FOOTBALL!!!!!

One question I get asked a lot here in Korea is, “What things do you miss from back home?”  I usually respond with the 3 F’s: family, friends, and food.  Before coming to Korea, I knew I would miss these things so there was no surprise there.  However, there was a fourth ‘F’ I didn’t even anticipate: football.

I knew coming over here that watching any football, let alone my favorite teams would not be an easy task.  I thought I would be ok with that.  I was wrong, however.  Football is a bigger part of my life than I had realized.  I knew something was amiss when in June, football was becoming a significant part of the daily sports news, but it was not a part of my everyday conversations with coworkers, friends, people at the bar, etc.  That just didn't feel right to me. 

Without meaning to offend my family, my friends, or Chicago style deep dish, at that point I realized that I could not live without football.  I guess a better way to put it would be to say that football is the straw of sacrifice that would have broken the proverbial camel’s back.  It was then I decided to pay for the NFL online pass for this season.  The minute I saw an early bird discount for access, I signed up.  From that moment on, I had complete access to NFL football, and especially my beloved Chicago Bears.

Finding a way to watch my NIU Huskies proved to be significantly more difficult.  It doesn’t help that Northern Illinois University is a small school football-wise, and therefore, not all of their games are televised.  Also, since the NCAA or ESPN doesn’t offer online access like the NFL does, the only way I can watch is if I am lucky enough to find a live streaming site that will carry the game.  That will be inconvenient as well due to the time difference.

I’ve pretty much given up on watching any college football this year, but as long as I have the NFL, I can live with that.  Last weekend kicked off the start of the season.  I doubt I will do this every week, but I stayed up to watch the Bears game live which started at 2 A.M. on Monday morning here in Korea.  My neighbor came over to watch and we got some (crappy) pizza and beer.  During the first weekend of NFL football, I watched all or most of 6 different games plus small segments of a few other games as well!  Having more access to NFL football here in Korea than I did back in the United States (yes, that is a true statement) will prevent football from becoming that fourth ‘F’.