Many of us have seen the Sportscenter commercial series that say “it’s not crazy, it’s sports” where various fans are featured showing off their obsession for their favorite team. Things like getting buried in a Cubs jersey or wanting your ashes spread over the field are things that most of the general population that isn’t a sports fan, would look upon with a side eye.

After a conversation with a friend over the weekend,  I said my mother would be very understanding if I was unable to attend her funeral because it happened on a gameday. Which caused a “you’re crazy” reaction from several people.

So it got me to thinking….is any life event worth missing because it falls on game day?

Before jumping to conclusions, hear me out. The NFL is something every fan waits patiently on for 8 months. Hell, the NFL Draft even had more viewers than the World Series, proving the enormous popularity of the sport.

And after 8 months, us fans only get 16 games to watch our beloved team try to make it to the playoffs. Only 8 of those games are played at home (if your team is one of the two to play in London, then it’s even less!)

Therefore, game days are taken very seriously. But how seriously should they be taken? And what life events should you miss or try to avoid all-together?

Birth of a child

Ben Roethlisberger was recently quoted as saying “you better believe I’m not missing a game for the birth of my child”.

Some mothers would gasp at that statement but I frankly do not. First, you should follow the football code of avoiding getting knocked up during the months January thru April. This avoids any births during the season.

If you should get pregnant during one of these ill fated months, modern science is well equipped to speed up or slow down the birth should your delivery occur during those 3 hours a game is on.

Also, C-section anyone?

Death

 

This is a tricky one for the obvious reason that death is unpredictable. Deaths are always hard to deal with so my suggestion to anyone who wants to be accommodating to your fellow sports fans should a death occur during the football season, have the funeral on a Friday night.

This gives plenty of “grieving” time to get your mind off of things with a full slate of college football games on Saturday followed up by watching the pros on Sunday that hopefully get your mind off things are not-so-happy. Provided that your team wins, of course.

For those who think this is a bit unrealistic, just remember the old Packers joke:

A Packer fan was enjoying himself at the game in a packed Lambeau Field, until he noticed an empty seat down in front. He went down and asked the lady next to it if she knew whose seat it was.

The woman said, “Yes, that’s my husband’s seat. We have never missed a game since the Lombardi days, but now my husband is dead.”

The fan offered his sympathy and said it was really too bad she couldn’t find some relative to give the ticket to so they could enjoy the game together… “Oh no,” the woman said, “they’re all at the funeral.”

Weddings

For regular readers of the site, you know the affinity (or lack thereof) for weddings that occur during football season.

Weddings always happen on the weekend, TV’s are hardly provided to showcase the game and God help you if you actually have to be in the wedding during football season. You have weeks that are just shot to hell because someone decided months/years ago that “its MY day and I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want!”.

Well, guess what?  Plan your wedding on a Jaguars home game and you might as well save the stamp on my invitation because I’ll be at the game. We can grab lunch and check out pictures when you’re done. Win/Win.

Birthday/Anniversary Parties

Forget it. It’s not a life event. And if you really cared about the party, you would have it at the game (where everyone will be anyways), you’re not disrupting anyone’s plans and you have zero cleanup.

Closing

I know I’m probably in the “rare” category when it comes to these opinions, but I’m curious to know if I’m a crazy sports fan or if you would do the same? Let us know in the comments…