CHAMPIONS, TECH TOGETHERNESS, MEMORIES

Ohio State University Buckeyes became the NCAA's 1st National Football Champions defeating University of Oregon's Ducks 42 - 20! 
  (If you want details about the game please refer to knowledgeable sports writers or bloggers which I am not..)

My first outing to a restaurant/sports bar proved to be far more pleasant than my stereotyped idea had been.  (Read my previous post as to what prompted me to even go there in the first place.)  The local restaurant, Espiau's,  I went to is popular here and I've been there in years past during the day but not for several years.  They've expanded with several different rooms, including a huge area that can be enclosed and heated if "cold" -- a relative term here in Southern California where "cold" today meant temperatures declining from high daytime 60's to low 50's after the sun went down.   

Monday night the restaurant TVs were all tuned to the 2014-15 NCAA National Football Championship game.  Judging by the periodic shouts for one or the other of the sports teams being viewed on large wall TV screens with audio and video in  a couple rooms -- the enclosed area described above and another adjacent bar room with table seating -- these were where the major sports fans gathered.  I was pleased there was no evidence of over-imbibers as the night went on.

Where I was, customers of all ages came to eat giving varying degrees of attention to the games activity.  A large room adjacent to where I sat in a smaller area in a plush cushioned booth, the opposite wall had two equally large TV screens but were video only with the sound turned off.   One TV had captioned commentators but I watched the other one without them.  I like not having to listen to all the "talking heads" described as "analysts."  My husband's analysis was adequate for me those years ago.   I pretty much had stopped paying much attention to TV sports long ago when these individuals replaced college marching bands camera time, especially the half-time shows.

The restaurant waitresses were super nice to this "older" lady -- gave me the wi-fi password so my son in the midwest, daughter on the east coast and I in the west could text together throughout the game.  Their OSU alumni Dad's Buckeye enthusiasm through the years he was living created in each of us a sense of team loyalty that continues to connect us to his spirit even today.    We realized our being together like this was reminiscent of their youth when we were all at home which prompted one to text with 15 game minutes left: 

"It's going to be a loong '15 mins', And we all know, 15 mins equates to 30 mins in sports time.  We had many years to learn the conversion chart while we waited for Dad's games to be over so we could watch our show. Lol"

We deliberately had only one TV and wanted none in bedrooms either, a parenting view which was especially important to me though we both had worked in television.   Still true.  But...with technology today -- computers, smart phones and what's yet to come, parents are challenged to help their children learn to establish healthy use patterns with all these digital gadgets.   I think of how addicted I unwittingly became when I first started using the computer less than ten years ago, then soon after became obsessed with blogging.   My husband had just died and I got lost in the blogosphere for better or worse.  Oh about the game ..... Columbus, Ohio is in rapture tonight!

Hooray for the Buckeyes!  

My husband's spirit must be ecstatic as are Ohio friends still around in the flesh -- especially that OSU head cheerleader from long ago -- John Crawford.
John has had perfect attendance at Ohio State home football games since 1943 the last I knew.   He attended his first game when 12 years old reports Joe Blundo which you can read about with a click on the Columbus Dispatch.    

Tales in the short article of unique ways John attended the games and same-day out-of-state personal events are intriguing.   His accommodations to the aging life encourage us to what is possible as is his attitude and perspective toward living.   Did I mention what a funny guy he can be?  He has a great sense of humor!