Do you believe in Fairy Tales?

 

❤ ❤ ❤

If you don't believe in fairy tales, and you don't find Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to be a breath of fresh air, this is probably not the place for you.

Move Along . . .

Just Little Ol' Me Speaking My Mind About Football and Joy and Stuff

This football season is one that I have counted on to bring some normalcy into my life.

Along with some much needed joy.

Listen, I'm gonna take and hold on to all the joy I can, while I can.

With a felon in The White House doing nothing, in my opinion, but wreaking havoc, destroying the country, stealing people's dreams, livelihood, and money, I need some joy damn it.

Go, Chiefs!  

Thank you for the joy!

As Lisa Turner so wisely said at Facebook:

"Joy.

Wherever and whenever possible.

There is no amount of joy too small to be celebrated. There is no such thing as too much.

Joy is an act of resistance, of love, of defiance, a figurative middle finger to all the chaos and misery of the world.

Because nothing and no one can take it from you."

Yes!  Nobody could have said it better.

* * * * * 

There have been any number of years that I wasn't as invested or even  interested in football, but my football loving Dad would have jumped out of his grave to set me straight if I ever bad mouthed a team for some of the ridiculously pitiful reasons I've been reading and hearing about The Chiefs this year.

My football journey has been a long and winding road, beginning back when I was a little girl jumping up to yell SCORE with my Dad while watching The Baltimore Colts, which you can read about here.

* * * * * 

I admit it.  

I'm one of those "Bandwagon Fans."

I fell in love with The Taylor/Travis fairytale romance which, of course, included The Chiefs.

SO?  

I hopped on the bandwagon and I'm on it to stay.  

I've since learned a lot about some pretty special football players I wouldn't have known about, and just how truly and amazingly special they are.   There are stories to break your heart and then mend it.  I love these guys.

* * * * * 

Enjoy these highlights from the AFC playoff game with me.  I loved this game and am still loving it.  You'll need to follow the link to YouTube

Now, if you just don't like The Chiefs, or if your team didn't get as far as you hoped this year, I get it.

Believe me.  I get it.  And I'm sorry.

BUT.

To all the haters, whiners, football conspirators, and/or all round poor sports  who can't wait to tell the world they are no longer interested in the Super Bowl because:

A. The refs cheat.

B. The Chiefs cheat.

C.  The entire season has been scripted - ALL teams were paid off so that The Chiefs would get back to the Super Bowl this year.  Taylor Swift is part of this.

D.  You hate Patrick Mahomes.

E.  You hate Brittany Mahomes.

F.  Patrick Mahomes is not a great quarterback.

G.  You hate Travis Kelce.

H.  Travis Kelce is washed up.

I.  You hate Taylor Swift.

J.  The Taylor and Travis romance is not real.  It's made up just to help:

      1.  Make The Chiefs famous.

      2.  Make Travis Kelce famous.

      3.  Make Taylor Swift famous.

Here are my thoughts about this stuff that I think is just dumb.  And I am, aren't I, just as welcome to my opinions as you are to yours?  You can call me stupid if it makes you happy.  Go right ahead . . .  😊

A.  I am 76 years old.  I have seen a LOT of bad calls made by refs.  It happens.  It has always happened.  It will continue to happen.  They're human.  Humans make mistakes.  We all hate it when it happens.  

B.  No.  They don't.  Waiting here for a valid example.  Go ahead . . . I'm waiting . . .

C.  Bwahahahaahaha.  WHAT?!?? Why?!?!!!  (People are REALLY saying this!). 

You can read this article in People

D.  Okay

E.  Okay

F.  Oh, but he is.  Do a little bit of research and compare his stats to other (pick one or two or more) quarterbacks.

G.  Okay

H.  No, he's not.  Again.  Instead of running on with something easily proven untrue, do a little research into his stats.

I.  Okay

J.  Bless your heart.  Okay.  

     1, 2, 3.  <snort>

* * * * * 

And hey, hey, hey - there's this - in case anyone forgot . . .

Andy Reid is one hell of a coach.  

And don't forget Spagnuolo!

And All these guys!

* * * * * 

Here's the thing.

Nobody is making you watch a single football game.

If you're tired of football, tired of The Chiefs, hate the refs and/or the players (or their girlfriends or wives) don't watch.

Just. Don't. Watch.

