Sporting traditions

August 20, 2009 By PJ Mullen 38 Comments

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Despite the oppressive heat here I’m getting ready for my favorite season – football . I love the fall even though in Charlotte it doesn’t really compare to the crisp days I’m used to back in New England. Still, the smell of football is in the air and I couldn’t be happier.

Before my son was even born I snagged him a Tedy Bruschi jersey because it’s a toss up between him and Troy Brown for my all time favorite Patriots player. Sure, Tom Brady gets all the love because he’s the quarterback, and of one the best ever, but I’m more of a fan of the lunch pail players. I picked it up I was concerned Bruschi might retire and it wouldn’t be available when it he was ready for his game day attire.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be gearing up for the games, getting my little man used to wearing his jersey and preparing the game day menus. I’ve got my Sunday Ticket with Super Fan queued up so I can get every game in glorious high definition and fresh batteries in the remote.

In the past I’ve been known to go overboard in preparing the game day meal, but I think this year I’m going to change that. I’m seriously considering making a big batch of cold smoked BBQ sausage so it will last through the season. Slow roast pork shoulder is one of the best things in the world, but slaving at it for eight hours can get old fast.

On the actual game days the plan is always the same. Since the Patriots are usually the early game we will watch them and at halftime I will serve the food, including homemade pizza for the little football fanatics in attendance. The rest of the day my television will be set to the Red Zone Channel so I can watch all the other games at the same time and, finally, Sunday Night Football.

Probably the most intriguing thing about my fanatacism for football is that we never really watched sporting events as a family growing up outside of the Super Bowl. However, football season has become an important element in my life and it is something that I want to enjoy with my son as he gets older. Yes, my wife is a football widow, but she is just thankful I like football because the seasons are shorter.

What about? Do you have any sporting traditions? How do you, or plan to, include your kids into your game day rituals?

Filed Under: Fatherhood Friday, Featured Tagged With: Football, New England, New England Patriot, sport, Super Bowl, Tedy Bruschi, Tom Brady, Troy Brown

About PJ Mullen

PJ Mullen is a dad, husband, amateur chef and prolific air drummer blogging about his life as a dad and anything else that is on his mind. Occasionally he blogs about being a dad in the kitchen at peaches en risotto and is a contributor over at Digital Dads.

Facebook comments:

http://reservoirdad.blogspot.com/ Reservoir Dad

Sounds awesome. I'm an Aussie and therefore an Aussie Rules fan. I come from a long tradition of Geelong Cats fans and have already brainwashed Archie (4) and Lewis (2) into following the Mighty Cats. I took Arch to his first AFL match earlier this year. He lasted till half time but it's a start. We're actually heading into the finals in a few weeks. Cats are second on the ladder. I am pumped.
http://simplefather.com simplefather

This doesn't sound like much of a tradition, but we watch playoff baseball, during which my wife goes to bed about the seventh inning, I fall asleep in extras, wake up in the recliner, and stumble to bed.
http://www.ramblinandrunons.blogspot.com/ Jason

My biggest sporting tradition…to watch as little as possible and to get angry when Sunday afternoon sports make my Sunday evening programming run late and totally mess up the DVR'ed programs

It's great that you have these traditions though and can't wait to spend them with your son.
Smallprint

I am a Northern Irish Green Bay Fan. I get most of the games, but they kick off at either 6pm, 9pm or 12am – which makes Monday mornings all of the more fun. My ritual usually involves trying to stay awake!

My soccer team are Tottenham Hotspur – currently sitting atop the English Premier League – but that will not last long!
http://twitter.com/Guns1306 Molly Agundez

Our sporting traditions:

Every Christmas card we wear something from our teams. Last year it was all ballcaps, the year before Santa hats, one year all of us wore jersies from Navy football players that I borrowed. This year, all new team jersies for the card.

Tailgating before every Navy home game.

