My dad loved football. The American kind, not everyone else’s kind.
Sundays and Monday nights, he was in front of the TV. Giants fan, though he also just appreciated a good game regardless of who was playing.
What he did not love was going to the stadium. I can only remember one time he actually went, and even then he came home and told me he would rather have watched it at home. Which was hard to argue with in most circumstances. Except this particular time, the circumstances were not exactly ordinary.
When I was a teenager, my dad had a friend who was the 50 yard line cameraman for CBS Sports on Giants games. One day the friend invited him along. That meant my dad got to the stadium early, got photos on the field, and then spent the game sitting in the broadcast booth with John Madden and Pat Summerall, watching them call it live.
The only rule was he could not talk during the broadcast. He was completely fine with that.
When I asked him about it he said it was good. He had a good time. He would rather have watched it on his couch. Less traffic getting home.
That was my dad.
I get the traffic argument, genuinely. Getting from Giants Stadium back to Queens was not a quick trip. But sitting on your couch versus sitting with John Madden watching the game in person and getting photos on the field beforehand? Most people would have taken the traffic.
I take the girls to Emirates a few games a year for the Women’s Super League games, been doing it for a few seasons now. Two trains, bit of a crowd, bit of a hassle. But I think it is fun. Would I do it every week? No. Would I trade my couch for watching from the booth with one of the most famous announcers in the sport?
Not a chance.
