A Sporty Socialite’s Dilemma 

By Sarah McVeigh

Football is back, baby! College teams are playing real competitors now, and the NFL season is in full swing!

On Saturday, Arizona State University (ASU) had a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, so I met up with friends at a favorite local watering hole to cheer on my Sun Devils. First, a huge shout-out to my friends who do not care about ASU but pretend to just to support me. If you watched any of the ASU game, you know it was not a pretty sight. ASU’s offense didn’t show up until the second half, and, unfortunately, their passing defense was too weak. ASU lost the game to Mississippi State and their stupid cowbells.

The whole experience brought up a serious problem. I was so focused on the game, I had to watch every single play. As I so gently put it, ASU was it stinkin’ up on the field, which made it even more pressing that I HAD to watch every second! Watching the game made it nearly impossible for me to socialize. I was looking up at the television, screaming and clapping while friends were trying to talk to me. It was not ideal, and I felt like I wasn’t being a very good friend.

The next day was NFL Sunday, and again, the plan was to watch the games at a local bar. Now, do I want the New York Jets, Giants, and Bills to win their games? Of course I do! Do I feel as passionately about those teams as I do about my Sun Devils? No, no, I do not.

Sunday was a completely different story! On Sunday, I was able to mingle, get up to say hi to other friends at the bar. I could, oh, I don’t know, have a good time. Whereas on Saturday, I was stressed and antisocial.

The first full weekend of football got me thinking about how to watch games. I love going to a bar with friends, eating fried foods, and having a cold one … or two. But I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I only enjoy doing that when I don’t actually care about the outcome of the game. When I am completely invested in a game, I need to be home by myself so I can let my crazy, fangirl free.

So until further notice, I will be watching my teams from the comfort of my home. But you can count on me to belly up at Rockaway’s favorite spots to watch yours.