Sports fans

Most of you are aware that I am not much of a sports fan. This lack of enthusiasm for disgustingly overpaid sweaty meatheads combined with my lack of interest in video games causes some to question my manhood. Even though I can lift almost 50 lbs right over my head! The questioning looks and insults have never bothered me much. However living in Boston without even a rudimentary support for the local teams prompts some to overlook your mere existence. I will admit that being surrounded by such communal excitement has enticed my interest. So when the chance for me to pick up some season tickets for the New England Patriots arose, I took it. Yesterday was my first professional football game. I have always enjoyed college football games but usually the mentality centers on a reason to party rather than the actual game.
I took a chartered train from Boston to Gillette Stadium with a few thousand die hard patriot fans. Scattered sparsely in the sea of red white and blue were a few turquoise Dolphin jerseys. I felt sorry for the loyal fans as they were verbally brutalized by every fan young and old. I witnessed a ninety year old lady sporting a Tom Brady jersey tell a Dolphin fan he should be riding on the outside of the train. I followed the stream of partially intoxicated folks into the largest stadium I have ever seen. The uppermost seats crested hundreds of feet in the sky surrounded by clouds. I wondered if a seat that high came with supplemental oxygen. Because my inherited tickets came from a gentleman with season tickets since 1970, my seats were much better. I sat right near midfield about halfway up with a great view of the entire field and free of any rowdy fans seated behind. Right away I decided that some people take football way too seriously. Setting geographic pride aside, it is after all, just a game. As the game progressed the stunning self-righteous roar of the local fans diminished. The underdog Dolphins at first slowly and then with increasing dominance ran right over the alpha Patriots. The term “fair-weather-fan” was defined as the stadium started clearing out before the end of the third quarter. Since it was a nice day, and because I didn’t care who won, I stayed until the Patriots third or fourth string quarterback downed the last play. The ride home on the same train was much quieter save the cheers of jubilation from the previously humble Dolphins fan. The Patriots winning record of 19 games was shattered by the worst ranked team in the NFL. I had a great time at the game regardless; I am a Dallas Cowboy’s fan anyway!