Thanks, Dad!

I was talking with a friend this evening about her fear of teaching American culture to international students through football. She worried that the students would be resistant - and that her lack of knowledge on the subject would make the class... interesting.

I suggested that she focus on Joe Montana's tight butt for the girls - that's what sparked my interest in football many years ago.

I then realized that my dad rocks.

Okay - he's not Joe Montana.

But he did expose me to a fair amount of sports as I grew up. I can follow and consider myself knowledgeable about baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, golf, tennis...
There are, of course, sports that I was never really exposed to - I am clueless when it comes to cricket, for example - but on the whole, I'm not an idiot when ESPN comes on. I can watch a game and not need someone to explain to me what's going on (well, okay - and jai-alai - what's going on with that??).

I went golfing with three other women on Saturday - a first grade mom foursome in the St. Andrew's Golf Scramble fundraiser - and was the only one to understand the difference between the fairway and the green. I do understand football and can enjoy watching a game (beyond the quarterbacks' behinds!).
I will again bring up the fact that I won Keegan's NCAA tourney pool. (ROCK CHALK!)

So when I got off the phone with my friend, I called my dad and thanked him for imparting this knowledge to me. I can hang with the guys and talk sports and not confuse a touchdown with a homerun (apparently, some women do this?).

Then I realized that my own daughter doesn't know the difference between a basketball and a football - let alone the games!
I'm sad, I guess that I'm not teaching her to be as well rounded as my own parents did - but then, I'm only the mom. I may enjoy sporting events now and then, but I'm not an avid sports nut.
At least she's learning to be a really good shoe shopper!