EL SUPERBOL

The Superbowl is not a big deal here, but it did run on the local Fox Sports channel. I, like many people, offend true American football fans by only watching a few minutes of football per year (but then again, I'm offended by the whole sport in general, but that's fodder for its own blog entry sometime), usually the last two or so minutes before the halftime show (which I didn't even watch this year), the halftime show (which I've turned off many years, most notably the horrible spectacle that was Prince), and the last two or so minutes at the end of the Superbowl (a strategy that paid off really well tonight, since halftime was great, and the outcome of the game changed the last couple of minutes). 

Tonight changed nothing for me, because (a) the commentary was in Spanish, so I understood even less than I usually understand about football, (b) the commercials weren't the high-dollar extravaganzas we're used to during the Superbowl but were mostly local commercials (again, in Spanish-- imagine the nerve!), and (c) several of us here at Casa ACU have picked up some bug or 'nuther that's keeping us close to our baños. So, I actually would have had to watch the game JUST TO SEE FOOTBALL! 

[An aside: I did, however, watch and enjoy the halftime show. Tom Petty was in great form; his guitarist dude was amazing; the show was really about the music and not about a bunch of glitz or wardrobe malfunctions. I predict there will be much said about the "disappointing halftime show," and I hope you don't listen, Mr. Petty. They're just so young, these folks. They don't know you like I do.] 

Back to futbol; as everybody knows, the REAL football worldwide is soccer, and Ken, Katie, and Krista have STRONG opinions about that subject, now that they've gone to a biggie game around here, where they fell in love with "our team," Team Nacional. They came home pumped about the whole event last Monday: "Mom, you can't believe that they searched us, yet people blew off real flares during the game; where were they hiding them?" "Mom, there were over 60,000 people there; it was so exciting, easily the loudest place I've ever been." "Mom, they sing a song where they take off their jerseys and swing them around over their heads. Seriously, it's the 'take off your jerseys and swing them around your head' song." "Mom, I have to learn how to whistle with my two fingers in my mouth; everybody here learns that; at home, only Aunt Shelly can do it." "Mom, I can't believe you sold your ticket to Mike; it was SO fun." Plus, we have positive feelings about soccer since my nephew Tyler is so good at the sport. He's one of two freshmen playing for his College Station high school team, and he's played for some really-hard-to-get-in teams and camps pretty much since he learned to walk. He's really, really good at it. So really, our favorite teams are Team Nacional and Team Tyler!