Easy Peasy.

There's always next year.  Or the year after. 

* * * * * 

But, while we're here and talking about a team I happen to love, these guys listed below on The Chiefs roster are all part of this Super Bowl bound team.  Some for the first time.  There are some pretty heartwarming stories surrounding Andy Reid's Chiefs.

We have seen some pretty amazing plays by many of them.

Chiefs Super Bowl roster

• 1 | WR Xavier Worthy
• 2 | CB Joshua Williams
• 4 | WR Rashee Rice
• 5 | WR Hollywood Brown
• 6 | S Bryan Cook
• 7 | K Harrison Butker
• 8 | WR DeAndre Hopkins
• 9 | WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
• 10 | RB Isiah Pacheco
• 11 | QB Carson Wentz
• 12 | TE Jared Wiley
• 13 | CB Nazeeh Johnson
• 14 | P Matt Araiza
• 15 | QB Patrick Mahomes
• 17 | WR Mecole Hardman
• 19 | WR Tyquan Thornton
• 19 | QB Chris Oladokun
• 20 | S Justin Reid
• 21 | S Jaden Hicks
• 22 | CB Trent McDuffie
• 23 | LB Drue Tranquill
• 24 | WR Skyy Moore
• 26 | S Deon Bush
• 27 | CB Chamarri Conner
• 29 | CB Eric Scott Jr.
• 29 | RB Kareem Hunt
• 30 | CB Chris Roland-Wallace
• 31 | CB Nic Jones
• 32 | LB Nick Bolton
• 34 | RB Samaje Perine
• 35 | CB Jaylen Watson
• 38 | CB Steven Nelson
• 38 | RB Keontay Ingram
• 39 | CB Keith Taylor
• 40 | K Spencer Shrader
• 41 | LS James Winchester
• 42 | RB Carson Steele
• 43 | LB Jack Cochrane
• 44 | LB Cam Jones
• 46 | CB Darius Rush
• 48 | LB Cole Christiansen
• 50 | LB Swayze Bozeman
• 51 | DE Mike Danna
• 52 | C Creed Humphrey
• 53 | DE BJ Thompson
• 54 | LB Leo Chenal
• 55 | DE/LB Josh Uche
• 56 | DE George Karlaftis
• 60 | C Hunter Nourzad
• 61 | OL C.J. Hanson
• 62 | OL Joe Thuney
• 64 | OT Wanya Morris
• 65 | G Trey Smith
• 66 | G Mike Caliendo
• 69 | DT Mike Pennel
• 70 | G Mettauer McKade
• 70 | OT D.J. Humphries
• 72 | OT Chukwuebuka Godrick
• 74 | OT Jawaan Taylor
• 75 | OT Ethan Driskell
• 76 | OT Kingsley Suamataia
• 80 | WR Montrell Washington
• 81 | WR Nikko Remigio
• 82 | WR Justyn Ross
• 83 | TE Noah Gray
• 84 | WR Justin Watson
• 85 | TE Anthony Firkser
• 87 | TE Travis Kelce
• 88 | TE Peyton Hendershot
• 89 | TE Jody Fortson
• 89 | WR Jason Brownlee
• 90 | DE Charles Omenihu
• 91 | DT Derrick Nnadi
• 92 | DT Marlon Tuipulotu
• 94 | DE Malik Herring
• 95 | DT Chris Jones
• 96 | DT Fabien Lovett Sr.
• 97 | DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah
• 98 | DT Tershawn Wharton
• 99 | DT Siaki Ika

* * * * * 

There are a few folks who agree with my feelings about all this, they just say it better. 

Nate Burleson said this 

https://fb.watch/xrseTNcHwC/?mibextid=NnVzG8

Patriots legend Julian Edelman had this to say

* * * * * 

So.

In a nutshell - - - 

In the meantime -

Go, Chiefs!

❤  💛  ❤  💛  ❤

My Football Journey - A Long and Winding Road

 

Super Bowl Sunday!   Coming Soon!

There was a time when my home would be full of people on this hallowed day.

It started when I was a little thing and growing up with a dad who was an obsessive Colts fan.  Actually, I'm not sure there was any other kind of Colts fan.

Tickets were all but impossible to come by.

When someone died their Colts tickets were passed down.


My dad did not own a Colts season ticket, but he owned "part" of one.


