Any given Sunday

I started this week at a Ram’s football game. The Washington Redskins had a superb game if I understand all of the subtleties of this new contact sport. My newly adopted Rams struggled with fundamentals like actually catching the ball and holding onto it. I confess the whole experience was large. The huge stadium; huge crowd, and the noise was all more than a little daunting. My wife popped over around half time to ensure her Irish husband wasn’t freefalling into terminal culture shock! By the fourth quarter I had rallied enough to join the Rams in a last ditch effort not to be swamped by a larger more dominant team. 3 hours of Sunday football and I felt just like my new home team. I’d barely kept a grip on the ball, was dominated by the other team (American culture) and was just glad to put some points on the scoreboard.

With some time and distance I’ve been thinking about this new sport I was exposed to. It takes a European some time to grasp that the goal in American football isn’t necessarily to score but rather to make it the next 10 yards. When I first was introduced to football I wanted them to throw the ball far and fast. Make a break and all would be fine! Glory and more importantly some points on the scoreboard not to mention speeding up this incredibly slow game! But I’ve come to appreciate the finesse and sheer gamesmanship in pushing resolutely forward a few short yards at a time.

So it has been in my own life recently. As the quarterback for Young Life College St. Louis I have had the temptation to make a long throw and put some quick points on the scoreboard for the team. I wrestled with whether to risk that throw or stick to the play book and take the ball up the field a few yards at a time. With some help from friends both near and far I made the call and my team pushed a few more yards to second and 7. I still look longingly at the possibility of a massive break and 50 yard dash. But I’m sure the sheer gamesmanship of playing the smart plays repeatedly will lure me more surely than the glory throw.  

I’m off to Kansas City MO this weekend with my wonderful wife. I get a four hour car ride with her all to myself! Now the day Bethany said yes to be my wife was the one time in my life I made a 100 yard sprint to score the perfect touchdown!!!

Any given Sunday somebody is resisting the urge to throw the ball far and fast so he can instead pass it for a few safe yards….. I think I like football but not as much as Baseball….