October is my favorite month of the year for many reasons.
1) It’s the beginning of fall.
2) Fall clothes are way better than summer/spring clothes.
3) It’s mine and Clayton’s anniversary month (awww)
4) It’s prime time football season.
Oh, football season. Nothing warms my heart and shatters my dreams at the same time like you do. The smell of the crisp fall air and fresh cut grass has a way of conjuring up Friday night nostalgia like nothing else. In Texas, football is king, and you get wrapped up in this mindset from an early age. I was born in Irving, Texas, right next to the historic Texas Stadium (RIP). I was given the name Raegan after our conservative, Great Communicator, president of the 80’s, Ronald, and even more telling, I was given the middle name Alicia, after Tom Landry’s wife (if you don’t know who that is- well, I pity your soul- but Landry is the beloved head coach of the Cowboys of a bygone era). So, my name could more tellingly read: Conservative Republican Texas Football Branch. And that might just wrap my family up in a nutshell.
Some of my favorite memories as a child involve the precious time I spent watching football on Saturdays with my daddy. Ok, I’ll admit, I wasn’t the most avid fan, but my dad did teach me to appreciate a “fantastic finish” to a game as the entire family was required to come running to the television at these hollered words. Truthfully though, my dad did teach me to appreciate sports, but I was definitely more interested in basketball and baseball as a lil’ girl. However, the subtle indoctrination of football was planted deep in my soul in those days, and it was released in dramatic fashion once high school was upon me.
I could probably dedicate an entire post to high school football. So many wonderful memories of road trips with my best friends, winning season after winning season, those glorified football boys, hundreds of dollars of ribbons and bells in the form of homecoming mums, and unrivaled passion and emotion. Texas is at its finest on Friday nights.
I’ll admit, picking a college was a tough decision. So many factors to consider: a great education, a fun and safe atmosphere, employment opportunities, friends, a football tradition….yes, don’t lie, Texan reader, this factored into your decision whether you want to consciously admit it or not. No, Texas A&M would never be the first team to roll off anyone’s tongue when discussing dynasties of success, but a fiercely loyal fan-base? I’d be offended if my school was not consistently top 5. Let’s not even argue this point- I could tear you apart with my vicious rhetoric and seriously brainwashed faith in my Aggies.
Underneath this outer layer of frilly ruffles and wedding-planner dreams lies a little bit of a tomboy. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I love football. And not in the way that some girls do, the kind of love that coincides with whoever they are currently dating or whatever crowd they are trying to impress or whatever superstar they’ve heard mentioned in the news lately (ex. “Tony Romo is my favorite, he is so attractive and I wear his jersey every Sunday- did you hear he was dating Carrie Underwood? Look at that smile; I love football”) . No, I love football in a way that makes me turn on ESPN on an almost daily basis, or read the sports page, or genuinely listen to my boyfriend when he describes the exact route the team is running along with each player’s assignment. I don’t claim to be an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but don’t judge this southern girl by the cover. I think I love football a little more with every game I watch, it tugs on my heart strings and causes me to do silly things like tear up when I see my QB fracture his left clavicle, thus practically ending my ‘Boys season.
You know what else I love? Writing about football like its religion. Really, writing about anything with more drama than necessary. That’s just me. It comes out when I start using my words. Also, I love Dallas. Anything Dallas, and genuinely become aggravated with anything Houston (that was for you, Chase, Jimmy and friends).
Hope you enjoyed :)
RB
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