Super Bowl Monday

I'm not a sports person so by default we're not a sports family.  Of course I've signed the boys up for requisite ball teams in the community.  A little soccer here, a little t-ball there but nothing serious--I just ask that, each time, the boys keep a six week commitment to playing the sport.  

Now that the boys are in school full time, they hear lots of talk about professional teams.  This was the first year they were aware of the Super Bowl.  Although I couldn't care less, I feel responsible for enlightening them (at least somewhat) about this NFL event.  So began our football afternoon.

I started with this six minute scoring video then used the bingo cards to introduce they boys to some of the things they'd see later during the game.  I had them change into their pjs early, since I knew they'd be up long past their normal bedtimes.  Then we made chocolate cookies and settled in for the four hour show.

After Henry won two rounds of bingo in the first quarter, Liam was done playing.  Besides, he needed two hands to eat the nachos I had just taken out of the oven.

Henry enjoyed keeping score and really wanted to see a two point conversion so he could mark the special box on his card.  I was amazed at how much both boys understood of the live game given just a short tutorial.  They were soon noticing plays and moves that went right over my head.  It's like they were naturals at armchair quarterbacking.  I wouldn't have believed their passion for the game if I didn't see it with my own eyes!

My favorite part of the evening came at half time.  I marched the boys upstairs to brush their teeth and hear a bedtime story.  (It was very nice of Katy Perry to provide us with some quality reading time in the middle of the game.)  We were back downstairs in time to watch the players come back out on the field.  Liam stayed awake until mid-way through the fourth quarter.  Henry watched until the clock ran out.

I'm satisfied that I introduced the boys to an important part of their culture.   In fact since they were such quick studies, they might have even been Monday morning quarterbacks if school hadn't been closed due to a terrific storm Sunday night.

Well, there's always next year.