Monday, December 18, 2006

Fanosophy

“You see, that’s why I like Nascar. You either go forward or you crash. You don’t go backward.”

- Anonymous Raider Fan

As I sat perched in my nose-bleeder seat awash in the Oakland winter sun at the Raiders v. Rams game this Sunday last, I was provoked into a serious session of people watching due solely to my immense boredom with the less than mediocre game waaay down below on the McAfee Coliseum’s field. However, boredom is easily alleviated by turning one’s attention to the people of the Raider Nation for entertainment. You just gotta love Raider fans after all. They are diehard if nothing else, boisterous, spirited, a little bit crude, lively, loyal and sometimes rude, but if it’s people watching you’re after, these peeps never disappoint. I mean, in addition to the characteristics I listed above, the fanship, as a whole, is also peppered with many a black and silver donning proletariat poet, hence the quote above.

Sitting high (and I mean really high) in the stands, inbetween sips of my amber brew, I scribbled bits and pieces of the conversational din I’d overheard around me. The hubs and I were chuckling at the sheer revelry apparent in the various tid bits of verbiage we were able to catch. Even despite yet another devastating blow to their beloved team’s standings, the people of the Raider Nation were not about to let another impending loss ruin their good time. They cheered hard, toasted often and mused about the plethora of positive possibilities sure to present themselves to their team next season, all the time myriad “colorful” expressions in use emphasizing a shared bliss.

Largely ignoring the massacre on the field below, I also began to reflect on the oh-so-wise quote kicking off this post made from one in the crowd. So simple, yet so true. We are constantly marching forward. We all are subject to upsets, obstacles, crashes if you will, and no, we cannot go back. For me, there is such resonance in that statement. Since the death of my father a decade ago I’ve struggled to navigate about a family structure that had been completely transformed by that event. A painful era riddled with anger, denial, discovery, acceptance and reorganization, for lack of a better word, that I feel as if I’m finally emerging from. I don’t know what lies ahead, but I do know that I am open to putting foot to pavement and seeing where my path unfolds. I acknowledge and accept the past. Hell, hopefully I’ve gained a little insight and even, perhaps, a bit of wisdom learned from the events leading up to the here and now that will aid me in my journey ahead. I’m ready now for whatever the future holds.

Who knew that an afternoon at a football game could hold so much depth?

It must be true. I guess real men and women do wear black...

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG - you came up to the game! We had to watch the Eagles and the Giants, which as it happens, was a great game, because they couldn't broadcast the local game...that is just so crazy to me.

stacyZ said...

A Lurker coming out to say Hello. As I read your post I chuckle at the comments about the nation. I remember the game I went to with my husband specifically that had the row of biker friends in front of us...now they were entertaining. What was most entertaining was the woman with the half shirt where the bottom half was see thru. Now this would not be such a big deal except for the utter lapse of undergarments. It made for an interesting evening and an exercise in eye contact.
But I had to comment on the depth of your post so poetic and true. The men in black keep marching on without a hope in sight, and sometimes it seems as we do too. But alas we still must play the game.

Carol said...

I HAVE to get out to more games...

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh - YOU WERE HERE! I was out of town :( We were blogging ships passing in the night.

Brave you for going out to the game - As 49er/Chiefs fans we don't venture too close to the Coliseum for fear our archnemesis identities would be revealed.

And, of course there's someone making NASCAR related comments at a Raider game. Love it...

Anonymous said...

Those Raider fans are crazy, aren't they?

dancingdishes said...

I went to a Raider game once. My husband was given tickets that were 9 rows back from the 20 yard line on the away side. Great view of the cheerleaders but I have to say, everyone around me was 'normal.' No scary, or even interesting people to watch. At least the game that day was pretty close. so there was still some good entertainment. And it does suck when they black out the game due to not selling enough tickets. Cause even when you have Sunday Ticket you still don't get to watch it! Oh well! At least you still enjoyed yourself. I love people watching. It's one of my favorite pass times. :^)

Anonymous said...

On a completely different tangent - Have a wonderful Christmas full of good cheer & general merriment. May 2007 bring much good fortune and many happy moments to your door... and of course much knitting & crocheting too.
take care, g

Anonymous said...

I've often thought the audience of a sporting event was the real show...

Merry Christmas!

Stephen said...

merry christmas chickyboom!