Frank, Dandy, Howie and me!
I can't wait for football season to begin. It is hard to believe that it is still a few months away. I love watching many sports, but when it comes down it, football is the undisputed king as far as my love of sports viewage.
Of course, I am especially geeked this year. My beloved Miami Dolphins finished last year with such a flourish and have had a great offseason ... most notably the signing of Daunte Culpepper. I am looking forward to the Dolphins return to glory and the makings of a real dynasty.
My love of football probably goes back to Monday nights watching Howard, Frank and Dandy Don with my dad. Since I was a kid, I probably shouldn't been allowed to stay up so late, but it was football and somehow, I got away with it. I don't know how it happened or why I was allowed, I just enjoyed it as my dad and I watched and talked and griped about bad calls and talked about dad's playing days, etc.
My love of MNF continued throughout college and, in the midst of my first ministry, I found a fellow Dolphin lover in the church (not a huge stretch in Central Florida). Every Monday night during football season, I would make the trek over to Rick Helms house and we would break down the game, beat the commentators to the point on game observations and wonder why no one wanted to hire us to announce games.
I moved to Texas many years later and had to say good-bye Monday nights with Rick, but quickly found another comrade-in-arms for Monday nights in a guy named Tim Breeding. Tim was not a Dolphin fan (a major spiritual problem, if you ask me) but he was a student of the game much like myself. As a bonus, his wife, Katie, was blessed with a wonderful spirit of hospitality and usually put on a great spread of tasty snacks for us. I so enjoyed our time together as well.
A couple of years ago I moved here to Greenville and, though it was not too far to Tim's house, our get together became less frequent and ultimately ended when Tim and his family moved to Arkansas. I can't tell you how utterly meaningless MNF becomes when you watch it by yourself (at least for me). Last year, the Lord again blessed me with some friends that came over to watch the game on Monday Nights ... Terry and Adam are not the same level of fans that Tim, Rick and my dad were. Of course, to be fair, my dad's interest has waned in recent years (most likely due to the consistent ineptitude of his beloved Bears).
Even though Terry and Adam aren't as versed in football lingo and wander off the conversation to talk about cars too much (I feel this is mainly Terry's fault), I still am estatic about them coming over on Monday nights to watch the game. There is something about watching football on Monday nights with friends, even if the topic of discussion sometimes strays into water pumps and oil analysis. Whether we order pizza or wings, sandwiches or chili, just have a bag of chips, or even if we just have some of Terry's crazy chipotle cashews or garlic soybeans (what is he thinking with that?), the food fare just always seems to compliment the game.
So I want to take time to say thanks to all of those guys through the years that have made my fall Monday nights so enjoyable and something I anticipate so much. I enjoyed your friendship, your insights, your patience with me when I questioned every close call in a Dolphin game, and the snacks you brought. They will always be fond memories! Looking forward to it again this year!
Of course, I am especially geeked this year. My beloved Miami Dolphins finished last year with such a flourish and have had a great offseason ... most notably the signing of Daunte Culpepper. I am looking forward to the Dolphins return to glory and the makings of a real dynasty.
My love of football probably goes back to Monday nights watching Howard, Frank and Dandy Don with my dad. Since I was a kid, I probably shouldn't been allowed to stay up so late, but it was football and somehow, I got away with it. I don't know how it happened or why I was allowed, I just enjoyed it as my dad and I watched and talked and griped about bad calls and talked about dad's playing days, etc.
My love of MNF continued throughout college and, in the midst of my first ministry, I found a fellow Dolphin lover in the church (not a huge stretch in Central Florida). Every Monday night during football season, I would make the trek over to Rick Helms house and we would break down the game, beat the commentators to the point on game observations and wonder why no one wanted to hire us to announce games.
I moved to Texas many years later and had to say good-bye Monday nights with Rick, but quickly found another comrade-in-arms for Monday nights in a guy named Tim Breeding. Tim was not a Dolphin fan (a major spiritual problem, if you ask me) but he was a student of the game much like myself. As a bonus, his wife, Katie, was blessed with a wonderful spirit of hospitality and usually put on a great spread of tasty snacks for us. I so enjoyed our time together as well.
A couple of years ago I moved here to Greenville and, though it was not too far to Tim's house, our get together became less frequent and ultimately ended when Tim and his family moved to Arkansas. I can't tell you how utterly meaningless MNF becomes when you watch it by yourself (at least for me). Last year, the Lord again blessed me with some friends that came over to watch the game on Monday Nights ... Terry and Adam are not the same level of fans that Tim, Rick and my dad were. Of course, to be fair, my dad's interest has waned in recent years (most likely due to the consistent ineptitude of his beloved Bears).
Even though Terry and Adam aren't as versed in football lingo and wander off the conversation to talk about cars too much (I feel this is mainly Terry's fault), I still am estatic about them coming over on Monday nights to watch the game. There is something about watching football on Monday nights with friends, even if the topic of discussion sometimes strays into water pumps and oil analysis. Whether we order pizza or wings, sandwiches or chili, just have a bag of chips, or even if we just have some of Terry's crazy chipotle cashews or garlic soybeans (what is he thinking with that?), the food fare just always seems to compliment the game.
So I want to take time to say thanks to all of those guys through the years that have made my fall Monday nights so enjoyable and something I anticipate so much. I enjoyed your friendship, your insights, your patience with me when I questioned every close call in a Dolphin game, and the snacks you brought. They will always be fond memories! Looking forward to it again this year!
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