Football season is here. The lights. The roar of the crowds. The rivalries and team spirit. The hot dogs and soda pop. It is time to go to the games and support the team. I’ve been going to the games for years. I know that it’s the right thing to do. I know I should, but I’m not going this year. Do you want to know why? I’ll give you 12 good reasons why I am not attending those football games anymore.

1. The coach never came to visit me.

2. Every time I go they’re always asking for money.

3. The people sitting in my row didn't seem friendly.

4. The seats were hard.

5. The referees made decisions I didn’t agree with.

6. The people were all hypocrites: They claim to be fans, but they yell at their own players and call the coach names.

7. Some games go into overtime and I get home late.

8. The band played a few songs I have never heard before.

9. The games are scheduled on my only day to sleep in and run
errands.

10. My parents made me go to games when I was growing up.

11. I have read the book on football and I know more than the coach does anyway.

12. I don’t want to take my children because I want them to choose for themselves which sport they like.

Surely you can see the logic behind this decision of mine to no longer attend football games. And I’m not the only one who feels this way. Lots of my friends have said the same thing. It’s unreasonable to make us fans have to endure such mistreatment. Until things change around here you won’t see me sitting in those bleachers. No sir.

(Does any of this sound familiar to you?)

— Curtis Hartshorn, Checotah Church of Christ preacher