My first love

My first love came early in life. I believe I was about 6 or 7. It was a cold Sunday afternoon and I was bored. I loved to spend time with my dad. From the time I was old enough to walk I would force myself upon him no matter what he was doing. It didn’t matter if it meant getting up at 4:00 in the morning to go fishing, I was there. On this particular Sunday my dad was watching TV. Being a six year old I did all the obnoxious things I could think of to get his attention. I jumped into his lap, rolled on top of him, laughed and talked a mile a minute, nothing worked. After a while I settled in next to him and started to watch TV. It was my first real introduction to football. Instantly I was mesmerized by what was going on. There was this guy named Bart Starr and he was playing for a team called the Green Bay Packers. I watched,listened, and asked question after question and by the fourth quarter I was hooked. It became a Sunday ritual for me. Bart Starr and the Green Bay Packers became my team. Bart Starr was the 17th round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers in 1956, the year I was born. He played for one of the greatest coaches of all times, Vince Lombardi. Starr played quarterback for 15 years and I watched ever game of his I could. He led the Packers to five NFL titles and two Super Bowl Championships. He went on to coach the Packers after his playing career ended. When Starr stopped playing I began to watch college football. It wasn’t long before a quarter back at Notre Dame caught my eye. His name was Joe Montana and he was born two months before me (what a great year 1956 was). Although he wasn’t the best college quarter back, I liked him anyway(he was a hottie). In 1979, he was drafted by San Francisco where he led the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories playing for another great coach of all time, Bill Walsh. I will never forget watching Joe play one Sunday. It was one of those come from behind nail biters. I was jumping up and down and screaming when I noticed Kevin next to me. He stood with that same mesmerized look. It wasn’t long until he was watching all the games with me ~ loudly. April would run into the house and beg us to hold it down because she was so embarrassed. Joe retired in 1995 and I have remained loyal to the 49ers. I loved watching Bart Starr and Joe Montana along with other greats such as Walter Payton, Berry Sanders, Jerry Rice and Marcus Allen. The game for me isn't about one player. It's the total package. I love watching football. I get a major rush when ESPN starts reporting from training camp. I have the NFL package so I can watch a bit of all the games on Sunday. I’m totally lost the first Sunday after the Super Bowl. Eventually, I get into a rhythm with basketball and baseball. But the truth is my first love was and is football ~ college or pro and I'll bet you thought it was some guy!!! There is a reason my mother-in-law refers to me as her daughter the jock.