'Tis The Season

by Pat Antonopoulos

...for football.
The huge business season has started...the hype, the hero-waving, the gladiator feel to the arena. Pre-season, tail-gating, scheduled games and the Super Bowl selling will continue until February. Athletics are trained, skilled and high dollar players in the economy that is Football.

Fans are pay-as-you-go and the TV remote is easy to use so there is no incursion. Participation is by choice.

At one time I did make the choice. I loved the high school Friday night games and cheered the Chiefs when Lennie Dawson quarterbacked in the 60's. A few years ago, we sat in the snow watching the Chiefs and the Lions at Arrowhead. Loved it!

What changed?
Maybe a situation that was quickly relegated to old news.
A story detailing the treatment of dogs has affected me deeply. We don't own a pet...haven't had a dog since my children were young. My adult children have dogs that are well cared for and genuinely loved.

I feel sick when I think about dog-fighting and about adult people cheering the vicious bites and the bloody pain. I feel sick and sad when I see the pictures of maimed animals and read about the torture.

And this horrible treatment of animals and football have melded. Because of the easy reparation and the quick forgiveness, I have lost any sense that football is a game. It is strictly business and the bottom line for business is a dollar line.