Saturday, September 25, 2010

football, game #1 (lyn)

First game of the season, and the day begins poorly.  Alexander oversleeps and blames me for not getting him up on time.

Spend the morning replenishing my weekly staples-bagel thins, cinnamon bread (80 calories a slice), two boxes of grape tomatoes, two pounds of small red grapes, and the $18/pound tuna at Sables, and worth every penny. 

Given Horace Mann’s record last year (losing all the games they played), the team has been moved down a notch to yet another league.  But it’s still a dangerous game.  Four kids on the team are already out with injuries, including one who had a concussion.

Alexander got his favorite number, eleven (he was born on 11-11-9+2 as in November 11th, 1992).  The team is playing the New York Military Academy located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, six miles north of West Point.  It’s a perfect summer day (sunny in the 80’s), and the ride up is beautiful.

At the game there are parents I haven’t seen since last football season.  One of them comes up to me and says, “I can’t believe it.  Only half of you is here.  How much weight did you lose?  You look amazing!”  By the end of the first quarter, two women and one man are thinking of joining Weight Watchers.

I love going to the games, even though I don’t totally understand them.  Fortunately, there are always enough people around who do, and I rely on them to explain some of the calls.   But even without knowing all the intricacies, I know enough to see that the Horace Mann team is playing well.  And the NYMA coach is getting more and more upset at his players, screaming at them by name from the sideline.  We all feel bad for a poor student named Andrew who keeps getting chastised.

The game ends with a 12-6 win.  The after dinner food for the hungry players is pizza from a local place, drinks, and sumptuous-looking baked carrot cake.  With difficulty, I take only water.

It’s a gorgeous day and everyone leaves happy.  I hope today portends the season to come. 

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