This college football fan adds new meaning to putting your game face on
Touchdowns and touch-ups

By Tiffani Hill-Patterson

patterson1723@mac.com

A final swipe of Crimson Joy lipstick and I'm ready. I've been looking forward to this all week. The anticipation is killing me. I hope things turn out like I want them to. Just 10 minutes more and .

Roll Tide, baby!

Watching Alabama play football is an event at my house, even if I'm watching alone. While most women get fixed up for a Saturday of shopping, I get done up for a Saturday of Alabama football. After showering, shampooing, shaving and doing my hair and makeup, I slip into my jeans and an old Bama T-shirt. Bring on the Rebels or the Vols or the Tigers . I'm ready.

 

Last Saturday I took it up a notch because my daughter's fifth birthday party was going on during the Bama-Ole Miss game. I added eyeliner and a push-up bra to my routine. I looked good serving cake and ice cream and yelling at the TV in my crimson-and-black-striped tunic top, crop pants and flip-flops. My husband agreed; it must've been the bra.

Most Saturdays at my house are planned around the Crimson Tide. A typical Saturday goes like this: Get up, get ready for my daughter's soccer game, watch the 5-year-olds try to keep the ball inbounds, grab some lunch, head home, see my husband off to work at the golf course, watch a little Noggin with my girl, jump in the shower, then get my game face on for the 2:30 kickoff.

If it's a late game, we might hit Wal-Mart or the bookstore. If it's an 11:30 kickoff, we skip lunch and head straight home after soccer. No matter what, we're home in time for the game.

When my team is on TV, I'm on the couch. Distractions are few; not even a special on Jon Bon Jovi or a sale at Target can get my attention. At least, not until the game is over.

Feel free to call me during the game, but only if you're going to keep it short-very short. Otherwise, you'll just think I'm rude because my attention will be on the game not on our conversation. If you call to rub it in after a loss, expect the same in return when your team goes down. Turnabout is fair play, right?

Lately my daughter has joined me for the first half, shaking her crimson pom-poms and yelling "Go, Bama." It doesn't take long, though, before she gets bored and heads to her room to play with her dollhouse or to our bedroom to watch Animal Planet or cartoons. Maybe next year she'll be ready to watch the whole game and ask questions like, "Mommy, why don't we ever throw the ball on first down?"

My parents have joined me for a couple of games, but mostly it's just me and my TV, which is fine. That way I don't embarrass myself when I get too caught up in the game. Yes, I yell at the refs, the players and the announcers. When Bama scores I dance a little jig, and when it makes a bad play I stomp around, muttering under my breath. What fun is it to just sit and stare at the TV? Getting all worked up is part of the game for me.

And when the game is over, a quick touch-up of Loreal's Crimson Joy and I'm ready to hit the town, or maybe Target.