I am NOT a great fan of football. Typically I listen to U of AL games each Saturday, and watch their annual bowl game on t.v., but I am not a big fan. One of the things about football that I do enjoy is the palpable excitement that accompanies a home game.
I went to tthe US Naval Academy for my undergraduate studies. Yes, there the emphasis was much less on football and much more on studies. The Brigade of midshipmen march to every home game and sit all together- o ate they did when I was there. We had Saturnaday mornign classes.
Yes, you read that right. We had classes Saturday until noon. The pre-game hype for Navy football was pretty small. Even the Army-Navy game, or better the Navy-Army game was really low-key compared to an Alabama game.
As I walked across part of campus this morning, the excitement is quiet high. Even yesterday (Thursday), it was beginning to build. The huge quad is quickly filling with tents creating an obvious circus atmosphere. There are signs in all the parking lots warning us that our stay there is temporary on game weekends. "This parking lot must be cleared by 5:30 PM!" they proclaim with a severity that cannot be missed, especially since they promise to tow away your vehicle.
As Friday matures, the excitement will continue to move towards a peak, at kickoff.
It is odd what we humans find exciting- and what we find boring.
We spends billions in income and weeks of time in artificially contrived competitions of sports. We rabidly identify with our favorite team- regardless of the acknowledgement that it is almost purely arbitrary.
BUT, we approach some other things with a yawn and a nod.
I am not going to spell it out, because the few who read this are sufficiently bright to see where this is headed.
But ask yourself, "What genuinely excites me? Why?"
I went to tthe US Naval Academy for my undergraduate studies. Yes, there the emphasis was much less on football and much more on studies. The Brigade of midshipmen march to every home game and sit all together- o ate they did when I was there. We had Saturnaday mornign classes.
Yes, you read that right. We had classes Saturday until noon. The pre-game hype for Navy football was pretty small. Even the Army-Navy game, or better the Navy-Army game was really low-key compared to an Alabama game.
As I walked across part of campus this morning, the excitement is quiet high. Even yesterday (Thursday), it was beginning to build. The huge quad is quickly filling with tents creating an obvious circus atmosphere. There are signs in all the parking lots warning us that our stay there is temporary on game weekends. "This parking lot must be cleared by 5:30 PM!" they proclaim with a severity that cannot be missed, especially since they promise to tow away your vehicle.
As Friday matures, the excitement will continue to move towards a peak, at kickoff.
It is odd what we humans find exciting- and what we find boring.
We spends billions in income and weeks of time in artificially contrived competitions of sports. We rabidly identify with our favorite team- regardless of the acknowledgement that it is almost purely arbitrary.
BUT, we approach some other things with a yawn and a nod.
I am not going to spell it out, because the few who read this are sufficiently bright to see where this is headed.
But ask yourself, "What genuinely excites me? Why?"
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