Why I Love Football

The superbowl just happened and it made me think that I've never really explained to anyone my love of football. 

I have some friends that will get it. They are football fans as well but then I have others who have no idea how on a Sunday from September until February I can't be bothered to see them. Even my boyfriend thinks I'm crazy sometimes. 

It's quite simple. To me, if baseball is America's pastime, then football is its present, it's America's sport through and through. 

Think about it, over 110 million people watched this week's Superbowl and that doesn't take into account all the people at parties or bars watching it together. To say that football is just that, football...is absurd (here's looking at you Meryl). 

In light of my New England Patriots winning 5 Superbowls, I'm going to lost 5 reasons why I love the sport so much. 

1.) For one, it brings people together. It doesn't matter what side of the 'field' you're on. People come together, with their jerseys, food and hats and they watch the game. It's like a holiday in this country, I actually know people (myself included) who wish the Monday after the superbowl WAS a holiday. How many events can you think of where people come together like this? Not many. 

2.) It's also patriotic. Football gets people through the hard times. In 2001 after the 9/11 attacks people looked to football. They looked for these athletes to bring back normality in a time of crisis and they did just that. While players and coaches did that, they were also determined to provide acknowledgement of 9/11, and  with our military servicemen and women. 

3) Some will say it's just a game. But football brings men together for one goal, they work together to achieve that goal, they lift each other up, they provide this inescapable pride for their fans. They show how to work as a team against all odds.  I've gone to football, hockey and baseball games before. Nothing beats football. Complete strangers find a comaridty with you just because you're there. 

4.) And that's another thing. Football is an ice breaker. Last week I was in an awkward conversation with a man waiting for the bus. He had a NY Giants hat on so I switched subjects, brought football up and that awkward conversation changed to the fact that I was a Patriots fan. I said I was going to wear my hat if they won to work and he said 'forget the critics you wear that hat proud in NY'. Isn't that a life lesson? Forget the critics? Be proud of who you are rooting for? Be yourself whenever possible no matter where you are? Why yes, yes it is. Also-- I don't know any other topics out there that can 'break the ice'. 

5.) Last but not least, almost everyone will have their own personal reason for watching football. It will probably be that they grew up with it, that their parents like it or they became a fan through a significant other. Maybe they used to play football and love to see the athleticism of the players. For me, it all starts with my family. My family are fans and it brought me closer to them. 

I'll admit, it can be frustrating (sometimes I can't even watch) but it's surreal to be with 20,000 people jumping up and down at once, it's surreal when you and your friends are jumping up and down in your living room. Football can leave you speechless, having you screaming all at the same time and for that, in the end it's worth it...otherwise we wouldn't keep coming back for more.