(First) PRE SEASON MEMO TO MOMS

If you are not quite ready for the football season to begin, that's OK, there are still a few weeks left to enjoy summer,vacation, and avoid those annoying catalogs that say, "Back to School!"  Granted, some of us, in another two weeks, will be asking, "Why aren't they back to school?" 

Still, much of the rest of the world is well aware that the NFL season is well under way, and the college season not far behind, which means your high school, junior high, and pee wee players will be suiting up before you know it.

If you are familiar with and already know and enjoy football at all levels, you probably don't need to read this.  However, if you occasionally feel left out of the conversation when it comes to football, that is what this particular blog is all about.  Terminology is the key to getting in on the action.  Remember the first time your husband wanted to help in the kitchen and you asked him to grab the colander?  Hilarious!

So, the professional players are currently in "training camp."  Funny, because it sounds like the pro players are just now learning to play football.  But training camp is the return to the new season.  The reason it is training camp is because they have all been eating chicken wings and drinking beer for the last six months.  They are crabby and tired right now, and wishing they had eaten at least one spinach salad with salmon.

Think of it as the first few weeks after you have a newborn baby.  You are getting no sleep, you feel fat and out of shape with no excuse, and you are having to do simple tasks that seem impossible.  Sometimes there is a toddler hollering for more gummy snacks from across the room, (or a coach yelling at you to move faster!) - you get the picture.  Either way, after six weeks, it all starts to come together.

You will also hear "AFC" and "NFC"  which stand for "American Football Conference" and "National Football Conference", respectively.  Why two conferences?  So the Superbowl MEANS something in February.  Basically, they are all part of the NFL (national football league) but by having two seemingly distinct divisions, the final super fun game means only one true champion.  Deep down we all want that.  One champion, and a bunch of funny commercials.

For the college folks, there are the "red shirt" freshmen, and the "true freshmen."  The red shirt freshmen are the guys who have to sit on the sideline for a year before they will even get a chance to play.  After the first year, they still have four full years to play college football.  Sometimes the reason is to give him another year to "mature" or to "grow and put on weight."  Other times, it is simply because the head coach gave the kid a scholarship and now doesn't know where to play him.  Either way it is five years of free education, so no one seems to complain much.


The "true freshman" on the other hand is the guy who is actually playing in high school last year, and is now staring down college seniors.  People want to be impressed.  Being a true freshman is similar to being picked to bring the first post game snack when your oldest child starts playing t-ball.  Everyone is watching you, the expectation is very high, and your actions will set the tone for the rest of the season.  Carrot sticks, and you will deflate the entire crowd.  Cupcakes with hidden carrot juice, and you are a real winner!

More coming soon!!