Comments on: Are You (Ladies) Ready for Some Football?

By: catnmus

catnmus — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:29:33 +0000

I’m a woman and football is probably my favorite sport to watch. Regardless of how brutish the action may seem, the game itself is very intellectual and strategic. When to go for a short pass, when to go for a long run, is there going to be a blitz, can we pick up the first down at 4th and inches? What about 4th and a foot and half? Should we blitz, how many people should we cover that guy with, should we call for a fair catch? And my ultimate favorites, the trick plays and surprises. Flea flicker, fake field goal, and the 100-yard interception for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. No other professional sport seems to me to have so much going on, strategically, as football.

By: halakahiki82

halakahiki82 — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:05:30 +0000

@BeckySharper: *thisclose* to winning, but mainly because the Steelers just GAVE THE F UP. and didn’t even try (WTF SAFETY?!) Oh and anytime I see hints of that dreaded tuck rule I am full of stabbity stabbity rage.

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:57:47 +0000

@halakahiki82: Rock on!

The Cards played like completely clueless asshats, but goddammit, they were THISCLOSE to winning!

By: halakahiki82

halakahiki82 — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:11:19 +0000

Feeling like a traitor/not a woman for liking football? That is such a foreign and unknown concept for me. And I have to say, this weekend I got pretty turned off Jezebel.com for being all OMG IT IZ SUPERBOWL AND THAT IZ NOT FOR LADEEZ! LET US WHINE ABOUT HOW ANNOYING IT IZ AND DO WOMAN THINGS.

You can be female and as girly as you want or don’t want to be and still understand and enjoy the game of football. And quite frankly, out of my handful of friends in the greater Boston area, I am the only one that avidly watches and enjoys the NFL. The majority of my friends are male, and they either don’t even understand or know anything about football or are not into sports at all.

I love sports, I always have. From basketball to boxing to soccer to hockey. And football is one of my most beloved. Of course, I never got to experience it on the field the way all my buddies growing up did. Except for pickup games and fooling around as such. But I grew up in a football town with a football life and not even both my parents are into it that much. Well, my Daddy was a fan all his life, but not rabid. And my mom is clueless.

I just get irked when people assume you cannot be female + football fan. Which, I would liken to assuming you cannot be male + ballet dancer/fan. It’s ignorance.

I will not go so far to say the the commercialism and culture of the NFL has gone insane, and is annoying. I would give my figurative left nut to watch a game all the way through sans announcers/commercials, but I can’t help it. I love the game. High school, college, professional level…I love the game.

However, the Cardinals? WTF? Did they not get the memo that said: ATTN: U R IN TEH SUPERBOWL! because christ, they played like completely clueless asshats!

By: rosasparks

rosasparks — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:02:12 +0000

I love football, have grown up watching it since I can remember. My TRUE love for football came when I actually PLAYED football in HS. We made a PowerPuff League (wonderful name, yes) during Homecoming, during HS and it was the only time I would actively participate in such shenanigans.

I played WR for 3 years, for 1 month out of the year, and grew to love learning strategy, kicking up my physical fitness (far different from my dance training) and relished watching the football team gawk at our skills. (our football team counterparts were our coaches)

These things suited me well, later on, when I played roller derby and remembered what it felt like to run strategic plays and take a hit.

Am I disgusted by the culture? Yes. Am I turned off by most male football fans? Yes.

But, if you must turn in your feminist card, then I must, as well. So, I guess we start a new group….

By: sarah.of.a.lesser.god

sarah.of.a.lesser.god — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:59:42 +0000

I like the “Best Dad Ever” tag.

Given that I am completely obsessed with baseball, I can certainly understand your passion for the pigskin. While I agree that football is probably the most sexist of the major sports, I am hoping that might change as they realize the steady increase in percentage of women viewers for the Super Bowl. The commercials are a barometer of how the sport could potentially feel an impetus to be more welcoming of female fans.

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:27:39 +0000

@Macloserboy: no more than my disliking them makes me a traitor to my tribe. (and b/c Chris Rock talks all the time about how much he loves Woody, so you’re not the only one)

@funnyface: I know, I was like “the Cardinals?” In Arizona? O rly? I hardly remembered they were even playing anymore.

By: Diziet_Sma

Diziet_Sma — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 20:20:32 +0000

Well, I could quote Chomsky on the role of spectator sports in keeping the populace in line, but, you know, whatever turns you on, ladies. I think it’s worth it for the thrill of knowing so many other people in the country are watching it at the same time as you are – we rarely get that opportunity nowadays.

By: Macloserboy

Macloserboy — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:55:32 +0000

I dunno, does liking Woody Allen movies make me a traitor to my race?

By: Claudia (Bluebears)

Claudia (Bluebears) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:09:21 +0000

I love football. No sport can ever compare in my opinion. I have no idea if it’s feminist or not I just know that there is no better use for a Sunday afternoon than sitting around for hours drinking beer and watching football. Oh, and Saturday for NCAA games. I’m rooting for the Cards, I have to! I’m a Lions fan, or “fan” so you know, I root for the underdog.