I Am A Football Hypocrit!

I readily admit it here. I have a double standard when it comes to the game of football.

Since I was in high school I have been a HUGE fan of the sport. I would watch any high school game in my area and any college game that happened to be on...even "Nowhere in the World" State verses "Dismal Seepage" University.

Nothing says "Fall is here" quite like the sound of clashing hard plastic helmets traveling through the cool autumn air in the evenings. The clicking of the cleats on the concrete as the players head for the locker room. In short, I love the game and the tradition that accompanies it.

Knowing this about myself, I was therefore amazed by the immediate disdain for the sport I experienced when my oldest son started playing flag football this year.

Here are my complaints, in no particular order:
-They want six-year-old's to practice two nights a week for an hour-and-a-half each night followed by a game each Saturday! Too much time right there.
-Parents keep yelling things at these practices like, "Where's the ball, Owen?" or "You missed the play! He went right by you!" (And when I say yelling...I mean YELLING!)
-This is suppose to be "Flag Football" meaning no tackles. When you pull the flag on the guy with the ball, the play is suppose to be over. The players don't seem to understand that fact. They keep piling on top of the play after the flag has been pulled and both the "puller" and the "pull-ee" have tumbled to ground due to momentum. Last week during a scrimmage at practice, one boy broke two of his fingers! During a scrimmage! At practice! This is suppose to be FLAG FOOTBALL! You know like "Capture the flag"? When you get the flag you stop trying to "get" things.
-Lastly, I overheard one of the coach's tell a parent that it "ruined his whole day Saturday" because our team lost the first game they played. I mean really. If losing your first flag football game, which took place at 8:00 am no less, can ruin your day, you must have fairly low expectations for the weekend.

On a positive note, Jack is having fun. He says he likes to play...but not as much as he likes basketball and playing with his Lego Star Wars models. This is good. I can use this.

We have a rule at our house. You can't quit something you've started, but you don't have to try it again.

So next fall, when the pools close and school starts and the football sign-ups are posted, if my oldest says, "hey Mom, am I playing football again this year?" I will tell him the choice is his but there's a lot of fun to be had at home in the evenings with the X-wing fighter and the AT-AP walker and Leia might need you to help Luke rescue her from Darth Vader.

Plus basketball starts in five short weeks.