My Wife’s Team

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I give my children a bath. I make dinner a few nights a week. I do the weekly food shopping. I thank my wife when she makes dinner. I remember my wife’s birthdays and our anniversary. I ask about work. I’m a good husband. No, not great. I’ll keep my ‘areas in need of improvement’ to myself. Anyway, somewhere my wife is reading this, shaking her head, and making a list.
—
“It was a nice visit dear,” my mother said to my wife of nearly a year.
“Yeah, we enjoyed it.”
“I’m just sorry the Eagles didn’t win.”
My wife looked at my mother and added, “Yeah, it’s a shame.”
Shortly thereafter, we were on the SEPTA train headed out of Philadelphia to Trenton. From there, we took a New Jersey Transit Train to Penn Station and Manhattan. As we settled in to our seats, my wife turned to me, “Did you hear what your mother said to me while we were waiting on the platform?”
“What? You mean about the Eagles?”
“You heard that?”
“Yeah, I heard. So what?”
“I just can’t believe that she would say that the weekend would have been better if the Eagles would have won.”
“Well, it would have.” (No, we are not the real life version of the Solatano family of Silver Linings Playbook, though I did note some similarities.)
“What is wrong with you guys?”
“You like football too.”
“I know but still.”
She does like football. My wife that is. In fact, her interest in sports was one of the things I enjoyed about her from the beginning.
However, there was a problem. You see, she is a Notre Dame fan. Huh? My family did not like Notre Dame. Nope, they were not the good guys. They won too often and were cocky.
Yet, my wife liked Notre Dame. What would I tell my family? Well, I eventually broke the news to them, and they took it in stride. However, the question kept coming up – why?
What can I tell you? When she first started watching college basketball, she thought one of the players on Notre Dame was cute. Hence, a fan was born.
You can be sure it came up when I brought her home to meet my family for the first time. I had to be a mediator.
—
Later this month, my wife and I will celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. We have had our ups and downs. Like most couples, we have had to adjust for each other. Some of the adjustments have been harder than others. For instance, I have learned to not dislike Notre Dame.
That brings me to the BCS National Championship game tonight. It features Alabama verses Notre Dame. Yep, you heard right. Can you guess who’s rooting for Notre Dame? Yep she is, and so am I (though I not enthusiastically). After all, I did say I was a good husband. Go Irish.

46 thoughts on “My Wife’s Team”

  5. For no good reason I have always disliked Notre Dame. But, by some chance of fate, my youngest son is a HUGE Irish fan. (Seriously, I don’t know where he came from.) He is currently covered in tattoos (temporary — he’s 8), holding autographs (thanks to a family connection) and planning the whole night around watching the game (and extra hour, please mom?).
    After all, I try to be a good mom.

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  9. I live in Notre Dame country. I get this post. I also could really care less about sports but have learned to have interest in Detroit Lions and Tigers. It was part of the 23 year package. Go Tigers.

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  11. I honestly do not understand team favorites. I know it happens for every sport all over the world, and that you are being a good husband for supporting your wife’s team, but I just don’t get it. After all, the entire game will be a statistic two hours after the game ends. I don’t ever vote for one team or the other, I just want to see a good game. Not American football, bores me to tears, but a good European football game (aka soccer) is very entertaining. As long as you don’t take it seriously, and just watch the game.

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    • I had a feeling you would like that reference.
      What I do is not cooking – I am excellent at defrosting, putting thing in the oven and making pasta. For my children’s simple tastes, it works. Also, my wife is happy to come home and have dinner waiting.

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  14. Every couple does have to adjust, right? I’m sure, by man and I will have too after moving in together… but at the moment it’s not time yet! To me it seems you’re a great husband and adjusted well! No wonder she loves celebrating anniversary with you. 😉
    Happy Anniversary to both of you!!

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  16. I’m guessing your wife isn’t too happy right now after seeing that score from last night. I’m of course thrilled to see another SEC National Championship.

    BUT you’re a great husband to support her, even if she does like Notre Dame 🙂

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  19. You are a great husband! My husband is a huge Notre Dame fan. I’ve never understood the mega attraction, but it’s his thing, so, like you, I do my best to support him. He wasn’t as devastated as I expected over Notre Dame’s loss on Monday, but I was disappointed. Go figure! Happy anniversary a little early!!

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    • My wife also took it better than I expected. I tried to get her to to turn off but she actually watched till the end. That’s a fan. I would have turned it off after much muttering and cursing.
      Thanks for the anniversary wishes. I am not a great husband.

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  21. I have said this before, and I’ll say it again–your wife needs to do a post. I’d love to hear from her one of these days. Maybe you should interview her if she doesn’t like to write. Poor woman, living with all that testosterone in the house.

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