We Interrupt This Family for Football Season

When most people think of autumn in New England, they likely envision apple picking, pumpkin carving, brisk mornings and colorful foliage. For the Quinn family, fall is synonymous with one thing: football season. For at least 21 years (my entire lifetime), from late August until mid-January the Quinn's eat, sleep and breathe football. There must be some strand of DNA that we were all born with, mostly my brothers, but me by default, that gives us a passion for the game. Since I can remember, our family Christmas card has been a picture taken at the end of the Thanksgiving Day football game, where we'd all watch whichever brother was playing at the time, before going home for turkey. My first experience with football was at just four days old. I was born August 19th and pop warner preseason was starting for my brother Dan. This was just a slight foreshadow of my next 20 years. During one season, I attended 44 football games (4 brothers, 11 games per brother) and watched countless others. I don't watch a game and say things like, "the guy that hikes the ball," but instead anticipate the throw on third and long, understand the zone defense, know what "horse collar" means and can call a hold from a mile away. Luckily, I enjoyed every minute of watching my brothers play.

Conor, age 4, at the living room Superbowl 

Friday nights were made for high school football. Each week, my mom would order post-game food from a local catering company, make an apple crisp, and get ready for the relatives coming into town. We'd pile into the car and start the drive to wherever the game was being held, leaving more than enough time to be the first family in the stands and watch warm ups. During the game, my dad and other brothers would find any way possible to get themselves as close to the sidelines and action as they could, whether that meant having to befriend a local police officer or chat it up with a referee prior to kickoff. Somehow, they always managed to stand just outside the end zone with the best seats in the house.

Next came college football. Two of my brothers played all four years and one played for two years. I think the best day of my father's life was this one below:

Pat and Conor's teams facing off

It was the day Pat, as a freshman in college, and Conor, as a senior in college, played each other. During the kickoff, Pat and Conor ran toward each other, and for the first time, despite being on opposing teams, two brothers shared the field. It was definitely a proud and special moment for everyone.

Despite my (forced) love of football, the best part of these NESCAC college football days was, in my opinion, undoubtedly the tailgating. My dad would make us arrive around 8:30 am for a 12 or 1 pm start, which sometimes meant a 5 am wake up call. We'd set up our tent, Dan would cook breakfast sandwiches, and the day of football would begin. What's better than a fall day with family and tailgate food? In my book, not much.

Now that all my brothers have graduated from college and their own football-playing days, my family has decided to follow their favorite college team, Notre Dame, quite literally all over the world. Last year, my father and two of my brothers flew to Ireland to watch them play and this season, my dad and two other brothers are headed out to watch the Fighting Irish play the first Saturday of November. 

The new Quinn baby boy is arriving soon, and I think all the boys are hoping for a football player so the next generation of Quinn's can appreciate the game that has been woven into the fabric of our family. No matter where the games were, how long took it to get there, what the outcome was-the most important thing was to be there for each other. We're the loudest cheerers, the most enthusiastic spectators, biggest fans and proudest supporters. Every fall may mean football for my brothers, but for me, football is synonymous with family. It means spending Friday nights, all day Saturday, and even Sunday when the Patriots play, together. No matter what each week had in store, we'd reconnect on the weekends for a few days of fun, and at the end of it all, that's what was most important. 

As always, "Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." -AB