Are You Ready for Some Football?

Fall has arrived, at least in my neck of the woods, and that means football. To keep up on the news of my favorite teams and those of my close friends, I’ve added a “Sports Center” to the sidebar menu. There you will find the Minnesota Vikings (my team), the New England Patriots (locals), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (in honor of my friend Sandi). You will find a link to the Discovery Channel cycling team as well, even though cycling season is winding down, but I digress…

So why only these three franchises? Well, in reverse order, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to watch, at least according to Sandi. A few years back her husband subscribed to NFL Sunday Ticket as a Christmas gift for his lovely mate because she is so into both college and professional football; and being a native of Pittsburgh, the Steelers are and always will be HER team.

Being a transplant to southern New England from the Midwest, I have to follow the Patriots in order to be even remotely conversational with my neighbors this time of year. It seems that people around here are either Yankees fans, Red Sox fans, or Patriots fans. A girl has to fit in somehow. **Sigh**

And then we come to the Vikings. Ah, the Vikings. After the last couple of years, what with the antics of Randy Moss and the whole “sex boat scandal” of last season, I should have written them off as a lost cause. I guess I have too many fond memories of their former years when Bud Grant was coach and Fran Tarkenton had just retired as quarterback, making way for the likes of Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson. I also have fond memories of watching the team practice at Blakeslee Field and dine in the cafeteria of Gage Towers, the campus residence hall reserved for the Vikings players and staff on the grounds of my alma mater, Minnesota State University, during their summer training camp.

Whatever the reason for including the team in my sidebar menu, the Vikings are off to a good start this year --- two wins and one loss so far --- and, like most Minnesotans, I’m praying for that elusive Super Bowl win.