Football in the rain

Biscuit went to his first college football game this evening, actually his first football game of any kind. And it was in the rain.

I didn't really want to go sit in the rain watching two teams I don't really care about, but I could tell that Jeff was looking forward to it. Tonight was the first time in years he could go to a football game and just be a spectator. He's use to covering the games for the paper, so it's kind of hard for him to just watch and enjoy instead of analyzing and thinking about the game in the form of a story for the paper.

The game we went to tonight was an annual event between two local colleges, one of which is 10 minutes from our house. It's called the Soup Bowl, and admission is at least two nonperishable food items for a local food bank.

We handed over our food and walked over to the ticket table. The guy handed us our tickets, then asked Biscuit if he was ready for some football.

"Yeah," Biscuit said shyly.

"You don't sound very excited," the ticket guy said.

"I like football," Biscuit said, a little more excitedly. "Football is AWESOME!"

"Yeah! There you go," said the ticket guy. "That's excitement."

The stadium, which is smaller than some high school stadiums I've been to, was really crowded. Even in the rain.

The home team's colors were maroon and white, and guess what color my umbrella was? So we decided we'd sit on the home side and root for the college that's close to our house. Unfortunately, I think we jinxed them, and they lost.

The first two quarters were pretty exciting. The football wasn't great, but the teams were pretty evenly matched. The third quarter dragged on. I thought it would never end. Then in the fourth quarter, things got wound up again. The team we were pulling for was up by one touchdown. But they got a little too sure of themselves and let the other team come back for the win.

As we were leaving, Jeff asked Biscuit about his favorite part of the game.

"Dad, um, when that man caught that ball, and the crowd cheered, that was AWESOME!" Biscuit said. "That was my favorite part."

The funniest part of the evening came when several of the players were sitting on the bench with their coach yelling at them. The announcer said the team was taking a timeout.

"Mom, why are they taking a timeout?" Biscuit asked. "What did they do?"

I had to think for a minute before I answered. Explaining a timeout is easy, but I could tell that wasn't exactly what Biscuit was asking. Then it dawned on me. Biscuit thought the players on the bench getting yelled at were in trouble. He thought the coach had given them a timeout ... a punishment-type timeout.

"Those players aren't in trouble," I told Biscuit. "They're not being punished with a timeout. They're trying to decide who they're going to give the ball to next."

"Ohhhhhh," Biscuit said. "I get it."

Four quarters was a little long for the boy, but between the cheerleaders, the people watching, the football and the mascots, I think we'll be going to a football game again sometime.