Wings, beer (soda for the kids) and nachos in the Mancave every Sunday during the football season.
theteachertom

I'm a sports fan, but don't really have any big traditions or rituals to go with it. The closest thing I have is that I'll meet my dad at Safeco Field a couple of times a year for a Mariners game. We buy the cheapest tickets, then spend the whole game walking around the stadium, catching the action from all the different perspectives. I love watching games with him this way — and we get a little exercise as well.
http://gunfighter1.typepad.com/ Gunfighter

Dude,

With me, it’s all about international rugby. There are a few international competitions that I never miss: The 6 Nations (England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy France, and Wales), The Tri-Nations (New Zealand, South Africa, Australia), the Churchill Cup (US, CAnada, New Zealand, England)… and a few others.

During the international rugb season, I disappear into the basement for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
http://surprisedmom.blogspot.com/ SurprisedMom

Come join us in Chicago. Our air is so cool and crisp in the autumn, it will take your breath away . . . literally. We really do have great football weather, well, at least in the fall. I can't really include the winter.
My husband and younger daughter do sit around watching sports. He's a Green Bay Packers fan, despite living in Chicago all of his life. I'm not a sports fan, but I'm glad he and the youngest can share their father-daughter time enthusiastically.
Your little guy is very cute in his jersey.
http://belladaddy.blogspot.com/ BellaDaddy

Sorry, not a fan of football myself…but, certainly wish you all the best and fun times!
weaselmomma

I hope that little man get into all the excitement too!
http://www.facebook.com/howefitz Justin M Howe

I am sooo not a sports guy. My brother and father would always enjoy the Chiefs game (I grew up in Kansas City), and I would slink off to my room to read comics.

As for passing the fanatacism on to my kids? My three year old is right now watching her favorite episode of Justice League Unlimited (featuring Supergirl) for like the gazillionth time.

My son was a day old when I started waving a Batman comic in front of his face, insisting that Batman be his favorite, just like Daddy. I can't wait until he can fit in to the T-Shirt I found for him featuring the cover of Batman #1.

So, in a nutshell, I guess I know exactly what you mean!
http://www.facebook.com/pjmullen Peter Mullen

Very cool. Sounds like a lot of fun!
http://www.facebook.com/pjmullen Peter Mullen

Sounds like a tradition to me
http://www.facebook.com/pjmullen Peter Mullen

Ha! Hey, I understand, that's cool. I only really got into sports, ok just football, when I was in college. I'm sure there are plenty of other things that you are/plan on sharing with your boys.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Very nice, the Pack had a good draft. Hopefully they got enough help on D to take some pressure off Rodgers. It is hard enough replacing a legend, but then to have the D take a turn for the worse definitely doesn't help. Hopefully the addition of Capers and the 3/4 alignment helps.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Very cool. I do miss tailgating, haven't done much of that lately. Cranky old man syndrome has set in and I just can't stand the craziness of going uptown in Charlotte these days. I so need a mancave when we finally move.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Sometimes that is the best thing at baseball games. I'm not much of a baseball fan, but am looking forward to taking my son to Charlotte Knights games. $5 to get in. I believe they are the White Sox AAA affiliate. When I've gone before kids I usually just roam around the stadium (granted, it's tiny) and take it all in.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

We are watching preseason game repeats and practicing 'Touchdown' right now
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

That is pretty cool. Its awesome that your daughter shares your fanaticisms and I hope that your son does as well. But it looks like you're training him well right from the start I hope all is good with your little man.
melisalw

Who are these “Patriots” you speak of? haha Just kidding.

We don't keep up with football much in this house (sorry, haha). Bicycling is my husband's fave, and I keep an eye on the Cubs. As far as attending sporting events, our favorite is to go to the Kane County Cougars, which is our local minor league baseball team. It's very hokey, but we LOVE it. And it's way cheaper than going to the majors.
http://liayf.blogspot.com/ Seattledad

Used to be a huge fan also. Now that I don't have television, I am still a fan but it has all become an afterthought. I guess I am ok with it. It will change eventually.
thedevoteddad

I am pretty excited for this football season to start as well. I can't commit the whole day to it because of all else that the Fall season has to offer, but none the less, I am excited for the football season to begin. -Jason
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Very cool, never really got into rugby but I have friends who are addicted.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

No thanks, 10 years living and working in downtown Boston was enough for me. My blood has thinned out and I'm not longer equipped to handle the cold.

