Uh...I might like football. Maybe.

Throughout this semester I have been astounded by how many people follow BYU's sports teams. My astonishment does not come from the depth but the breadth of people. Everyone knows when the games are and stop their lives to go. This is so foreign to me. I went to a small university for my undergrad and no one cared about the college teams (although I did do my bachelor's in music and am now in business school: my classmates' interests are quite different for sure). Also, as I have spent time schmoozing with different companies and people in the business world the past few months, I find that when the conversation wanders off business matters, it usually lands on sports. Well, I know how the games work but I don't know anything about what's going on, who is play who, what their history is, and so forth. I kept thinking to myself that I should try to follow at least football or basketball a wee bit to be able to have something to say, but I haven't been able to get myself into it. Until a couple weeks ago.

I was at my parents' house to house- and doggy-sit over the Thanksgiving holiday. Saturday afternoon rolls around and I find my thoughts continually wandering to the upcoming Holy War. I couldn't help it! For some reason, I needed to watch that game. I watched most of the 2nd quarter and then went over to my sister's house to visit. The whole time I was there, however, I kept thinking about what was going on with my cougars. I didn't stay very long, saying I wanted to be home for my little brother and to let the dog in (which was true). As soon as I walked through that door I ran for the remote.

The minutes on the timer were like hours. What was going to happen? BYU was up, but hadn't made any points for some time. The end of the 4th starts coming closer and suddenly, it's tied! I'm biting my fingernails, praying it will end with a cougar victory. The U kicks a field goal and is up by 3. Now BYU takes possession. Come on, Cougs, don't let me down. Max Hall throws, Andrew George makes the catch, and... TOUCHDOWN! I am screaming jumping up and down--I can't get enough of it!

The weekend ends and I am back to my regular school schedule. But Wednesday night after watching the news, finds me wandering over to ESPN for a football game played a few weeks earlier. My roommate walks in and just stops for a minute, "....football? Carly, are you trying to impress a boy?"

On my own, I have watched 4.6 football games and have found myself enjoying them. I can't think of any other time in my life and I have sat down by myself to watch any sporting event ever (except BYU's men's volleyball team; have you seen those guys? They are NOT ugly...). Sure, I watch it with friends, but it's a social thing. And now here I am, asking my teammates and friends what this and that mean, how does the BCS work (or NOT work), What are the teams in each of the conferences, etc. What has happened to me??