Today, I have absolutely nothing to do. Ali is at work catching up, and I slept in till 11:00.
OK, I take that back. The apartment is a disaster and I could clean up a bit, but there's nothing FUN to do. Maybe I'll clean out my car a little. I heard Milt Stegall (Blue Bomber legend) is going to be at the Stadium today signing autographs, maybe I'll swing by.
That poses a question - why do people get so excited around sports figures? They're just regular people and frankly, a few of them are kind of rude. I remember I was at a Bomber game (surprise) with my dad when I was 10. I was asking the visiting team (Edmonton Eskimos, who I hate!!) for some autographs, and when their star QB came out, he just ignored me. He didn't even look up. My dad made the comment along the lines of "C'mon he's a kid.." but nothing changed.
Right behind him was the backup QB, you know, the one nobody wanted to talk to or get too close to. He stopped, grabbed my marker, signed my program ,and chatted with me for a few minutes.
That was classy. That's what an athlete is supposed to do. Quite frankly, this is the only age when a guy should get excited about meeting an athlete. He SHOULD get excited. That player turned out to go on and become very successful in the CFL, and is my all-time favorite QB. His name is Matt Dunigan.
I think what excites me the most, is the game day experience. It's a tradition for me on game day to wear one of my two Bomber jerseys the entire day. You see cars driving around with those huge Blue Bomber flags hanging out the windows, honking at everyone (that flag would make a good B-day present) people yelling, and screaming.....
Then we get to the Stadium. My dad and I get there a taaaad early (Never mind Ali) to watch the pregame warm up, and enjoy a footlong hotdog and a cold beer.
I was raised on Blue Bomber football, and I can't wait to take my kids to games. I get so excited to buy the little jerseys, blue one for a boy, or the pink for a girl, and be one of those dads at the game who bury their kids in a huge box of popcorn, drink, hotdog, candy, pretzel, chips, etc.
and walk around the field with them on my shoulders.
I can't wait for football. Almost as much as I can't wait to be a dad.
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I love the excitement of game day too. Yelling to any other bomber fan, honking horns, chanting, sacrificing virgins... it's a tradition that I'll always enjoy about Bomber games.
Talking about athletes reminded me of Wayne Gretzky and probably one of the rare times he was "unclassy."
Dad and I attended a Jets VS Kings game and it was Gretzky's first or second game back from a herniated disc injury. I wanted his autograph as well as scores of other fans so we waited down below by the dressing room after the game. Players came out, got a few autographs from them but no Gretzky. I can remember a kid in a wheel chair who had this picture of gretzky he wanted signed... he was so excited, more so than me and still no gretzky. Security finally informed us that Gretzky left through another exit.
I'll tell ya, you have never seen a room turn so quickly from ultra exciting to somber. I know he probably "didn't feel up to it" but players have to realize that if it wasn't for the fans... they would not have jobs.
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