A busy mellow Saturday

Chores, sports. Began at 6 a.m. with the Navy - Notre Dame game in Dublin. Navy got creamed 50-10 but I didn't last the first half. Checked the Penn St game, to see them come on the field and the fan reaction. T-shirts tell the story: We are STILL Penn State. Well, fans are fans, they want to root for THEIR team.

Later I watched the USA women (football/soccer) in an exhibition game with Costa Rica. 5-0 at the half, total mismatch, and yet there was far, far more drama here than in, say, the Navy - Notre Dame game. In soccer there is uninterrupted conflict, 75% of the time opposing teams fighting for the ball. It's relentless. Almost too dramatic: the action never stops, big moments can happen in a matter of seconds, the tension exhausting. Probably the most dramatic sport ever invented. No wonder it's what the WORLD calls football.

However, American football has a significant advantage over "soccer." Because it is slow with lots f dead time, it is a better SOCIAL sport. You can b.s. with your buddies during all the non-action. In soccer, if you do that you chance missing a big moment. Soccer only releases the attentive fan in small occasional measure. American football releases the fan most of the time, making it a better social barroom sport.

Whatever else is said, "football" IS America's sport and I not only grew up on it but played it. So I don't dislike it -- I'm just amazed how long it took me to realize the world is right about "football".  So I'll check out the Michigan - Alabama game, hoping Mich scores so I can hear the best football fight song ever written, hands down. And later I'll check out Oregon, I mean Nike.

Also caught the Mariners through the afternoon. Baseball is by far the best game to watch without watching, that is by listening, either on the radio or TV play by play. Baseball is very exciting with audio only -- well, if you have a good announcer. Who can forget Dizzy Dean singing Wabash Cannonball during the 7th inning stretch?

In terms of my fan interest, I'd rank what I saw today: 1. football/soccer 2. baseball 3. Amer football.

But I'd rather watch a good 5K or 10K run over all of them!

Best chores of the day: my batch of brew for iced coffee for next 2 days ... and a new batch of scrapple, with yet another minor variation in my recipe. It's hard not to try something new.

Oh: and spring rolls for lunch, stuffed with my leftover fried rice from last night. Excellent!