An Imminent Intervention

I have a problem. Football has taken over my life. On Wednesday, I skipped Kermit Ruffins’ free show at Lafayette Square, so I wouldn’t miss the beginning of the Central Florida- Marshall game. Really? UCF and Marshall. I was the only person outside of West Virginia and Splash Mountain watching this game. Our once temporary living room setup of two TVs has become a more permanent fixture on the weekends. Even as I’m writing this, I’m watching Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels ramble on about Peyton on one TV, and watching Herbstreit rabble as Rece Davis reveals the meaningless Week 7 BCS standings on the other.

Sunday morning, I made sure to refresh the websites for the Coach’s Poll rankings and AP rankings every 30 seconds Sunday to see if the once frustrating Bulldogs were ranked after they wrapped another one in maroon and white in a win in Gainesville- the first since 1965.

I also kept my phone handy to check the Twitter alerts for last minute NFL injury reports and the MSU beat writers’ blogs updates. Clinton Portis was once again inactive, and Mississippi State barely squeaked into the polls (including the BCS poll) at 24- the first time in almost a decade. After enduring the end of the Sherrill years, the “right way” era of Sly Croom, and ridicule from The School Up North (you know, the Rebels, I mean Fighting Yogi’s), it was about time for Mississippi State to start heating up.


I then canceled plans to go to the free Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival, and stayed home and watched the equally frustrating Saints dominate the Bucs in a stadium that has about as much character as the Clearview Mall parking lot. I also had the laptop running ESPN's FantasyCast while watching my miserable fantasy team pile on the points for the first time this year. Oh, what’s that? Oh yeah, I was on a bye this week.

I hoard remotes and useless pregame analyses like a crazy old lady hoards dogs, and like Bill Belichick hoards future draft picks. What once was confined to just Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, has now consumed the entire week. Tuesdays have now been overtaken by the MAC and Sunbelt, and Wednesdays are now reserved for Conference-USA and the WAC. What used to provoke only minor mental anguish now generates physical distress and degrades my social dexterity.

I have a serious problem. I am certain, that in the near future, I’m going to be ambushed in a strange hotel room by an A&E producer.