A Packer's fan? Interesting. I would have for sure guessed Da Bears. Then again I shouldn't talk. I was a Patriots fan growing up in Philadephia Eagles country.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

It is one of my few addictions, for which my wife is thankful for since games happen only once a week. Thanks, loved this weeks picture.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Minor league ball is the best! We have the Charlotte Knights (White Sox AAA) and the Kannapolis Intimidators (Single A, I think). You can't beat five bucks to get into a game and see kids playing that are burning to make the majors. I agree, it's a great time.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Slowly I'm losing the number of TV's in my house. I used to have three, got married and that dropped to two. Moved and went down to one. Come to think of it my main TV keeps getting smaller with each time we move. If we move two more times I may not have a TV anymore!
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

Truth be told, I probably won't be able to spend all day every Sunday glued to my couch watching the games, as much as I'd prefer to. Fall is so mild here in Charlotte I'm hoping to get little man some time outdoors. The summer is just too hot and I can't stand being outside for too long. Who knows, I may be following your lead and building him a swing set.
thedevoteddad

If you decide to do it, and have any questions, feel free to DM me with any
thoughts, questions, or if you just want a run down on what it all took. I
am extremely happy with the final product. We have already gotten a lot of
use out of it, and had other kids over to play with it who had fun as well.
It's nice having something to go to that is right in your back yard, so if
you have 20 minutes, there is no problem. Also, you could place a TV on
your deck so you can watch the game while the little man plays in the swing!
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

I'll definitely be taking you up on that offer when the times comes to undertake that project. That is very generous of you to offer. My wife might not be so fond of the TV on the deck idea, but I'm digging it
mekeliki

I don't really have any sporting traditions, but I am curious about one thing. How the the folks down south react to a family of patriots fans? I went to high school in New England but Then I went to Oklahoma for college. I was constantly teased for rooting for all New England teams.
http://www.pjmullen.com PJ Mullen

It hasn't been too bad, you run into the occasional obnoxious person that likes to talk smack. It ran pretty rampant during the '03 Super Bowl against the Panthers, but they can be real fairweather fans. I just told them they need to rally around a few more 1-15 season before they can talk any trash. Fortunately there are a few places in town that are Boston/NE sports specific I can go if I want to get out of the house for a game.
http://LifeofaNewDad otter321

My only ritual is to watch as much sports as possible and to include beer as often as I am allowed. I love having cookouts for friends and family for the Arkansas Razorback games on Saturday. That is always a lot of fun. I am going to their first game next weekend and that will be awesome. I can't wait for Braden to get a little older so he can join in the fun.
terrifieddad

My son is just 5 months old and despite me being a born and bred Scot my son will be brought up in London, England. The thought that one day there may be the possibility that he will be cheering on england in a major football (soccer) championship almost kills me!
terrifieddad

My son is just 5 months old and despite me being a born and bred Scot my son will be brought up in London, England. The thought that one day there may be the possibility that he will be cheering on england in a major football (soccer) championship almost kills me!
http://LifeofaNewDad otter321

My only ritual is to watch as much sports as possible and to include beer as often as I am allowed. I love having cookouts for friends and family for the Arkansas Razorback games on Saturday. That is always a lot of fun. I am going to their first game next weekend and that will be awesome. I can't wait for Braden to get a little older so he can join in the fun.
terrifieddad

My son is just 5 months old and despite me being a born and bred Scot my son will be brought up in London, England. The thought that one day there may be the possibility that he will be cheering on england in a major football (soccer) championship almost kills me!
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