I’m writing this as the fourth quarter rolls in the ISU v. UNI game. My Cyclones are up by six thanks to a pair of field goals. My kids lost earlier in the week at the high school level and now I am watching my alma mater do their thing on a Saturday. I haven’t watched college football in a very long time. I haven’t had the opportunity to watch Cyclone football for an even longer time. It feels good to see the team look good and play good and I love that the program has evolved from my old ass era to become a top 10 team. It reminds me of how old I am and reminds me of being a part of something that would eventually rise and have a shining moment.
Football is a fundamental part of my existence and largely will be for the rest of my brief time on this planet (brief as in probably only 70-90 years if I am healthy and medtech catches up with the sci-fi version of where it should be now). I want to be able to watch the games and play the video games for as long as possible, but the in-person relationship is already fading as it peaks. Weird, right? I have two kids on Varsity and one of them is a senior. I only get to see him a few more games. His brother has a few good years ahead of him, but also doubles as a JV player. I don’t even plan on going to those games beyond the ones that match up with the youth practices. As for the youth stuff, my youngest is in his last season of youth to be followed by a year off of tackle and then back into it as a freshman. I won’t be going to all of his games either, which means it is winding down for me.
That time in the stands and on the sideline is being replaced, but by what is yet to be determined. Whatever that is, I want it built around a relationship with my partner. We’ll grow together.