-Mama Bouchez
Are you ready for some football????
Yeah...thought so.
The season of fall brings with it the happy hot cocoa sipping, hoodie-wearing, foam finger-wielding, painted face, CRUNCH football life. And this Jadedgirl couldn't be happier.
I sit in my nine-dollar Wal-Mart lawn chair every Monday-Thursday evenings watching my little athlete knock the snot out of the unsuspecting scrimmage offensive guard. And...it makes me happy.
I find that I am not a "typical" football mom, though. First of all...I am probably the only woman at practices that is "single" And I am also a lot less...erm....for lack of a better term "girlie-poo"
Now, don't get me wrong...I DO still very much enjoy retail-therapy, and wearing my signature color (pink) and getting my hair and nails did...ghetto-fab. But...I am an enigma that way. I also LOVE fist-pumping, locker-room talking, and discussing how crappy a deal that Ben Rothleisburger got this season-way. I am glued to the tube every Sunday with my wings and popcorn and highly anticipate the month of March-and all the madness ensuing therein.
I am NOT a man...but I AM a sportsfan, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The other football moms I sit with swap recipes, talk about manicures, scrapbooking, and their husbands dirty socks, and how to get them sparkling white in the wash.
I sit there and watch the boy kick tail and run plays in my head...kinda bored with the alternative conversation going in the lawn chairs next door.
It's not that I don't fit in...not at all. As a matter of fact, I fit in great. All the ladies seem to like me (some bristle at my...erm...intensity level...when it comes to Bub's mad skills) but for the most part they seem to accept me and like me. I feel much more at home and at ease than I did last year when Bub played in Pekin. (gee, big shocker...I know)
But...I am not sure that we have a whole ton to talk about.
And you all know me...PLENTY to talk about...even if I have to make shit up.
Truth be told, I am not completely sure how they all feel about me most of the time...I mean, the wives seem to like me, but there is still a gap there.
For instance, I was invited to one of the coaches big beginning of the season weenie roast after tournament last weekend. Bubba and I were pretty stoked to be able to go and get to know everyone. And we did have a great time with everyone. They seem to be my kind of people. No fakes (well there IS one person...who will remain nameless who can be VERY annoying) But, I think everyone tolerates her because they ARE good people...and accept everyone. Which adds profusely to their collective charm.
Anyway...while we had such a great time and went home-VERY late. I was excited to go to practice on Monday. I felt welcomed and at home.
BUT...I find out about a half-hour into practice that another of the coaches are having a huge Halloween costume party and all the moms seem to be excited about it...including the annoying one. And...me...no invite, so far.
I'm a little puzzled and bummed about it, truth be told. I can only hope that the party-having mom doesn't realize that she hasn't invited me yet. And maybe she will later on down the road.
Pride normally would dictate that I couldn't care less whether I am accepted...and what people think of me. But as I get older, I also know that life is short-and it is beneficial for Bubba to know that sometimes (not all the time) giving in and fitting in can be beneficial and a pleasant way to exist.
So, needless to say...not getting an invite has stung a little and all I can do is hope that it will change.
Aside from all the sideline drama, the drama on the field is the important issue here.
My boy is talented.
And I am not just saying this because of blatant mom-type bias...I am saying this because it is irrevocably true.
My kid is a knock down-drag out terror of the D-line.
He hits hard, but correctly. He moves quickly to get the sack or tackle he needs. He IS a football player...through and through.
The first day of practice, head coach pulled me aside and said-verbatim-"That kid is a hell of an athlete."
He is also one of a VERY few who has a sticker on his helmet for his performance in the game last Saturday...one sack and one safety. He was the ONLY lineman to receive a sticker-and to add insult to injury...he is also the SMALLEST lineman (weight-wise) on the team as well. Proof positive, guys...SIZE DOESN'T MATTER. The rest of the stickers went to the touchdown scorers-or the running backs.
At the beginning of tackle last year, Bub was dead-set on losing weight so he could be a ball carrier. He told me he was afraid of not getting any "glory" at all on the line...cause- "No one notices the linemen, mom...duh."
This year...after many pep-talks and push-forwards and enthusiasm by the coaching staff...he HAS the glory. All the damn glory he can handle.
He saved the game with that safety on Saturday...and that sack? Yeah...that was against the Pekin QB. Nice...I know.
The Pekin coaches were probably HATING life in that minute, I can assure you. And the shit-eating grin on my face could probably (not unlike the Great Wall of China) be seen from space.
I LOVE football.
And I LOVE that my Bubba kicks complete and total ass at it.
I am proud...SO very proud.
They did lose to Pekin in the game they played in the double-elim tournament last weekend. BUT...they play Pekin in a full game coming this Saturday. I hope they win. A little payback is in order, and my boy? he is just the RAIDER to serve it up.
GO EP!!!! BEAT THEM DRAGONS!!!!!!
As for my hurt feelings and so on and so forth...I can only hope that party-mom does invite me at some point. If not...life goes on as usual, and I still have a spot next to the scrapbooking ladies on the lawn every Monday-Thursday. I am not a pariah, at least as I was last year...so I am counting my blessings.
Last thought-
“Linemen are literally the unsung heroes of the game. Their situation is analogous to the infantry in warfare. They do the hard, bitter fighting for victory. As the generals reap the headlines in war, the backs reap the headlines in football. Yet in their hearts, the generals and backs know that victory and the accolades came to them through the work of the footsoldiers and linemen.”
-Gomer Jones (Bud Wilkinson's line coach at Oklahoma)
Loving the foosball...cause mama said so-
Jaded
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