The Mysteries of Football

Let me start out by saying that years ago, I was totally hooked on a show called 21 Jump Street that starred Peter Deluise, Holly Robinson and Johnny Depp. They played young, undercover cops who went into high schools posing as students and broke up crime rings or whatever within that high school. I loved that show and recently rented the boxed sets so that I can watch them again.

So anyway, Holly Robinson now Holly Robinson Peete, has just written a book titled GET YOUR OWN DAMN BEER. It is a women's guide to understanding football. Now in my household, my husband's life is not complete if he misses a Red Sox, Patriots, or 49ers game. The television is on a lot during sports seasons (which really go year round in my house with little to no gap between the end of football and the start of baseball.) While I have always been interested in watching the players (face it some of them are gorgeous!!!), the rules to football prove to be illusive. I get the whole idea that one team is the offense and one is the defense and that they must run down the field to score their touchdown. But it is the terminology and nitpicky rules that have me utterly confused. No matter how many times my hubby has tried to explain things to me (sorry but phrases of "you have four downs to get your yardage and earn points" don't work for me.)

I ended up eagerly looking foward to reviewing Holly Robinson Peete's new book. If anyone can explain the game of football in layman's terms, I figure a woman should be able to get the job done! Women's minds don't always work on the same wavelength as men's. So Holly starts off her book with humor, always important, and then makes this clear statement (I'm going to sum it up instead of running downstairs to get the book) -- you have four CHANCES to move the ball 10 yards. If you do that, you win another four chances to move another 10 yards. See now that makes sense to me. So last night, we put my new found knowledge to the test. Dallas vs. Seattle. I was able to call the penalities with ease. I had the terminology down! It felt amazing.

My hat is off to Hollly for actually getting through to me! And, of course, as an added bonus the list of admirable football behinds can be found within. Short of missing Adam Vinatieri's posterior, I have to admit she's pretty much on the money.