Memories of Monday Night Football

I took this photo thinking it would be great as a wordless Wednesday post. But looking at it I got to remembering all those Monday night football rivalry's that took place in our home while the children were growing up. How a fun loving baseball fan wound up in a home of football fanatics I am not really certain but that is what happened. Not to knock football, but I never really could get into the game. My husband and children on the other hand couldn't wait for football season to begin.

Thinking back I wish I had grabbed my camera on Monday nights and recorded the action in our home on those wild Monday nights, rather than grabbing a good book and heading for the sanctuary of my room.  To those that wonder why I would do such a thing let me explain.

Monday nights were the nights when it was the most obvious that my husband and I encouraged independent thinking in our children. My husband was a 49er's fan, but we were not a 49er's family. Each of our four children picked their favorite teams by the time they were nine or ten and have stuck with their teams ever since. Our oldest son is a Vikings fan, while our youngest son is a Packers fan. Throw into that explosive mix our two daughters who both chose to be Cowboy's fans and you have one very rowdy group.

Needless to say if the game did not include one of the favorite teams sides were picked on some unbeknownst to me level of how that teams win or lose would help the favored team. So obviously it was a rare occasion when all five would be routing for the same team. Heaven forbid if two of the favored teams were playing against each other. If by chance it was the 49er's v Vikings it became a four against one game while if it was Vikings v Packers the room became divided two to three. The only time the three males agreed on a team was if that team was playing against the Cowboys.

On the off chance that I ventured from my sanctuary into the mayhem I was called upon to choose sides. Which was always done with a great deal of explanation as to the superior abilities of each team by it's fan. Knowing that should I choose sides it  would be perceived as favoritism to the supporting child rather than the team itself I opted for the safe route. HIDE as quick as possible.
Without photos of those energetic Monday nights I finally decided on this  design to capture the family rivalry in a memory photo.

Is your family united when the games come on or are they like mine?