Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Martyr for the "Faith"

I thought football was big in Texas until I moved to New Hampshire. Even the women swear allegiance to the Patriots (and the Sox).

Against all odds, 14-year-old Anna Grant had just out-punted, out-passed and out-kicked the top four (of 32) national finalists to win this year's NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick title for her age division.

But when the Stratham champion stood on the field Sunday in Indianapolis to be honored before the fourth quarter of the Colts-Chargers game, she found out it's tough to be in enemy territory.

Sporting a Patriots jersey, she was roundly booed by thousands of Colts fans. Anna took it in stride.

Did she have to wear the jersey? Of course she did: she's a New Englander.

If only New Englanders took their religion so religiously!


Clare Kittredge, "Boos don't bother NH football champ," Manchester Union Leader (January 15, 2008), p. 1.

5 comments:

Lawrence Gage said...

A friend who watched the game informs me that each kid who received an award wore the jersey of the NFL team closest to his home, as part of the promotion. In other words, Anna had no choice in the matter.

LG

CrimsonCatholic said...

If you don't mind my asking, whereabouts in Texas did you live? I went to A&M for undergrad and that small secular school in Austin for my master's in applied physics. I also lived in Dallas for several years after law school before moving to California.

Lawrence Gage said...

Houston. I've visited, but never lived in, College Station, Austin, and Dallas.

In what part of California did you live? I worked at Livermore for a summer as part of my graduate work, and spent the weekends in Berkeley.

LG

CrimsonCatholic said...

I've got lots of family in Houston, so we used to spend a lot of time there. I grew up in Lake Charles, La., so it wasn't exactly a long haul. I agree with your estimate that the football obsession in Houston is not inordinate. Diehard Cowboys fans are probably as extreme as Pats fans, but they're sui generis, even for Texas.

I'm in Orange County now, but I'm up in Fremont a lot, so I've roamed around the East Bay here and there. I've been to Berkeley a couple of times, although it strikes me as one of those places in which you have to get used to being there. There isn't a whole lot to indicate where things are or how to get around. But the Indian restaurant I tried last time I was there convinced me that there are gems to be found, if you're willing to dig.

FzxGkJssFrk said...

I guess I'm seeing this post a little late - but I thought you might get a kick out of my Bostonian Creed, penned a few years ago after the Red Sox won the World Series.