Friday, December 13, 2013

The Game That Changed It All

I grew up in an OSU family. My Dad graduated from there. My cousin graduated from there. There was a lot of agriculture around us. I never got heckled over my orange t-shirts in that town. And, probably because I was a Daddy's girl, I decided early on that I was going to OSU for college. I didn't though. 

I started at a smaller college closer to home, saying maybe I'd transfer later. I did transfer colleges alright. After a series of events that could only have been God-led, I ended up at the rival school that I'd always thought I despised. They have a big football program, and they were really good that year. I grew to love that place from the start. I followed the football games along with everyone else, and got more excited with each win. And then, the time came. The Bedlam Game. 

I went into the game torn. The team I'd always loved and supported? Or the team I'd watched for weeks, the roster made up of my peers? At first, I decided it was a win-win for me. As the cheers from the stadium drifted into my dorm room, and my eyes stayed glued to the TV set, the idea of my childhood team losing became much more acceptable in my mind than my school ending a season-long winning streak. We were undefeated, and I wanted it to stay that way. 

Wait. Had I just said "we?" I had. It all changed in that moment. We won that day, and my loyalty completely shifted.