Confessions of a Lady Football Fan

I am a lady (most days).  I love beer.  I love getting a great pedicure.  I won't scoff at a good bottle of wine and flowers on the table when I get home from work. And I love football. 

I am definitely not a unicorn in the arena of female football fans.  A 2014 article in the Washington Post showed that of the NFL's more than 150 million American fans, 45% of them were women.

Around Super Bowl time articles start popping up discussing what exactly women should do during the Big Game. Anything from what they (we) should be cooking to what players are the most eligible (and not for your Fantasy Football draft).  These are the types of articles that make me so mad and I feel insult our (my) intelligence.  Suggesting that I would rather be watching the latest installment of The Bachelor over football is nauseating. There's a reason that show airs after Monday Night Football has been completed for the season.

Here's the deal. I grew up a football fan. Likely because I was the only child of two football loving fans.  While I was in school I was embarrassed of my football knowledge, often times exceeding what the boys knew, so I didn't share that part of me.  It wasn't until I was sideline reporting for football games that I learned to embrace the fact that I'm a girl, I know a holding call when I see it, call pass interference from my couch, and frantically count to make sure my team has only 11 guys on the field.

You will not see me burning my bra for feminism, in fact you're more likely to see me reworking my fantasy football lineup just before game time, with a glass of Pinot in my hand.  I don't begrudge females who don't like football, hell, I can appreciate Cam Newton's smile, JJ Watt's everything, and the tatted up giants who make play-after-play every Sunday (I'm looking at you Derek Wolfe).   I can also appreciate Von Miller's explosiveness when he sniffs out a run play, Peyton Manning's ability to read a defense, and JJ Watt's everything.

On Sunday, Feb. 7th.  I will be making some foods I found on Pinterest.  I will be proudly wearing my Steve Atwater...or DeMarcus Ware jersey (it'll be a game time decision).  I will enjoy the commercials, Beyonce at halftime, but I will be watching for the game.