Pile it on me. I do not understand frickin' football.

[Miles Archer]

7. I didn't understand it for most of my life

But it's like anything else.

Gain an appreciation for it and it opens the door to rapport with other people who love the game.

I have a story behind how that happened for me, but it's not important.

For me, football is a matter of "how bad do you want it?" And as I am a self-employed Web Designer, a sole proprietor who has to go out and get my clients or there ARE no clients, that is a key thing for me.

I live in South Carolina now, which means I am in "Panther Country." My girlfriend and I both originally came from the same small town in Massachusetts. That means she and everyone in her orbit are Patriots fans. I don't care for Tom Brady...I think he's a prick. I'm a Broncos fan (for reasons found in the story I mentioned above).

So I watched the Patriots / Broncos game, and it became very clear early in the game that through either arrogance or ignorance, the Patriots had a fatal lack of awareness when it came to the Broncos' defense. That's what won the game. You could see Brady early in the game and he had the face of a man who was going to be defeated, and he was.

Same thing yesterday. Regardless of what people may think of Cam Newton's personality, I think few will question his skills as a quarterback. But yesterday, the whole game was on him. The Panthers, just like the Patriots, were ill-prepared to deal with the Broncos' defense, and that's what won the game. The Panthers' offense didn't stand a chance.

I probably will never get to the point where I paint my face and upper body in my team colors and scream their name while clutching a beer. I've never been that guy. But I do have an intense appreciation for the power of intention, specifically intending to win, and that's what makes or breaks a football game.

A rudimentary understanding of the game allows me to have conversations with fans. In the past, my response was "I don't really care for football." That was usually met with a disappointed "Oh...OK," followed by the end of the conversation. Now, a couple of minutes worth of banter elevates the mood of the other person. They either get jazzed because we like the same team or they get that "We're going to BEAT you" team spirit for the team of their choice.

It's a little thing. In my heart of hearts I will always be a Web Designer / Photographer / Musician / Chef BEFORE I give a thought to sports, but the punchline, I guess, is that if you make the effort to appreciate the things others like, it makes you a more well-rounded and approachable person, and that enhances the quality of all of your relationships, from casual acquaintances to your inner circle.