It could be death by football: a point of no return

I do much of my newspaper work on the weekend. Most of the typing happens between Friday and Tuesday.

Sunday I asked Pat to put on a movie, not long after the Seattle Seahawks’ win over Atlanta. Then I started to fall asleep.

Our daughter-in-law Sabrina called us to dinner, and I didn’t nap. After a few bites, I was so tired I was feeling ill.

On my way to the bedroom, I went to the computer to check on incoming sports. When I got up and went on to the bedroom, Pat was restarting “Mulan.”

“I thought you wanted to watch this,” she said.

I did, but I’ve reached the point of no return.

I needed to rest. Football is wiping me out.

I may not be from Royal, but the football Knights are my team. I was okay Friday until Connell scored in the third quarter to take the lead. I relaxed again after Kaden Jenks and Corbin Christensen worked their magic twice.

Then Connell came back and put all Royal fans on edge until the interception with just more than a minute left.

I was wide awake on the drive home. I played the game over and over in my mind until midnight. That was a problem because I always wake up before 5 a.m.

After five hours of typing Saturday, I tried to fall asleep watching college football. Couldn’t. Clemson and North Carolina were having a barn-burner.

I went back to the computer, and at 5 p.m., I started to watch Ohio State-Wisconsin because Pat was born in Ohio. That turned out to be a barn-burner. Then I watched parts of WSU-UCLA and Boise State-Colorado State simultaneously.

Sunday at 5 a.m. I was back at the computer. At 10 a.m. I started to watch Rams-Lions, rooting for the Lions. They won a barn-burner with a game-ending interception.

It was time for the Seahawks. Pat is such a Hawks fan that she forbids me to criticize – I say analyze – their play. No way to vent.

I was relaxed as Seattle built a 17-3 halftime lead. Then came the third quarter defensive meltdown. As usual, the Hawks put me on edge before winning.

I rested about an hour and a half Sunday evening. I came back out to the computer, and Pat was watching “Rudy.” I worked, but I couldn’t avoid the movie. It was at the point where Rudy learns he’s been accepted to Notre Dame. I teared up and watched the rest of it.

Not satisfied, I decided to look up Daniel Ruettiger on the Net. I watched a video of an inspirational speech he gave at Utah Valley University. It was great. I went to bed after 11 p.m.

I hope I rest better this weekend, but I already have Washington-Oregon State and Cardinals-Seahawks on the schedule.

I could be more disciplined about my rest, but this is football season.