All football fans know what it’s like to watch their favorite team play football. It quite literally is a rollercoaster of emotions. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, and everything in between, a football game can bring us immense joy and sheer heartache. I feel that it is the appropriate time of year to rank these moments, 1 thru 5, in their own categories. As it is common etiquette to give someone the bad news first, I will start with the lows.
THE LOWEST OF LOWS
5. A holding penalty on your offense negating a big play. We all know the feeling. A big run, a 45 yard bomb for a TD, a trick play out the bag of the OC that you’ve been waiting all year to see. Then you see the laundry on the field. Kenny Albert says “this one is coming back.” The cameras pans to a center shot of the ref and puts up the patented holding sign. Absolutely brutal.
4. Your defense holds them on third down, then the flag flies in. Pass interference, on the defense. It happens all too often. We celebrate for a brief moment, sometimes even turn our backs on the tv. It’s fourth down and they are about to punt, run to the bathroom, grab a drink, do pre heat the oven, you got a minute. Not so fast my friend (shout out to the legend Lee Corso). Pass interference, on the defense. Get back in position, complain that it was a bad call regardless of how egregious it was, and lean on that defense.
3. A special teams blunder. This makes me want to puke every time. A blocked punt, blocked field goal, bad snap, allowing a fake punt, and the worst of them all, giving up a return TD. Just the thought of this makes me redder than Brian Kelly screaming at a ref that he ran into.
2. Losing on a last second play. Nothing makes me want to just lay my head down and stare at a wall like losing on a last second field goal. The score is in your favor 24-23. You watched your squad do everything right, except they gave up 10 yards too many and the clock is stopped with 3 seconds left. Brandon Aubrey lines one up from 55 yards out and drills it straight through the uprights. I will be crying myself to sleep.
And at number 1. An injury. Now, I almost didn’t even want to put this out into the universe, but how could I make this list without mentioning it. It’s a gut wrenching feeling. Go for a walk, the season is over, I’m done watching football. Anyone who says they have never felt like this before while watching their RB1 get carted off the field is lying. I wish this on NO ONE! It is however inevitable and a sad part of the game.
THE HIGHEST IF HIGHS
5. First down! It’s sweet, it’s simple, we love it. 3rd and 6, tight end runs a curl route and the quarterback hits him with a dart. He’s tackled, stands up and we all know what to do. FIRST DOWN! It’s heartwarming to watch your offense just matriculate up the field, garnering first down after first down.
4. A big hit. Close your eyes, now open them, now read this, but imaging your eyes are closed. The offense runs a bubble screen, and your favorite nickel safety comes in a just decleats the running back. It’s clean, no flags, no one is hurt. You are absolutely fired up. And how can you not be? There is something poetic about a pulling guard coming downfield and lighting up an unknowing linebacker.
3. A big pass play. Boy, how fun is it to watch your QB1 take a 5 step drop and put one in a bucket to your WR1 for a big gain. The whole process is beautiful. There’s the brief moment where no one knows where the ball is going. The camera follows the pass and then you see the target. He caught it! God made football for those moments.
2. A touchdown. What else is there to say. Six points in the board and a pending extra point. There is simply not much more satisfying moments as a football fan than to be able to throw your hands straight up in the air and yell TOUCHDOWN!
Drumroll please…..the number 1 highest of high goes to….a game winning score. Could it have been anything else? Not a chance. A game winning field goal, 2 minute touchdown drive to win the game, and the holy grail, the Hail Mary. It will bring a tear to your eye. You’ve paced back and forth for 3 hours. The final 5 minutes of the 4th quarter feel like the most stressful time of your life. Your fingers are crossed, you’re praying in your head. Then…the moment hits. A score, time is expired, game over. Another win, and time to wait another week for this feeling.
