82 happy thoughts, thought four

September 21, 2011

tn_thought_bubble By Miranda Holloway
Executive Online Editor
As a junior I am a member of the 500 something most stressed out people in school. Not only am I a junior but I am a student, along with about 2100 other kids, at one of the top ten high schools in the state and while the stress at any school can get rough, everyone knows that the pressure can be intense the workload can be high. So in the spirit of staying sane, I have started this blog to remind my fellow knights, and myself for that matter, to stop and smell the roses, take a walk in the park or watch a funny movie; essentially want everyone to take a deep breath and smile. Inspired by the website 1000awesomethings.com, I will be posting this blog twice a week until the the end to the school year, 82 times in all, about things that are meant to make you grin. Happy moments, enjoyable memories, blissful feelings; you name it, I’ll post it. Over relax and think happy thoughts.

Thought 4- Watching your favorite team win
I’ll just come out in say it: I was raised as an Iowa Hawkeye. Both of my parents and almost all of my aunt, uncles and cousins are Iowa alumni, my grandfather was a professor there and my grandparents still live only five minutes off campus.
I’m still not sure if I will attend the University of Iowa for my higher education (I still have another year, shesh).
But for now I will be sporting black and gold every Sunday during the college football season. It’s what I have been born into and, honestly, all I’ve ever known when it comes to college football.
With that being said, my Hawkeyes have left something to be desired since their downfall about the halfway point of last season. Defensive star Adrian Clayborn and quarter back Ricky Stanzi graduated, running back Adam Robinson and wide receiver Derrell Johnson- Koulianos were both arrested on separate occasions for drug related charges and 13 players were hospitalized after a strenuous workout during the off season.

After all of this I just wanted the coach to be able to field a drug and injury free team, much less win a game.

Well they did in the first week of the season, beating Tennessee Tech 34-7 but suffered a heartbreaking 44-41 loss to Iowa State in a game that went into triple overtime.

On September 17 they went up against Pitt, and, frankly, at the beginning their prospects looked terrible. The offense was sloppy, their defense tried to give some hope but there is only so much they do to make up for the six penalties the offense gave up in the first half.

But then something happened. I have no idea what it was, but I liked it. Somehow they started making a comeback and not just any comeback, the biggest one in the school’s history.

Fans put so much of their identity into their favorite teams so when the team wins, they win. For one day a week fans change from themselves into something bigger. They become Wildcats, Illini, Fighting Irish or Badgers. It is the all encompassing feeling of accomplishment and togetherness that keeps even the worst of teams fans coming back season after season.

Plus winning means that all of that yelling at the T.V saying the the referee is a moron and that the receiver did in fact have possession of the ball had not gone to waste.

Basically what I’m trying to say is that winning is fun, really fun, even if it is not you personally who won.

I guess it stinks to be a Pitt fan right about now.