"O" as in OILERS for Alphabe-Thursday

Dear Fellow Classmates,
I am really struggling to keep up with the rest of the class for this session of Alphabe-Thursday.  I was late joining in and am finding this weekly assignment more and more difficult for my poor 68 year old mind.  Finally, after much mental anguish I settled on "O" as in OILERS...specifically the Houston OILERS NFL football team.

 They began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League.  They played in the old Astrodome (which has fallen into disrepair and will probably end up being torn down).

The Houston OILERS broke my heart when they left Houston in 1997 and moved to Nashville, Tennessee where they eventually became the Tennessee Titans.  The 4th largest city in the country was then left without a football team.

I really enjoyed the old OILERS.  While the team played in Houston I even appeared on a TV show called Quarterback Corner with Warren Moon and Giff Nielsen.  I had gone by Jiffy Lube and gotten two tickets to the show.  My husband and I went and before filming they asked us to write down a question we'd like to ask quarterback Warren Moon. Warren went through all the questions and picked a few to answer on the show.  Mine was one of the ones he liked.  (I still have my appearance on tape.)  I wanted to know how he felt about letting his own children play football.  As I recall, he said some players had reservations about letting their own kids play because they were well aware of the chance of serious injury.  He said he wouldn't let his son play until 8th grade.

That evening Warren Moon, Giff Nielsen, and Bum Phillips signed my OILERS football.  I still have it.

Yes, my heart was broken by the OILERS, but then Mr. Bob McNair brought NFL football back to Houston in 2002 when the Houston Texans began playing at the new Reliant Stadium.  I became a more serious fan and started studying the game.  I took classes that the team offered and bought a copy of The Complete Idiots Guide To Understanding Football Like A Pro by Joe Theismann.  I now have a better understanding of the game and actually enjoy it a lot more.  I still have a lot to learn, but every year I get out my book and brush up on my football knowledge.

My husband and I didn't always agree on what to have for dinner, what movie to go see, or what restaurant to visit, but we always agreed on the Houston Texans.  We went to as many home games as possible and I have many wonderful memories.

This picture was taken in 2007 outside Reliant Stadium.

 Since Jim died my son now goes with me.  I've managed to turn him into a fan too.

Win or lose I'm a Houston Texans fan.  I sit in my seat until the game is over.  This past season our team only won two games.  I watched in dismay as people would boo and file out of the stadium long before the game was over.  I don't get it.  Tickets aren't cheap and you're paying for a whole game.  Why leave?  I don't think there's a single player that goes out on the field intending to lose.  They want to win too!  I stay to the bitter end and cheer them on.  I have fun!

This year it was reported that some fans actually showed up at quarterback Matt Schaub's home because they were upset about the way he was playing.  What jerks!  Get a life!  It's a game...a form of entertainment.  It's not a war.  Matt Schaub is more than just a football player.  He's someone's son, someone's husband, and someone's father. 

One thing the Houston Texans have are some really great men on the team.  I really appreciate the fact that Mr. McNair seems to stay away from players with questionable pasts.  We have players like Andre Johnson and JJ Watt (along with many others) who are out in the community doing good things.  To me there is more than just winning.

I really had to question my love of football this year.  As the team losses piled up things started to get kind of ugly.  I really didn't enjoy the atmosphere.  I think a fan stays with their team win or lose.  Anyone can support a winning team, but I guess not everyone can support a losing team.  All I can say is, "GO TEXANS!"

Now be sure and visit Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent" so you can visit other Alphabe-Thursday participants.  Thanks for visiting...