The Boy had a team meeting and then practice from 8:30-10:30 last night…seriously cutting into my ability to catch the first NFL game of the season between the Vikings and defending champion Saints, a rematch of last year’s NFC championship game and the return of the ageless Brett Favre.

I was going to just drop him off and pick him up after the practice.  But he said he wanted me to check out his sweet new yellow practice jersey and Atlanta Thrasher-style socks.  Maybe I would also get to see him make a nice pass in a drill or make a goalie look silly on a breakaway with a sick deke or bar down shot. How could I resist a chance to catch any of this potentially hyperbolic action.  Hockey Mom reminds me that I better not complain because I’ll sure be sorry when he stops wanting us to pay attention. Of course, he could have showed a little more regard for his football-starved father after practice and just tried this one time to be one of the first players out of the dressing room. We got home with enough time for me to catch the fourth quarter of a relatively boring season opener.  There will be many more football games I’ll be able to miss as the Boy’s, Devil’s and NFL seasons collide in the months to come. As chance would have it, the Devil was to have a game this Sunday, but its been cancelled and the day now actually looks hockey-free; so I’ll likely be on the couch soaking up as much of Week One pigskin action as I can to tide me over for the rest of September.

#imahockeydad