Move Over Olympics, Football's Back!

Last night was the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing Summer Olympics.

I always get a little sad when the Olympics are over. Maybe because I dreamed of becoming an Olympic athlete when I was younger and each time they close is another year in which I did not attain that goal. Part of it is the camaraderie of all the participating nations. I get especially emotional when they extinguish the flame.

The closing ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
The 2012 Summer Games will be held in London.

The only thing that is making the close of this global event hurt less is the fact that the college football season is beginning this week. I love the NFL, too, but there's something more exciting about watching your college team. I guess there's more of a sense of pride, and there's more at stake -- like bragging rights (think the Apple Cup for all you Washingtonians).

Mr. T and I are Washington State University alumni. We're Cougars and so are many of our good friends. We're starting young with T Junior...


I think part of the reason I like football season is that it coincides with my favorite time of the year: fall. A quote by Tom Hanks' character in one of my favorite movies, "You've Got Mail," sums it up: "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies." OK, this is not New York, but I think Western Washington has the most beautiful, crispiest Autumns in the country. It does make me want to buy school supplies...and back-to-school clothes, too. I want to wear plaid. Maybe I need a backpack...or a beret.

So I'm not in school anymore. But maybe, just maybe, we'll get to Pullman this year for a game, and I can pretend I'm back in college -- chanting the fight song, eating a Pizza Pipeline creation, shuffling through crunchy leaves on the sidewalks down Greek Row -- only this time I'm married and have a baby.

Go Cougs!!!!