Know & Tell Friday: Sports Edition

Well, hello out there! I hope that some people have joined me from Heather & Reese's blog, Kickin' It In Crazyville. They're supposed to, you know. If they don't, I've told the girls that they are in b.i.g trouble. And just so you other girls know, girls covers ladies too because I'm originally from the South, so we're all just a bunch of girls.

So now that we've had a clear definition of what girls are, let's talk about why you're here. Reese is sick with a cold. Heather has had a long and busy week at work. I stuck my neck out a few weeks ago and offered up some KATF questions. So here we are again, but this week I'm in a little hotter spot just north of you-know-where having to be responsible for posting the questions, answering the questions first, getting Mr. Linky up and running (if Reese gets out of her sick bed and tells Heather and me how to do it). Oh, the pressure. But don't let me fool you. I'm having fun here too. And the girls needed a break. I even got to pick the theme. So please play...because otherwise I'm gonna feel real bad.

In honor of last week being the opening weekend of college football, and this weekend being the opening weekend of professional football, our theme is Know & Tell Friday: Sports Edition. Now if you're not a sports lover, don't bail out here. You'll still be able to play.

1. Do you live for the start of college football? professional football? Does anyone in your house? Do you know anyone who does?

College football, yes. Professional football, not so much anymore. Hubby and Buddy, all of it. I'll tell you what I do love about professional football though. Monday Night Football ~ the theme song (when Hank Williams, Jr. sings it), the helmets crashing, and the announcers they used to have. Overall, I prefer college football to professional football.

2. Did you go to college? If so, what was your mascot? Was/Is that your favorite team? If not, what was/is your favorite college team?

I went to a small college, Ouachita Baptist University. They were the Tigers. I transfered "across the ravine" the last year to Henderson State University (the Reddies) to complete my degree because I preferred their accounting program at the time.

But my family's favorite college football team:

When you grow up in Arkansas, it doesn't usually matter if you go to the U of A or not. You are still usually a diehard Razorback, or Hog, or Hawg, fan. Wooo Pig Soooie! Can I hear me some people callin' the Hog's out there?

3. Have you ever embarrassed yourself at a sporting event? Have you seen someone else embarrass themselves at a sporting event?

I have not personally embarrassed myself at a sporting event. Someone I personally know has embarrassed himself at a sporting event, but Hubby shall remain nameless, and his embarrassment shall remain undisclosed.

4. What is your favorite spectator sport (the one you love to watch live)?

Believe it or not, hockey. Before they tore down The Arena in St. Louis, there wasn't a bad seat in that place! Best spectator sport ever, even when you don't completely understand the game.

5. Do you have a sports hero? If so, what makes them special?

You know, I think Mary Lou Retton is pretty neat for a female athlete. But most of my association seems to come with baseball, or at least with male athletes. Buddy's middle name is Osborne for Ozzie Smith of the St. Louis Cardinals. He is Hubby's favorite all-time baseball player (we met him in his restaurant when Buddy was four...super neat guy). Bob Forsch and Lou Brock, both former St. Louis Cardinal players, run a close second behind Ozzie. We met Bob Forsch at the Cardinal's Winter Warm-Up a few years ago, and he signed Buddy's copy of his book. He was an extremely gracious man, and I was personally impressed.

I think you can't beat the sportsmanship shown earlier this year in a collegiate women's softball game, when one team handed victory to the other team by doing the right thing. I am often heard saying to my husband, "Why doesn't that coach just say that the call was obviously wrong and take the out?" Or whatever it is at the time. Because I still am of the firm belief that coaches are role models, and when they know something is wrong, they should do the right thing. But I'm obviously in a distinct minority. So anyway, if you haven't seen this story in completion, watch this video, because it's really touching.


6. What's the most memorable sporting event you have ever watched on television? watched live?

I remember watching Muhammad Ali fight when I was probably about seven or so. I saw the boxing match on tv when Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini knocked out the Korean fighter (Duck Koo Kim or something along those lines) who later died of brain injuries. I saw Nadia get the first perfect 10 in Olympic history. I watched Kerri Strug make history in the 1996 Olympics. I saw the race where Dale Earnhardt died in the crash. There are so many television opportunities these days.

But live, that's different. There is one that sticks out. Father's Day, 2004, we had tickets for the Cardinals' game against the Cincinnati Reds. We usually bought tickets based on when they had special giveaways, especially for the kids or for everyone who entered the gates. That particular day they were giving away Lou Brock bobbleheads for the first however-many thousand people that entered.

So to start the day off, I gathered all the kids together and said, "Go tell your dad Happy Father's Day together." To which Caboose, then three, says, "Mom, it's not Father's Day. It's Lou Brock Bobblehead Day." That day Ken Griffey, Jr. was going for and hit his 500th home run. Every time he got up to bat I took pictures with my zoom lens. I have pictures of him running around the bases after he hit it, taking his encore, hugging his family. Super cool day. Even if it was just Lou Brock Bobblehead Day.

The girls and I also had the privilege of going to the finals of the women's U.S. Championships in ice skating prior to the last Olympic games. It was held in St. Louis. During the intermission, they had every prior Olympic gold medal winner from the United States come out. I'd always wanted to see live ice skating, and I couldn't have gone at a better time.

7. If you have kids or grandkids, do they play sports?

Sparky plays fast-pitch, Buddy plays baseball, Caboose did play baseball but decided he didn't want to anymore. At least not now. I think he felt like nobody wanted to watch him as much as the others. Chatty doesn't play sports anymore. She played one year of tee ball and one year of coach-pitch softball. She likes to play in the backyard though.

This is where I would normally tell you to go visit Heather and Reese and play along and see what others are saying, but instead...hey, play along with us (you too Mari) and link up with Mr. Linky (providing I actually did this right and he shows up). Don't forget to leave your comments either.

And remember, you need to play, because otherwise the g.i.r.l.s are in b.i.g trouble.

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