Fall, also known as autumn, marks
what's to come. Fall Festivals are in full swing. Halloween is not far behind. Oh,
and then Thanksgiving, an all-time favorite of mine to spend time cooking and dining
with family and friends, and building memories together. Some people may begin shopping
for the winter holidays.
The most compelling part of fall
is football season! Professional and college seasons run from late summer
through late winter. Whether at high
school, college, or professional football, I enjoy watching the games! Hearing
high school bands perform at Friday night games reminds me of attending my high
school’s games every Friday night and the excitement of cheering for our team!
What does pigskin have to do with football?
In the early 1800s, footballs
were made from animal bladders, most often pig bladders because pigs were raised
for food everywhere and readily available. People inflated the bladders by
mouth (sounds like a gross task!) or with an early air pump. The balls were round
instead of oval, and later the bladders were covered with cowhide for better
grip and durability. Eventually, as the game became more sophisticated, they
made the football with rubber liners and leather wraps. These balls held the
air better and had a consistent oval shape. Today, the balls are made of
synthetic air liners and four leather panel wraps. The name “Pigskin” became a
popular nickname because it sounded more appealing than calling the ball a “pig
bladder.” The name is still popular on
sports news shows and in football segments called “Pigskin Report,” “Prep
Pigskin Report,” or “Friday Night Pigskin,” for example.
My Dislike To Love of the Game
Growing up, I didn’t care to watch
professional games on television. While my parents and siblings watched, I read
a lot of books! The games were boring to
me. I only got into the games when I attended them in person. We attended Minnesota
Vikings games, with the whole tailgating experience and sitting in the stands
with hardcore fans. The aroma of ribs, wings, hamburgers, hot dogs, and a
variety of other foods on grills in the stadium parking lots, plus loud chatter
among friends and family, filled the air.
I began enjoying watching televised
professional and college games one day when I didn’t know what I wanted to
watch, so I turned to a Vikings game and have loved it ever since. Today, my family
watches games all afternoon on Sundays, and on Monday and Thursday nights. We
all have different favorite teams, representing the Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos,
Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, and, in honor of my mom and dad, the Pittsburgh
Steelers. We also watch games of teams with our favorite players.
If you walk past our house during
a game, you can hear yelling and cheering throughout. Whether my team is
winning or losing, I now love a good game of football. It’s to the point that after
the season is over and the Super Bowl is won, I go through football withdrawals
for a couple of weeks!
