When I was four I remember watching the Saturday morning cartoons, then all the sudden it switched to what must have been a college football game. All I remember is that Michigan was playing and I was upset that the cartoons were no long on.
Oh, how I have changed! I have a great love and passion for American Football. I can say that I get this from my Father. My love of football has been a journey, but the beginning of this passion was all because of my Dad. My Father came to this Country in the 70's and the Dallas Cowboys were becoming "Americas Team" so my Father became a fan. And as long as I can remember he has watched football and has been a Cowboys fan. When I was little he used to make me lay on the couch and watch football with him. At the time it seemed like a chore to have to do this with him but it's because I didn't understand that game. I remember that he would try to explain to me the difference between 1st and 10, and 3rd and 10.
When we moved to California in the Mid 80's, I got a Los Angeles Rams jersey and a purple Laker hat. When the football season ended, I remember watching Laker games. I had no idea that they were the "Showtime Lakers". Back then there was no Sportscenter, or no 24 hour sports new channels and we didn't have cable so we only watched the games that were on network TV. On top of that we only had 1 TV so I watched whatever he liked whether I wanted to or not!
My dad does not really like baseball, but I do remember watching the 1986 World Series with him, I was 7 years old and I liked the names of "Oil Can" Boyd, and Daryl Stawberry. I remember the Mets won. It wasn't until recently I put together the significance of the '86 series. I have no recollection of the Red Sox error that arguably cost them the series--I do think that this is where my dislike of the Red Sox started though. We also went to watch the Bakersfield Dodgers (single A for the LA Dodgers) and I later found out that Mike Piazza and Eric Karos played on those teams.
While our family changed my Father was still around to spend time with me. And if it was a Sunday during football season we spent it watching the NFL together. He also took me to all sorts of other sporting events that I asked him to take me to. I was able to see watch Wayne Gretskey and I went to 2 49er's games during the 94-95 season when they won the Super Bowl.
One of my best sports memories with my dad was during the Summer of 1994, unannounced my Dad took my sister and I to Palo Alto on July 3rd. The World Cup was in town. With out tickets or a hotel, my Father scalped three tickets to the second round match between USA and Brasil, which was played on the 4th of July. To this day, that remains one of my favorite sporting event. It was one of the most patriotic events I have ever been to. (And I still have the t-shirt I got at that game!)
