Why I switched to Football
The other Football, the one the rest of the world watches.
I grew up in Hawaii where Football is huge. the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors area religion. It starts with flag football, midget football, Pop Warner then school ball. I was also a huge Baseball fan. I played t-ball, little league and school ball. I played both football and baseball growing up and through school. “Soccer” was around growing up, but it was a fringe sport.
I read Major League Baseball box scores as a kid and listened to Hawaii Islander AAA broadcasts on my AM radio. This passion for these two great American pastimes followed me for the next 30 years. I paid for cable sports packages and whenever I was on the mainland I made it a point to attend MLB games (usually the Dodgers) or an NFL game if my timing worked out.
I kept coming back after strikes and lock outs, but something changed in 2012. I was really getting tired of their shenanigans. I was also getting annoyed at the length of games and the incessant commercial breaks. Coincidentally, my wife and I went on a great adventure to the UK, Paris and Ireland in June 2012. The Euro2012 Championships were in progress while we were there and we were fortunate to experience matches from a Pub in London (while England was playing). We also took in the Ireland v Italy match from a Pub in Cork (Ireland got devastated). This experience coupled with my displeasure with the direction of American sports was the tipping point.
I came home an English Football fan. I took Arsenal as my team (that’s another story) and dove into the Premier League season. I’m also a fan of AS Saint Etienne in Ligue 1 in France and Parma FC (they suck right now) in Serie A in Italy. I love the tactics and strategy and that they play 45+ min no break, have a half time break, then play another 45+. I love relegation and the Champions League, the NFL should do that. I love that a match TV broadcast is 2 hours, period. I’ve even adapted to most matches being on between 2:30am and 7am in Hawaii. You still have a full day ahead.
I don’t think I’m going back, besides, can the entire rest of the world be wrong about football?
In My Humble Opnion - World Football is a more exciting and enjoyable sport to watch.