day of map making for shop inventory, as I gear up for Christmas sales.
How do you spend your college football game day? I bet it’s in a more relaxing way than this, but actually working on the maps helps me deal with the stress of a really close game, and preserves my fingernails (if you know what I mean).
Your work room is wonderful – and your Moby is a cutie-pie. I don’t watch football at all and neither does my husband anymore. I’m more likely to be found outside puttering in the garden at that time anyway. Luckily, our fall and winter weather is much more comfortable than yours!
Thank you Kris! If we didn’t have cool/cold falls and winters, I’d be torn between my two great loves – gardening and football. Football is the one thing that helps me let go of summer and gardening. The football season starts out hot and ends up in winter, and watching it truly helps me make the transition, almost without a great feeling of loss. Now when football is over and we’re in the dead of winter, that’s a different story. Then I just go into hibernation until spring.
Your creativity continues to amaze me, Cindy! You are a woman of many talents. 🙂
I never was bitten by the sports bug, but love to read if I’m not out walking or working.
Have a great weekend!
Thank you Eliza! Football is the only sports bug that has bitten me. The rest of them I don’t watch unless there is a championship involved.
I used to read all the time, but now it’s like taking a sleeping pill for me, and puts me right to sleep. It is fun to get lost in a book, but then nothing else gets done until the book is finished. So, now I read in small starts and stops, but not nearly as much as I’d like. Reading is one of those things that makes me feel guilty when I indulge in a book. I don’t know where I picked up the idea that I need to constantly be working and it is a sin to sit and enjoy something. I’ll have to work on that.
Happy weekend to you too. I bet it is beautiful there right now.
Reading is good your heart (rest) and soul (expansion)! 🙂 At least that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. 😀
We watched the same exact games last week. My husband went to Texas and I am a Penn Stater. Right now we are cheering for the Astros. It depends on the game and the day as to whether we sit down to watch the entire game.
That is too funny. I love how college allegiances follow us where ever we move or live. Have you ever been out of state and gone to a Texas of Penn State bar to watch the game? That is such a fun way to watch, knowing there are fans who gather in every large city. We visited the Buckeye Bar when visiting my brother in San Diego once. It was weird watching a noon game at 9am. Funny thing is the Michigan bar was right next door, and the Oklahoma bar around the corner on the boardwalk.
No, I have not watched in a bar yet, but the alumni group has a bar they use for every game here. I have to toggle between PSU and Astros tonight.
I’d go for the Astros. Penn State is going to wipe up Michigan. I think your stadium is the hardest one to play in.