Michigan v. Ohio State= Family Crisis

Despite my Star Wars Geek exterior in my heart of hearts I am a jock. Athletics got me through high school and football got me into college. I am -in my post organized sport days- an amateur sports fan. I don’t have much of a stomach for top level pro sports (unless the Lions are on TV or it’s World Series time). The fall has always been the most active of my sports watching time. Fall is football season.

It was understood in my family that fall Saturdays were set aside for my father and I to watch college football and talk about football, life and whatever. Since moving 2000 miles away from my family the tradition has been modified. My father and I watch football then call each other several times during the day to talk. At no time during the year is this tradition more intense and important than the weekends leading into Thanksgiving. This is the time of year that matters most in college football. Now is when championships are decided and player honors are earned, but most importantly it is rivalry time.

We are University of Michigan fans (or Meeeechigan if you ever had the honor of hearing radio announcer Bob Ufer call a game). This is the time of THE GAME, Michigan V. Ohio State. This is the day both schools wait for all year. This is the game that both schools recruit for all year. This is the game that is a MUST win for both schools. A dismal season record can be excused if you win this game. This game has taken place every year for 102 years. Except for the period of time when he himself was playing on Saturdays my father has not missed this game since the mid 1950s. Unless I was on the field I have not missed since the early 1970s. We both look forward to this game all year and it is known to those we love (and we do love them) around us that THIS is the Saturday that MUST NOT be disturbed. Enter My In-laws.

My in-laws have no recognition of this tradition. Except for Kentucky Basketball, sports hardly register on their radar. Because of various family obligations the family of my “step” in-law has scheduled an early Thanksgiving dinner for 1:00 this Saturday afternoon…game time. The dinner will take place at the family farm an hour or so away from my house. My daughter who I have precious little time with as it is will go away to be there all afternoon. Mrs. Smithie (who has an inkling of the importance of this Saturday but not a full understanding) is trying to be sympathetic but has a quiet intensity about her when we make eye contact, making my options clear: Go to the farm or…lets not think about the “or”.

My head and my heart are going to simultaneously explode. How the hell could this happen!? I was looking for a Karmic explanation but I am generally a good guy. I give my week to unappreciative 14-16 year olds and smile while I do. I love my wife and daughter and do all that I can to make them happy. ALL I WANT TO DO IS ENJOY MY LITTLE FUCKING TRADITION WITH MY DAD AND MY FOOTBALL TEAM! Ahem…Hence the title of this longest and most important of my posts.

This is…a crisis.