Something happened to me the other night, I turned a new corner into unfamiliar territory. Something has shifted, as if the world has tilted on its axis and in so doing dropped me into a realm where I was able to see things in a new way: I finally “get” football.
Not that I understand the rules, not that I even know which team is doing what, or why they’re running. What I “get” is what the big deal is, why so many millions of fans spend their time in front of these games on television. Unless they just liked football to start with, my guess is they’ve been to a live game.
Not just any live game, an NFL game. And just going to the game is not enough. Sunday night’s New England Patriots against the Indianapolis Colts was my first NFL game, and second football game total. My first piece of advice to anyone trying to get a true feel for what all the hooplah is about, is to see it in person, and get there early.
I’m reminded of something I learned in college, in a sociology of religion class. I believe it was Marx that first talked about it, about the heightened sensation one gets from shared experience. He believed that the ‘spirit’ or feeling of God that people experienced in church was really just that they were feeding off the energy of those around them. That the excitement of the group is what lifts ones spirit and that’s what people can mistake for a loftier experience.
Standing in Gillette Stadium with thousands of screaming fans, the energy level was palpable. The lights, and music and the fact that even though we didn’t even have seats but we found the world’s greatest viewpoint at about the 40-yard line was enough to convert me. I’m a believer.
But I have to say, one main difference between my first game and this one, is the tailgate.
The tailgate is the key to truly understanding and enjoying football, for those of us that have little clue what’s happening on the field. The first college game I witnessed, I just showed up with my ticket and took my seat. I did sort of enjoy the game, but there was something missing, something that held me apart from the rest of the crowd.
This time I figured it out. It’s not that you have to get wasted to enjoy football. It’s more that it helps to participate in the festivities, the energy and excitement that starts hours before the gates even open. Again, it’s the group mentality. Football is meant to be shared, without the excitement and energy of others, the game is just not the same.
It’s experiencing the entire culture. Starting up the grill while the beers flow and everyone crowds around to get a little warmer, those normal ‘personal space’ barriers are down. Once the car is parked everything changes. In my case it was a group of people I didn’t know very well. That mattered little. Everyone was there for the same reason. It didn’t matter that if we were all at home that night no one would have even considered standing outside for 8 hours in the 34 degree weather. That night the cold didn’t matter. It was there to propel us into the football mindset.
Tradition is a strong motivator. Setting up chairs and coolers, converting your small section of the parking lot into a home away from home is the first step to getting psyched up for the big game. Again, it’s a crowd thing. That parking lot gets full five or more hours before anything happens anywhere else. It all comes back to the shared experience, with a sprinkling of competition.
Another thing I noticed about the tailgate is that like any sport, there are the rookies and the big leaguers. There were people out there with full wind-blocking tents of tarps and PVC piping, complete with heaters to warm the feet. All the comforts of home, set up on the blacktop. Why not just stay home and watch? Because no one else would see what a great fan you are, or how awesome your set up is. And you’d miss helping build everyone else up into a frenzy.
Another key to enjoying the game, as in Sunday’s case, is believing your team is going to win. There’s always a chance, but the Patriots were pretty much expected to win that game, and their 27-20 loss was a big surprise to many in the stands.
Not everyone of course, as the Colts have a pretty serious streak going, for the second consecutive season they’re the only NFL team that’s undefeated. And it is the second time in 12 months that they beat the Patriots.
So the home field advantage means very little, and no numbers matter but what’s on the scoreboard. Anything can happen, but when it took 14 games for them to lose last year, it’s not a total surprise.
But perhaps the most interesting thing I learned at this game was that there is a system for everything. Not having seats, which I thought was a hindrance to start with, turned out to be the most fun part of the game. Staying behind the red line is a game in itself, built on knowing the accepted behavior. When the guys in the green jackets come by, staying behind the line is a courtesy. If you stay there when he’s checking, he lets you step forward during each play. Once the play is over, as long as you’re right back behind that line, you’ll be fine for the rest of the game. Watching closely for orange jackets, who travel in pairs, is important, as they can actually throw you out. As can the blue jacket supervisor, but they all understand that people are there to enjoy the game. Following a few simple rules makes it that much more enjoyable.
Now that I've witnessed it all, the next time the game is on TV, I'll remember how I felt out there, surrounded by thousands of fans, part of the larger experience. The energy and excitement will stay with me, and I'll always keep that feeling. After seeing live NFL football first hand, I have some insight into why so many men live for Monday night football.
