Cup O’ Joe: Life of a football fanatic

Fall is by far my favorite time of year. The leaves start to change colors. Children go back to school. Thoughts start turning to the holidays in the months ahead. And of course, there is football.
For me, there is no better sport to watch than the National Football League. It doesn’t really matter who is playing, I will watch. Naturally, the New England Patriots are the preferred team of choice in our household and I have tried my best to get the family interested in watching the games, but they do not share the same enthusiasm for the sport as I do.
    In my younger days, the outcome of the Patriots football game often affected my mood the following Monday. If they won, it was a great Monday morning. If they lost, it was best to steer clear of me. Fortunately, I have outgrown that problem, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still get overly excited when watching the games.
I tend to be an active football watcher, jumping up and down in a celebration dance following a touchdown or booing at the television after a bad call. My wife, Charity, has told me repeatedly over the years “You know they can’t hear you, right?” whenever I start talking to the television. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m in the zone.
A coworker actually gave my wife a magnet many years ago and it remains on the refrigerator to this day. It reads “We interrupt this marriage for football season,” but it’s really not as bad as it sounds.
This past Sunday, my oldest daughter Isabel sat for a bit and watched the Patriots game with me. I’d like to think that she either has an interest in learning more about football or just wanted to be with her dad, instead of simply being bored. Time will tell on that one.
During the game I was in my usual form, cheering and clapping on scoring drives, when she looked over and said “Daddy, stop being so loud. You are hurting my ears.” A few minutes later, though, she was hooting and hollering right along with me.
Another aspect of football that makes it so enjoyable is playing fantasy football, or “fake football” as my wife refers to it. Fantasy football is where a group of people form a league and “draft” players for their team. Each week, participants submit a starting lineup and get points based on what those players do in real life. If you have Tom Brady and he throws a touchdown, you get six points. Sounds simple, but yet it can be very tricky coming up with the right combination of players each week. It’s also a bit addicting as it makes you watch games in a different way. Instead of simply wanting your favorite team to win, you want certain players, whom you have “drafted” for your team, to score touchdowns.
I introduced one of my friends here in town to fantasy football this year, and he is now hooked as well. I get a stream of steady messages on Facebook from him on game day, thanking me for introducing him to the game. His wife, however, is not as amused. Perhaps his wife and mine can form a support group of football widows during the season?
Speaking of football, I attended the Houlton Knights football game in Houlton Saturday. For those that have not had the chance to see this team in action, they should do so. Playing in the Aroostook Football League, the Knights have developed a bit of a dynasty over the past two seasons, winning the league title for two consecutive years and seem well on their way to a third crown this season. The team is undefeated thus far, outscoring opponents 148-32 in three games. If you are a fan of football, check out one of their games before the season ends. A schedule can be found at www.aroostookfootball.org.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.