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I remember being carried on stranger’s shoulders down “The Drag” AKA Guadalupe street after the game. (I was smaller then).

All right, all right. Most people know I’m kinda strange; and every Superbowl Sunday I prove it. I don’t watch the Superbowl. There I said it.  I’m putting it out there for everyone to know. When I was growing up my parents were big fans of the Houston Oilers. My mom would have me sit on the couch next to her to watch the game and if they made a good play she’d go buck wild slapping my leg to make sure I saw it. (It got to be a joke in the family that no one wanted to sit next to her during a game.)

I remember my dad took me to the Oilers AFC championship game in December 1960. (I think 1960.)  Mom didn’t want to go because rain was predicted. A drunk guy sitting behind us spilled his bourbon all over my back. Then it started to rain. I sat reeking of bourbon, next to my dad while hunkering under an umbrella. My dad sat there in his raincoat and rain hat. He wouldn’t have been caught dead carrying, or God forbid, using an umbrella. (Back in the early 60’s my dad wasn’t the most evolved person when it came to what was manly and what was not.) I begged to go home as the rain pelted us. Usually I could always get my way with my dad; but not that day. He was resolute. We sat and it rained and rained then it rained some more. That afternoon sucked- a lot. A Houston team has never won, or even played in the Superbowl.

I went to the football games in high school because I was part of the drill team. I played a bugle in the Imperial Guard. Our uniforms were heinous- gray jackets with a gray pleated skirt. We wore gray Roman type helmets that had red brooms on the top. What was I thinking?

The year I was a freshman at UT we won the national championship. The city went wild! I remember being carried on stranger’s shoulders down “The Drag” AKA Guadalupe street after the game. (I was smaller then). Anyway, UT football is almost a religion in Texas and when they win the top of the tower on campus is lit up orange. When they win the national championship the whole tower is lit up orange. You can see the tower from 10 miles away. I still watch Longhorn football.

What I don’t understand though is why someone who has absolutely no attachment to either of the cities in the Superbowl would get so wound up about it. It’s beyond me unless it’s just an excuse to get together with friends, eat a lot of junk food and perhaps drink too much. I know the commercials are cute, but I caught those online this morning. Is there something else going on there that I’m just not seeing?

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responses (19)

Gramma said to meigler
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oh, I soooo agree with you!!  I'd rather read a good book! =]

meigler said to Gramma
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I might start a club. You can be my first member.

Gramma said to meigler
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Yay!  of course!

birdlover said to meigler
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I TOTALLY agree...

meigler said to birdlover
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Welcome to our group.

SeaWriter said to meigler
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I love college football but pro football scares me. I did watch the last six minutes of the Super Bowl nearly by accident, though, and as far as I can tell I saw all I needed to see because the part I watched included the Budweiser Clydesdales commercial (which is always the best part of the game anyway).

 

meigler said to SeaWriter
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Was that little longhorn who grew up and wanted to be next to his friend cute or what? I also liked the ad with the dog and the shock collar. I don't remember the product though.

buzzingbee said to meigler
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If you remember the product it wasn't a really great commercial.

meigler said to buzzingbee
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I am confused. Not that that is anything new. What do you mean Miss Sandy?

buzzingbee said to meigler
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I just think the humor should be more memorable than the product, since I'm not that interested in Snickers or Go Daddy.

meigler said to buzzingbee
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Now I understand. I agree.

Lynnette said to meigler
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i like the parties, but don't ask me the rules of the game as i am completely clueless.  However, i do like the festivities and seeing the men go at each other.  My neighborhood was full of cars and you could hear the screaming coming from the back terraces.  Plus, the darn planes went over my house when i was taking a nap and i almost had a heart attack.  Then remembered that the game was on in Miami.  Thank God i remembered, for a minute i thought it was an earthquake!!!!

meigler said to Lynnette
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Well I'm always up for a good party.

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Sandi/7 said to meigler
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Awww I can picture this poor little girl hating every minute of this ritual when her parents thought they were sharing with their child what was important to them alone......Poor kid!  I'm surprised you watch any sports at all!

  I've never been a sports fan of any kind.  Even the types of sports I enjoyed myself like Hunt Seat Equine events I don't enjoy watching on TV.

Totally agree with all of you a great book is far more pleasurable.

meigler said to Sandi/7
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My folks thought it was just great! Thank God they only watched football.

Roblyn said to meigler
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I'm certainly not a football fan but my husband happened to surf over the channel at the beginning of halftime.  Did any of you children of the 60's see The Who?  I thought I'd die of embarrassment.  I bet Pete Townsend had to be taken backstage for oxygen! 

Sandi/7 said to Roblyn
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LOL  Roblyn, there have been ton's of commentary saying the very same thing.   Not one of the better choices for a half-time show during the most important game of the year.....

granny in long johns said to meigler
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I call sports venues "Bread and Circuses".  This includes the Olympics.  The Romans knew that a good fight in the arena was a good way to placate the people.  Give them a good fight to watch and they won't be fighting "the establishment".  My husband and I were discussing the Olympics because he's all fired up about watching them, epecially the hockey.  The olympics are a major boost for the sponsers - McDonalds, The Royal Bank, Visa, etc.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not against sports.  I would just like to see the Oympics happen in a world where 30,000 children don't die of hunger everyday.  In Canada we have half a million, HALF A MILLION, homeless people.  We can't seem to solve that problem, we're in a recession but the powers that be can come up with billions to put into the games.  I'm not going to apologize for my point of view, by the way.  I'm entitled to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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meigler said to granny in long johns
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Dear Granny. Why would anyone would be asking you to apologize for your opinion? I certainly don't. Honestly, I don't know much about Canada, except that you have governent healthcare, which we in the U.S., do not. (I guess I just assumed you guys had it a lot more together than we do.) I realize my ignorance is showing.

Pure and Natural