"So...You Going To Watch The Game?"

The conversation went something like this.

"You going to watch the game tomorrow?"

"No," I said. "Probably not. You?"

"Maybe," said the co-worker, someone with a huge U of U flag draped over one wall of his cubicle. "Probably."

"I know," I said. "I'll probably record it and watch it if the Utes win. If not, I'll just delete it if they lose."

We continued talking.

"I used to watch every game, every Utah Jazz game, every U of U football and basketball game, but not anymore. I'll watch a Jazz game here and there. And I've started to watch some of the U basketball games again. I think they're on the way back."

"You don't want to watch the games?"

"I do like watching them, but I hate the way they affect me. They drive me crazy and I can't sleep sometimes, so I just turn it off--it works for me."

There was a pause, then I continued. "What I would love is to be able to watch a U of U game and if the Utes play hard and did everything they could and a better team beat them, I'd love to be able to stand and clap and be at peace with the whole thing--glad I just watched an entertaining game."

"Wow...that's like being in a transcendental state," he said. "That's like achieving football zen."

"You're right," I said. "You're right."

Let The Games Begin!

It seemed to take forever to get here, but now that college football has begun, I wonder if it really was that long after all. I don't know why, but there's something about college football that I love.

I have the same feeling for national soccer teams. I think it's because they're playing for more than just a paycheck, like the pro teams do. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy pro football and soccer, and basketball because of how talented the athletes are. They can do amazing things.

But I think that's why I like the college game--for that same reason. The athletes are not as talented, but they play with heart.

In my state of Utah, all home teams were not guaranteed to win, because two played each other. My son came into the room Thursday night and saw the Utah/USU game on TV. "Who's playing?" he asked. "Utah and Utah State." I said. Then he said, "That's good that Utah will win." He's 9 and what he meant was it's good that a Utah team will win, and one did. But one lost, too.

I am a Utah Man sir, and I live across the green. However, I love to watch the Aggies play and win. I was an Aggie, albeit for a short time. My dad was an Aggie, my brother, my uncle, and many, many friends are Aggies (whether or not they're "true Aggies," you'll have to ask them...). Go Aggies!

Tonight the other major football power in the state played, and they did not prevail, even though when I left to go shopping with five minutes left in the game, they pretty much had the thing won. I guess not.

Be you red, blue, purple, green, brown, or black, if you're a college football fan you'll have to agree--you're glad the game is back!