The mouthwatering smell of hamburgers and hotdogs grilling greeted me as I maneuvered through the crowded lots outside Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Music blared from speakers, the backs of trucks laid open, bean bags tossed about in standard games of cornhole and makeshift televisions were hooked up to display the game. Tailgating is a popular social event, but the real reason over 45,000 people were tightly packed into parking lots on a frigid, rainy day was for one thing only: football.

My dad bleeds red and white (i.e he hasn’t left behind his Husker pride for 32 years now). Like any other child of an overly committed fan, I have sported Nebraska spirit wear from day one. On Saturdays, the TV was only on for college football.

Now, I swear this is not a “sports blog” and it is merely a coincidence that my last post was sports-related. I wasn’t fond of watching football until recently. I even dreaded sitting in the stands for my little brother’s games. One of the reasons I never got into football was partly due to the fact I didn’t know all of the rules and didn’t care to learn. I had a biased opinion that the game was just a bunch of well built men mindlessly tackling each other for other people’s entertainment. I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. Then, my brothers taught me the rules of the game and what football is really built upon: passion.

Passion is what drives fans and without it the game seems tedious. It’s hard to invest in a team if you haven’t been to school there or lived in the city the team represents. If I wasn’t raised in Kansas City, I wouldn’t worry about the Chiefs keeping their 5-0 winning streak. My newfound passion for the team keeps me from ever missing a game. They suffered a heartbreaking loss against the Steelers on Sunday Oct. 15 and it’s (pathetically) too hard for me to talk about.

I hate close games because my heart pounds and I’m left at the edge of my seat. I am either biting my nails in anticipation or yelling at the screen in frustration. In my opinion, neither reaction is healthy, but I cannot keep myself from caring. I’m looking forward to being as committed to a college team as my dad is to the Huskers. Next year, when I’m a freshman at whatever university, I’ll be tailgating with friends before cheering in the stands for my team every home game with just as much excitement as the other fans.