This is quite the interesting football weekend for me. Vandy and Georgia are playing right now. I have always been a dutiful Vandy fan. My wife, however, went to UGA and is very much the rabid, maniacal fan. That sweet, kind, polite southern girl I married sure can cuss when it comes to Georgia football. Now, I am always rooting for my Dores when they play, but I never expect them to win, so I never really care much about these "house divided" games.
But this year, with their 4-0 start and current 4-2 record, I want my team to win big time this weekend. I don't care about my wife's feelings for the next hour or so. I'm a Dores fan, man. And I'll take any and all wins that'll help secure a Bowl bid for the Black and Gold.
And then, there's Sunday. Our much aligned Tennessee Titans play the once-upon-a-time hapless Cincinnati Bengals. This year's Bengals are the proud owners of a 4-1 record. The first NFL game I ever attended was a Bengals-Seahawks matchup in the now defunct Riverfront Stadium. For twelve years, they were the whipping boys of the NFL, the celler swellers of their division, teams felt rewarded to find them on their schedule. An easy win, no doubt. But now, the tide has turned. It is a team whose owners are making better hiring and spending decisions. It is a team whose coaches are making a difference. They are smart, tough, and impassioned, and it shows on the field.
My cool pop was a Cincinnati kid and he raised me to know the deliciousness of Skyline Chili, the timeless lyrics to the song "We're Here Because We're Here", and that there is not much more satisfying than a Cincinnati Bengals victory. So, Tennessee Titans, I love you. But not this week. To those who know, I say "Who dey, who dey?" You know the rest.
(Edit to add: Vandy game is over. They have lost. Georgia won. Dawgs, I now wish you a national championship.)
1 comment:
Like your father, I'm a native Cincinnatian. In '99 I went to the first Titans game at Adelphia, when the Titans won by the narrowest of margins won. I was glad to see them win. In those days the best I could hope for with the Bengals was that they didn't embarrass themselves.
Today it's different. The two teams seem to have swapped roles. I love my new home town and their team, but today I, too, am rooting for the Bengals. It's about time.
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