He didn't get to go to all the home games, only when his turn came up in the rotation, but those he did get to were always something he enjoyed more than just about anything else in life.


And he was usually in trouble the next day.


He would go with this crazy crowd of cronies.  They were always later getting home than he said they would be.  Much later.  And he would usually bring my mom a gift to ease the pain of the wrath of Hazel.  That gift ploy never ever worked.  Never.


I hesitate to mention some of the gifts 'cause I don't want you to think less of my dad, but LordAMercy.  They were awful.  (But funny.  At least to me.)


Okay.  Here's one.  (My mom would absolutely kill me for telling this story).


Only a group of idiot men coming home late from a football game will think it's a good idea to stop along the side of the road and pick up (okay, let's just say it - steal) a State of Maryland smudge pot.

Anyone remember when this is what road crews would use at night to mark the roads?  Like say, they were doing a repair and wanted to re-route cars away from the repair site?  There would be a line of these flaming smudge pots showing a new traffic pattern.


Well, we had one.


And no, my mom was not happy.  She did not love her smudge pot.


I think I remember her saying she was going to call the State of Maryland and turn him in for stealing state property.


And I think we all got kinda tickled about that, truth be told.


What can I say - I was raised by crazy people who laughed at crazy stuff.  And did crazy stuff.  I would not swap parents with anyone.  Never wanted to as a kid, and am thankful for having grown up to have them as friends.  They were the best.



Anyway.



When my dad couldn't be at a game and when it was on TV there was always this group of rowdies hanging out at our place.  


Here's the roster - Tom Duncan and his dog Bobo (I loved Bobo.  Loved Tom too).  Dude Willoughby and his younger brother Young Dude Willoughby.  Some guy named Fish.  Another guy named Moose.  There was a Donnie (the only one I didn't particularly care for).  And a sweet old guy named Fred.

They would drink beer.  A lot of beer.


My mom would make sandwiches, or sometimes cook them a nice meal.  She would put it out on the kitchen table so they could help themselves and then she would disappear into the bedroom, close the door and read or nap.


She was not a fan of football.


Me?


I was usually on the floor, sitting between my dad's feet sneaking sips out of his beer.


This was a problem.


My mother would pitch a fit about him allowing his only child to become an alcoholic before the age of 10.  (I'm telling you, she had some great lines).


It was also a problem when the Colts would score and everyone in the room would stand up, arms straight up in the air, screaming SCORE!


I occasionally had my fingers stepped on.  I also occasionally would accidentally hit someone in the nose when my hands went straight up for the SCORE!


We had an old sofa that sat on 4 short little wooden legs.  When the guys sat back down one Sunday after the SCORE! all four legs popped off the sofa and pinged against the walls.


Oh, yes - Hazel Wilkinson was thrilled.


Long story short - a new sofa was bought.


But the very next time the guys were over to watch the Colts someone's cigar was dropped and there was a nasty burn in the sofa arm.


WHY my mom put up with all this I will never know.   But.  She loved all these guys.  They were all a huge part of our family life for many, many years.

And these things did make for great stories, I have to say.



You might already know the end of this particular saga.





Colts owner Robert Irsay moved the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis, completely unannounced, in the early morning hours of March 29, 1984. This after having been THE team in Baltimore since 1953.




Believe me when I say this is still a topic of conversation and it has not yet been forgiven.


When Donald and I were cleaning out my mom's apartment we found this -

Oh, yes.  This was a huge hit back in 1984.


But I had to laugh that my mom still had it.

Tucked in a drawer.

An old 45 that had been my dad's.

Back when he was heartbroken and mad as hell about losing the Colts.

Back when we actually had a turntable on which this record could be played.



Moving ahead quite a few years and I was now in Atlanta and pulling for the Atlanta Falcons.  This was before, during, and after the Bartkowski years.


There were always, always, always, people at my house watching football.


Once again, the more things change, the more they stay the same.


My furniture was now the furniture bearing football scars.


My house was now the place people were drinking beer, a lot of beer, and standing up to shout SCORE!


I was the one making sandwiches and leaving them in the kitchen for everyone to help themselves.



LordAMercy.



I had become my mother AND my father.


I was also totally in love with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  More so than the Falcons, truth be told.

Mostly I loved Terry Bradshaw, Mean Joe Greene, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann.  Man - I loved those guys.



