Football finis

     With the conclusion of yesterday's 152nd edition of the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry, held in balmy mid-60 degree temperatures at Fisher Field on the latter's campus in Easton, Pennsylvania, my 2016 football season came to an end. I have bequeathed my 2 remaining night games with the New York Jets to my son. The advent of today's chilly and windy weather secured that, although the Jets losing record thus far was a major factor in my decision not to freeze my tail off at Met Life Stadium in December.

     Sure I will watch games, both college and pro, Jets games included. I will not be sorry to wee woeful Rutgers end its moribund season next week in College Park, Maryland against the Maryland Terrapins; I gave up on the Scarlet Knights last night at halftime when it was only a 9-0 deficit. That ballooned into a 39-0 rout. And my alma mater, Franklin and Marshall College, lost a game it had led in the fourth quarter, to Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania yesterday in something called the Centennial-MAC Bowl, an amalgam between the 2 conferences for the highest finishers not selected to play in the Division III playoffs.

     So I am done with sitting in the stands for football. I saw one high school consolation game, one F&M contest, two Lafayette home games and one Jets tilt. My record for the season was 4-1, the lone loss coming from Lafayette at the hands of the bitter rivals, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks.

     Now I can nap if I want to. Skip games entirely. Or watch as I see fit. On my HD television in the comfort of my den. I might miss the camaraderie of the Lafayette tailgates. And certainly a warmer Autumn to enhance the viewing. But I will not have to put the gloves,thermals, five layers of clothing, hand, feet and other body warmers to sit outside this year. Which will not be missed at all.

     I guess that I have become a warm weather fan. Unfortunately, I live in a cold weather climate. Notwithstanding global warming. At age 66, some concessions must be made to sanity. For at least this season, I have opted for no more football games for this season. A wise choice indeed.

     Besides, I have so many Rutgers games to attend; an F&M game or two; and maybe some others along the way until and through the NCAA tournament conclusion. RU is winning, F&M is nationally-ranked in Division III. The airwaves are jammed with games (even a relative by marriage  is broadcasting on CBS Sports Network from the Virgin Islands).  Non-stop hoops. Without even mentioning that Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers and Steph Curry and Kevin Durant with the Golden State Warriors are TV favorites. Of the nation as well as me.

     Have no sympathy for me now that I have given up freezing at football games for the year. Surely have even less sympathy for me now that I am in hoops heaven. It is only a bridge until Major League Baseball starts again in March with games that count. Not just the Hot Stove trades and free agent acquisitions and Spring Training. They go hand-in-hand with the obsession to watch basketball games.

     After all, Cubs manager Joe Maddon, a Lafayette player in his younger years, passed 10 feet from me in the stands at the game yesterday. That was when I knew it was time to stop football for this year--baseball had already encroached upon me during a football game. Swish.