As I write this, the world is gearing up for the biggest football game, ever – the 2011 National Championship. LSU vs BAMA – two longtime rivals from the best conference in the nation – the SEC. Everyone reading this already knows all these facts. But up here, this isn’t common knowledge. To put it in perspective about how much this game ISN’T on the radar up here, think about this. I’m the college football expert in town.
I’m dressing my kids in alternating Alabama and LSU attire (ok, mostly Alabama) and we’ve got an LSU flag flying in front of our house instead of an American flag. My husband has taken Monday AND Tuesday off of work. Every friend and family member down south has plans to attend the game, go to a party, watch it at a designated place, etc. Here, it will be a regular Monday night. Don’t forget to put out the trash.
Yesterday Grant’s teacher looked at his Alabama shirt and said “Oh I guess your team won the game!” Uh, it hasn’t happened yet. And the chimney repair guy commented on our LSU flag “Big fans?” he asks. Now he looks just like all the Bubbas you see regularly – especially featured on TV – cheering for an SEC team. Big gut, driving a truck, baseball hat, bad grammar. Except our Southern Bubbas know a thing or two about football. This guy said “Yeah, aren’t they playing in that BCA game?” Geez. When I have to correct you that it’s the BCS, and I even know what that stands for, you know nothing. Maybe about chimneys, but not about college football.
Around here people care about the Jets and the Giants. I know they both play football and claim to be from New York but really are from New Jersey (like us!) And there is a local lacrosse team here in town, in addition to all the high school sports people cheer for. The local teams sell sweatshirts and other clothes promoting the home team, and they are dark red/maroon with a white V. You think I would be used to seeing them now, we’ve been here 6 months. But every time I see someone in the grocery store coming toward me sporting - possibly crimson? – I get all excited. Could it maybe be another Alabama fan? I’ll even be fired up if it’s a Mississippi State fan! And then they get closer, and I see the big V, and I go back to being my own private Erin Andrews of Northern Jersey.