But, as time went on I lost my taste for football.


Then, for maybe a year, it was back when Cam Newton was a fun new player with the Panthers.

Then it was gone again.

(Am I the most fickle football fan ever?!)


But.


It's back.


and in a big way.


Now I'm head over heels in love with The Chiefs.

Well, okay - yes, Travis Kelce does make me swoon a little . . .

And yes, I love the Taylor & Travis fairy tale and hope they last forever together.

And yes, I think the haters and the conspiracy nuts are pitiful, pathetic, sad, and ignorant.

Now I'm a happy girl with my bum parked in front of the TV watching The Chiefs play ball.  And I will still stand up and shout SCORE!



Football is fun for me again.


Who knew?!


So.  In a couple days I'll be reliving the kind of Sunday I have lived, off and on, since I was a little bitty thing.  Back from the time I was a kid sitting between her dad's feet stealing sips of beer.  I'll be in my own chair for this game, drinking my own glass of wine, and I'll be thinking about my dad.

Watching The Kansas City Chiefs play The San Francisco  49ers in the Superbowl.


No big crowd of people.  Just me, Donald and Annabelle.  Not as many superbowl snacks sitting around as there might have been back in the day, but some.  More than enough.



I am a very loud football fan, even watching it on TV.  That will never change.


I still jump up and yell SCORE!

It seems to be a part of my genetic make-up, that "SCORE!" thing.

And I still yell at the refs.

And I am, of course, a great armchair quarterback AND coach.  

It's fun to have a team to cheer for again.  To know the players and their positions.

Truth be told, none of this would be happening for me if it weren't for one person.

And you know who I mean - Taylor Swift.


I love her.  The woman just rocks and she's made football fun again for people like me who walked away from the NFL for so many reasons.

Man, I hope she makes it to Sunday's game and I hope the Chiefs win, and I hope she and Travis get to share a big ol' smooch on the field afterwards.

Go Chiefs!

I am ready for some football!

Note: This is a revised piece which was originally posted at the Jungle Reds blog back in 2016.

Things that are making me happy

There are a few things making me happy lately.

Strong Women.

Young Love.

Football.

A new hat.

 

And Donald and I sharing a look and a giggle when one of us says, "$83 million!" Ha! hahahaha!  😄😅😆🙃😛😝

EIGHTY-THREE MILLION!!!!

Okay - Moving Along - - -

I love strong women, so just knowing E. Jean Carroll and Taylor Swift are on this earth makes me happy.

If you weren't familiar with E. Jean Carroll until recently, please do a little bit of research.  This is an amazing woman.  

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._Jean_Carroll

Strong. Smart. Fierce.

A woman we all strive to be and would love to have as a best friend.  You know she'll have your back.

And she should be recognized for more than the fact that she won her lawsuit(s) against the man who raped her.

She could be the face we see when some of us look in a mirror.  

A woman who was stripped of SO much by a monster.

A woman who ultimately decided to fight to get it all back.

I watched this segment on Rachel Maddow's show last night.  It was enlightening, and the interview was one I enjoyed.  It left me smiling.

Winning this case is the beginning of getting her voice back.  May it be loud, may it be heard.

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/-he-is-nothing-e-jean-carroll-on-the-biggest-surprise-of-confronting-trump-in-court-203204677654

I lift a glass to E. Jean Carroll.  And wish I could lift it in person to say, "Thank you, Ms. Carroll, for all you've done."

And here's to that other strong woman I love - Taylor Swift.

This woman rocks in a beezillion different ways.

Again, Strong. Smart. Fierce.

But a certain segment of people are scared to death of her.

Another enlightening news segment - take a look:

https://www.msnbc.com/inside-with-jen-psaki/watch/-are-you-all-okay-maga-meltdown-over-taylor-swift-says-a-lot-about-gop-203202117782

It's crazy!!!

She is, without a doubt, a very powerful woman, but I think the MAGA crowd might be reaching a bit.  😜 😲 😵 

You Need To Calm Down

Yes, Put me firmly in the "I'm a Swiftie" group.

And, yes, she has brought me back into the game of football.

I had forgotten how much fun it is to have a favorite team to cheer for, and I am completely besotted with the Kansas City Chiefs.  Admittedly, Travis Kelsey being so damn easy on the eyes was an incentive as well.

