Bowl Games Then And Now

Today's College Bowl Games made me think back......way back.  In the 50s, I was the eldest daughter of a father with three daughters and a wife who hated sports.  I loved my father and while my sister Pat shared his love of fishing and Jan was too young to be anything but cute - I was the only one who would sit with him on New Year's Day and watch the bowl games.  I never pretended to understand football.  We had only soccer in our Chatham, New Jersey championship soccer high school.  Even as a cheerleader for the lackluster University of Arizona football team, I had no idea what the hell was going on - only that my job was to produce enthusiasm for the cute but ineffective players.

Fade to the 50s.  My father is ensconced on the couch in our den with the red wallpaper with the birds on it.  One of the birds had a splot of white under it, resembling "you know what".  I can still picture it.  Daddy sat in the big chair with the TV (no remote) tuned to the bowl channels.  Only Rose, Orange, Sugar were the features.  I sat on the couch with my Nancy Drew book hidden under a pillow. I knew he'd be so absorbed as to not notice. He was a damn hard worker and he deserved to have company for his bowl watching.  I did this - with no involvement in the outcomes for many years.  I especially remember the season before he died at age 49 - watching it as he laid in bed while I secretly cried.

Fast forward.  Over the years, we have entertained family and friends who really cared about the bowl games.  All I had to do was cook and keep the beer coming.  Joe never cared that I didn't care - and I would only have cared if Arizona had ever made it to a major bowl game.  Now we are alone.  Son and sons-in-law with their own families and friends. Today is bowl day.

I decided to make the effort to watch with my husband so he wouldn't feel alone.  What  surprise.  I actually saw, and enjoyed two good games.  ( I was secretly reading a New Yorker.)  The outcomes were in my favor also. Outback Bowl:  How could I not root for State when my Sparty son-in-law made me the best chicken liver pate in existence for Christmas.  Besides - I love to root against southern schools.

Rose Bowl: Next up:  the  Rose Bowl
Okay - Oregon is where Amanda went to school, it is in the PAC 10/12, Dungee's son plays for them.  AND  Wisconsin was the least friendly host of all our Arizona Alumni games several years back AND (where was the adult in the house?) - their marching  band is coached to shout Fxxx Yxx many times during their performances in the home stadium.  Hope they weren't allowed to shout it on national TV. I'll forgive Oregon the stupid uniforms- but only for this year.  Get real.