Playing football just a fantasy now

Football nerd.
Yeah, that’s me. I like football well enough, I suppose. I used to be nuts about the game. Not so much anymore.
There was a time I could have told you the name of every player on the Denver Broncos by their number alone. I never missed a Broncos game, either live or on TV. Heck, I even went to Denver Gold games (do you remember the USFL?).
On my first wedding day, the Denver Dynamite was playing for, and won, the first-ever Arena Football League championship. I remember my father in-law sneaking out of the reception every so often to listen for an update on his car radio.
I used to hate football. I’m no athlete. Never have been. The neighborhood kids always cheated at sports (though half the time I didn’t know they were cheating) and I always lost bad and hated playing because of it.
I finally took interest in football when the Broncos went to their first Super Bowl. They played the Cowboys. It was the first time I’d ever watched a football game. I came away not so much a Broncos fan as a Cowboys hater.
I went to a private Baptist school in junior high the following year. My last year there we got a new coach and he made me go out for football because I was the biggest kid in the junior high. I went out … and loved it. I was on the junior varsity and we only played six-man flag football.
That fueled my love for the game when I returned to public schools in high school. I went out for football at Niwot High School and played all three years. It was a small school and everyone made the team.
I was a JV bench warmer my first year. My junior year, I was a two-way starter on the JV and a varsity bench warmer. That was the peak of my football experience. I played nose guard and center. I also happened to play behind two all-state players. I only saw limited mop-up duty my senior year. Still, I was a Cougar. I wore the uniform. I belonged. I was a football player! Man, that’s good for the ego.
In college I played intramural flag football. We were the Bandits and we weren’t half bad. That ended my playing days, however. I went on to become an armchair quarterback, as it were. I faithfully followed the Broncos. My dad became a season ticket holder and I got to go to a lot of games. In college I became a very good football photographer. I even won some press association awards. I took advantage of my position over the years to photograph all my college home football games, the Broncos, the Vikings, the Gold, and even the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks in the World League of American Football.
When the Broncos finally won their two Super Bowls, I was on top of the world. I got to cover the two victory parades. For a couple years my world revolved around the Broncos.
But then something changed. I began to see professional football for what it was – a business. I got so disgusted with players who made a mint yet committed crimes. The cost of fandom keeps going up. Buying tickets and memorabilia is outrageous.
Eventually, I got to the point where I didn’t live or die each week depending on how the Orange and Blue did on the field. Sure, I love the game and I’m still a big fan, but there are things I’d rather do than spend endless hours in water cooler chatter about football. If I watch more than one game a week I feel like I’ve wasted my time.
I do play fantasy football. I guess that keeps my interest going. But that, in my opinion, is what makes me a football nerd, not an armchair quarterback.
It’s football season once again. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the high school football games. Who knows, if the Herd does well, I might find a renewed love for the sport. Even if they don’t, they’ll still have a fan in me. I wish the boys well this fall.