He is an amazing athlete, loves his family, is a loyal friend, has just enough silly about him to make him irresistible, and a heart as big as the moon.  What's not to love?

Yep.  The Chiefs are making me happy.

Travis and Taylor together are adorable.

I love 'em.  

They're making me happy.

https://fb.watch/pSVVyOm83g/?mibextid=UVffzb

I wish them lots of love and laughter.

In the meantime, let's win us another Super Bowl!

That'll make me happy.

Y'all, life is good.

Me rambling on about Taylor. And Travis.

 

I am a fairly new member of "The Swifties."

 

Proud to be there.

In the spirit of transparency and honesty, I really only started paying particularly close attention to Taylor Swift during the early days of the Scooter Somebody debacle regarding ownership of her music and her decision to re-record albums in order to actually own her own work in order to perform it.  I started pulling for her and hoping she would stand strong.

First, however - I'm thinking, "there's really a grown man with the name Scooter?  Bless his heart."

Second - I'm thinking, "GO Taylor!"

And Scooter and his friends laughed at Ms. Swift's decision to take control of her art?

Ha.  

Look how well that has turned out for Scooter and the boys.  The Taylor Versions are far outselling the originals.  Talk about standing strong!  "GO Taylor!"

In a nutshell, to my mind, I'd say the lesson here would be, "Don't fuck with Taylor."

Really.

Do that and you will more than likely lose.

Just for the record, I have seen Taylor Swift perform.

At the 2012 Country Music Award show which we attended as guests of Maryglenn Warnock.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-JCseIkwbio

We fell in love with Nashville and had the best time!

Anyway . . .

Getting back on track . . .

Taylor showed guts, grit, confidence, and strength by taking on Scooter (Lord, but that name makes me giggle) and I started paying attention.

I have the greatest of admiration for fierce women.  Taylor joined that group.

And then comes her Eras Tour.

I am smitten.

Ticketmaster meets its match.

Y'all?

Need something fixed?

Turn it over to Taylor.

Like THE ECONOMY?!

For real.

Now, I am going to admit here that I also never really paid much attention to the guys she dated.  

I didn't really care.

I knew who some of them were, but never heard of others.  

But then, I was never one who paid attention to celebrity couples with that one name thing either.

I just really didn't care.

None of this is to say I don't have some sports and other cultural heroes, author infatuations, celebrity crushes, or musical obsessions.  I actually have a pretty long list of each from a wide, varied, and eclectic background.  Creative, smart people are people to be appreciated and  admired.

I've seen some musical greats.  Donald and I have attended a lot of concerts.  Willie Nelson. Fleetwood Mac. Dixie Chicks. Eric Clapton. Rod Stewart. Tom Petty. Paul McCartney. Rolling Stones. Bruce Springsteen. Alison Kraus. George Strait. Kenney Chesney. Tim McGraw. Bonnie Rait. Allman Brothers. Have sat in front row seats for Greg Allman who I will forever miss.  I know I've missed  some, but . . 

All this to get to my point of fact.

I have come to appreciate, admire and respect Ms. Taylor Swift.

Now, let's toss in this Travis Kelce guy.

Man.  Whew.  Heavens to Betsy, this guy is hot.

Cute, funny, kind, talented, and loves his family.

And let's not forget - he, like Taylor, is a true fashionista.

And, oh yeah, the man can dance.

Did I mention hot?

Sizzlin' Hot.

I am not new to football fandom.

I grew up watching the Baltimore Colts with my dad.  And, oh yes, I remember them leaving in the middle of the night and moving to Indianapolis.  tacky, tacky.

Still think of Johnny Unitas as the greatest.

Cheered for Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Lynn Swann.  WHAT a team that was.

Hosted many a football Sunday while living in Atlanta.

Cooked many chili and/or spaghetti dinners for Super Bowl Sunday.

My interest in football has been rejuvenated and reawakened.

I am so captivated by these two I can hardly stand myself.

They are adorable.

I'll be watching The Chiefs play The Vikings tomorrow.   

I'll be pulling for The Chiefs.

I hope Taylor's at the game.

Watching her watching him makes me smile.

I will not be wearing an 87 football jersey.  it hasn't arrived yet. 

Life is good.

But, you know, haters are gonna hate.  Bless their shriveled little hearts.