It’s Football Season: “Widows” Beware – Some men love their families, their wives and their sports in equal amounts, or so it seems. Some wives are afraid to ask where they rank relative to say, the football season. They accuse their husbands of being “addicted” to the rush they get from spectator sports.
Some women are self-described “sports enthusiasts” as well, but it’s mostly men who also spend endless computer time searching out facts and fantasy play. Husbands who say they hate talking on the phone, make a great exception during football or baseball season, when they gab incessantly, just as they accuse their wives of doing, with other mostly male “addicts.”
“I feel ignored,” said a woman I’ll call Lola. “He watches college football all day on Saturday and, Sunday is ridiculous. The NFL plays from noon to forever.” Lola says she feels like a “football widow.”
I read an article by a couple of male psychologists who dared to offer a “cure” for this “addiction.” Because they were not sport fans themselves, it seemed reasonable to suggest some behavior modification exercises to reduce the amount of “wasted” time spent watching TV sports.
Any wife of an uber-fan, including Lola, knows these doctors don’t know what they are talking about.
For those who are hooked, playing, watching, coaching or participating as a fantasy manager feels like a male rite, if not a safe addiction.
Lola knew if she posed nude in front of the big screen, her husband would never notice, “especially if it was in the fourth.” Then she tried it, “just to make a point.” I know you guessed what happened.
“He asked me to move over a bit so as not to block the screen. Some testosterone – builder.”
So what’s a loving wife to do? That depends if he is otherwise a loving husband, and if his passion for football is the only big problem.
If your guy loves you and shows you he’s willing to compromise his time during the other times of the year, or maybe even during the other times of the week during “the season,” rethink your anger.
Love him anyway. Trade for together time when the season is over, which is soon! Smart women know to compromise, but not with his games.
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