Today I’m a Football Fan

I’ve always been a football fan. Ask my brother. The kids from our neighborhood. Or my classmates from Rogers Elementary. But today, I am reeling with the excitement for the Iowa Hawkeyes besting all previous years with a remarkable 8-0 start to the season! Once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye!

Although I wasn’t able to watch the game (no Big 10 Network at our house), I was able to pick up a play-by-play via chat. So while I watched the Texas Longhorns trample the Tigers last night, I was getting a pretty good picture of the Hawks thanks to instant messaging. From the tie-breaking field goal to the sensational Stanzi-to-McNutt touchdown, I had the same anxiety of those who got to watch it live. Hats off to Gottrocks!

And now today, my childhood faves are playing. Unlike my brother who has faithfully stood by the Dallas Cowboys, I was the one who would switch it up. Sometimes I would base it on a team’s record. Sometimes I liked the quarterback. And, admittedly, sometimes I chose a team based on the boy I liked. But today I see three of my go-to teams hit the gridiron.

First up is the head-to-head match up between Pittsburgh and Minnesota. My passion for the Steelers goes back to the Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann days. But “Big Ben” has brought back a great sense of offensive excitement in recent years. Besides, I’ve always preferred their black jerseys to the white.

As for the Vikes, my initial affiliation was proximity (one of the closest NFL teams to where I grew up in Iowa) and the sheer number of friends who followed them. More recently though, Adrian Peterson makes the rushing game far more exciting. Ultimately, I think it comes down to Brett Favre. I love what he brings to the game. His determination, guts and unpredictability make him an exciting leader. Plus, I’ve got to give hats off to a fellow 40-year-old.

And then I sit tight to see which Romo shows up for the Cowboys against the Falcons. I’ll apologize right now for the previous losses, because apparently the new Witten jersey isn’t working. No worries. Today I’m sporting my original #31 Roy Williams jersey. It’s been lucky so far this season and I hope that sharing this information doesn’t jinx it. Must close so I don’t miss kickoff!

Today I’m a 40-year-old

Forty years ago today, in my first sensational display of impatience, I became the newest member of our family. I’m not typically the kind of person to celebrate BIG or draw attention to my birthday. However, I’m also not one to ignore it. I like birthday wishes. And I like when friends and family can help you make “your day” memorable.

This one will be memorable. In many ways:
1. Mom and Dad started the ball rolling by presenting me with 3 bags of personalized M&Ms. Each of their candy-coated shells declared “Lori is 40.”
2. And yesterday, my co-workers surprised me with childhood school pictures wallpapering my office door and hanging from the ceiling.
3. As the morning wore on, colleague after colleague delivered scratch-off lottery tickets with a hearty “Happy Birthday!” (I received 40 tickets in all.)
4. Then, as I entered the restaurant for what I believed was to be a quiet birthday lunch with a friend, I was surprised once again by my colleagues for true birthday gathering.
5. Before 6 am this morning (my day off), I received two hilarious birthday cards from my kids and a gift bag full of star-clad wares from the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop at Cowboys Stadium.

All of this, plus the countless birthday wishes on Facebook have made for a very memorable birthday. I’m thinking it might not be so bad turning 40.