"Take my out to the Ball Game.." I love baseball! At least once a season, I go to Yankee Stadium. When the world series ends, I am counting the days until Spring training. But all through Fall and Winter, my friends watch the Mysterious Game of Football. O well, I deal with it.
I can understand the words: touchdown and intercepted, but when I hear the ref say, "Holding, number 23, that penalty is declined, first down," I recognize the English words, but darned it I know what it means. Now I've learned that a player broke a rule (holding) and the other team gets closer to their goal (first down).
Another thing I hear the announcer say is: "first and ten." I'm always hearing "first and ten" unless I hear: "first and twelve or first and goal." So now I have learned that this is the first attempt at ten or twelve yards or goal and that the team is allowed four attempts.
It took about three years, but finally I am getting a better understanding of the mysterious game of football. Only last year I realized that the quarterback of my team is not on the field when the other team has the ball. I learned quickly what it means when the quarterback is "sacked," but only yesterday did I learn the meaning of "blitzed."
Just when I think I'm getting to understand this game, I learn a new rule...too many players on the field or not enough players on the field. Now you won't find that in baseball.
