This weekend was my only chance to see the island guy for several weeks, so even though it meant a long drive, the possibility of difficult game viewing conditions, and missing a party on Tequila Hill, I made the drive. My immediate reward for my decision was a beautiful sunset from the ferry.
On Saturday morning, I put on my usual Duck regalia, and we headed uptown for breakfast at the Hardware Store. I was a little concerned about getting snide comments from the local Husky fans, but not only did I not get a single look, but I didn’t see anyone wearing Husky attire either. Vashon is obviously not a hotbed of football fandom.
So we completed our breakfast and errands without any Husky attacks and headed home to do some organizational tasks. We made sure to take time for beers and talking by the water, because it was a gorgeous day.
Island Guy is not a sports fan. Oh, it’s not as bad as if he were a Beaver or Husky fan, but he doesn’t follow sports at all. Nor does he have cable. So this is how we watched the game:
It was fine. There was sound and a picture. The company was excellent. I got to explain the rules and strategy as the game went on, which made me feel like a football genius. Herbie kept repeating everything I explained to Stephen about 2 minutes after I said it, which is always gratifying. If Stephen reads this, I will have to tell him that Herbie was one of the announcers.
For the record: I like Herbie, and do not think he is a Duck hater.
Some random thoughts:
- I am not a fan of the sparkle pony glitter helmets.
- Defense was pretty good in the 4th quarter, but weak during the rest of the game. Secondary? There’s talent there, but it hasn’t shown much in the first two games.
- This morning I am reading a lot of criticism of the new quarterback. Two picks are not good, but one of them was really not his fault. It was a great play by the defense. I thought he played really well for someone who joined the team a month ago. Cut him some slack. Had a few plays gone differently, the outcome could have been different. Sometimes you lose.
- The team never quit. They played hard until the end against a really good MSU. This was not a loss to be embarrassed about.
- If you are a fan, you’re still a fan after a loss. Suck it up and quit whining. But c’mon. We do need a defensive secondary soon.
This morning, I woke up to the sound of fog horns and the smell of coffee. Island Guy is off doing his Zen thing and I’m enjoying the view of the Sound under gray skies. The air is cool and smells of salt and sea weed.
To me, football is about getting together with family and friends and enjoying them as much as it is about the game. That means the life continues to be wonderful even after a loss.
Life is good, and I still love my Ducks!
