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Robin Renay and her husband that “49er Fan”.

By Robin Renay

The fall season is an amazing time for the sport enthusiast. It involves football, the start of hockey, basketball, and postseason baseball too. It is pretty much guaranteed that come the weekend, one can get comfortable in their favorite spot on the couch, flip on the television, and find some type of sports game to use as a time killer.

Ladies, how many times have you sauntered into the living room, only to find your significant other with his favorite beverage in one hand, and his entire body either taking up every inch of the couch, or in a position that is bound to cause serious back pain down the road. Even worse, as you walk by, shooting your man an evil eye for his behavior, he manages to let out the loudest belch that you had ever heard. “Despicable behavior,” you exclaim, either to yourself, or depending on your mood, directly to him. Only the kind of behavior a man would display is what comes to your mind. Well…ladies, let me tell you my story, and what happened to me last weekend.

It was Saturday, the weather was beautiful outside, the kids were outdoors, so what did I do? I chose to locate the remote and start my day by watching the Huskers take on the Purdue Boilermakers. I have noticed that due to the fact that I educated myself on the sport of football, I watch the game differently. I pay attention to the line-ups, I listen closely to the calls made after the flag is thrown, and I even watch the quarterback more intently, trying to determine what he will do with the ball.

The Nebraska game quickly became one that I found myself dozing off to, due to the fact that the Huskers had stomped on the Boilermakers. The game finished, I did a few chores around the house, and surprised my husband by asking him what channel the “men in white and blue” were on. (Due to the fact that I am a diehard Giants fan, I will not be able to let the team name roll off of my tongue and escape through my lips! So I will refer to them as I did up above…) I tried hard to watch “the men in white and blue,” and the Cardinals game, but it didn’t hold my interest.

I chose to search for another college football game. Switching the channels, I came across the Michigan and Penn State game. The moment the game came into view, the Penn State quarterback, Christian Hackenberg went for a Hail Mary in the fourth quarter with just over 30 seconds left in the game. Allen Robinson caught the ball at the one-yard line! “Whoa!” I said, deciding right then, this was the game to watch.

The score tied the game at 34-34, but Michigan lost the chance at a win, when a 52- yard kick by Brendan Gibbons was no good. The first overtime came and went with Penn State kicker Sam Ficken missing a 40-yard attempt.

I found myself on the edge of my seat, screaming out as the Michigan field goal kicker missed, not one, two, but three attempts that could have won them the game. There were not one, but four overtimes total! They involved fumbles, a kick blocked by the Nittany Lions special teams unit, and after much screaming and yelling, with amazement that this game was still going on, a touchdown finally scored by Bill Benton, allowed Penn State to take the win 43-40 in the fourth overtime.

A bird’s eye view of the stadium was shown, with 107,000 Penn State fans causing a blizzard, due to an explosion of the all stadium white out.

I found myself slinking back down into the couch, as I seemed to be coming off of an emotional high. I found myself holding onto my favorite beverage and feeling exhausted from all of the excitement.  “Huh,” I thought to myself. Is this why guys end up looking like a slug, sitting in front of the television, enduring the ups and downs of the game.

“No biggie,” I said to myself, grabbing the remote, only to find the Tigers and the Red Sox game in the first inning.  “The night is young. The weekend is just getting started. Let the games begin,” I belted out, followed by the most obnoxious belch you would ever have heard! “Sorry,” I mumbled weakly to my husband, who just sat next to me with a grin on his face. It was safe to say that he understood my behavior!

May week 7 of the NFL bring you success with your Fantasy Football teams

Robin Renay is a freelance writer living in Michigan, a life long San Francisco Giants fan, and a firm believer in all things Tim Lincecum.