Turkey Bowl

One of the constants when we get together with the Johnson side of the family is that sooner or later, a football will be produced, some smack will be talked and eventually a game will be played.  Doesn't matter if it's in the scorching Texas sun, so hot that even the fire ants don't come out, or in two feet of snow, like last New Year's Eve - we play. 

The rules are a little bit like Calvinball, constantly changing on the fly to benefit whoever has just been disadvantaged for whatever reason.   It's a physical game, even when my brother Todd and I, who is usually on my team, claim to be old, fat and out of shape and no longer capable of taking hits to our knees, or falls to the hard ground.

I have very fond memories of pickup football games as a kid, and there were many fall and winter days, especially on the holidays, when my brother and me would square off, just the two of us, and have a game of full-contact football until we were ready to collapse. We usually stopped after someone got hurt.  We were just like these kids, always wanting to play and looking for someone to play with.


Todd wasn't around for this game, but like all get togethers with these boys, you can't play too much football, and they eventually talked us into a round two that lasted into the dark cold (which I'm going to claim we won).  It was a very cold day, and the ground, which we hit many times, was frozen.   Since Todd couldn't be there, Noah got his first taste of family football, although he liked tackling people more than he liked running with the ball.  Asa was on my team as well, and we played against Eli and Braden.  As is typical, they had no shame in exploiting a little 4-year old if it meant putting points on the board.

Two of our cheerleaders - Elliot and Finn.  Poor Finn - Elliot didn't seem to be in the sharing mood with his mittens.  E so much wanted to play too.

Eli takes the snap.

One of the rare times I get schooled...

Elliot cheering us on

Asa and Noah discussing plans? Noah rode his bike to the game, but I thought it would be a good idea to make it a football helmet.

Leading Noah back to the line of scrimmage

Discussing our plans in the huddle

Tyring to coax Noah to go after the QB (Eli)

Eli doing a flip after a touchdown

Father and son - Noah is definitely built for football.  I hope he will play it someday.

Noah was having a ball

Discussing our offensive strategy with Noah

Cousin Braden trying to intimidate the 4-year old.

Didn't work

Fumble!

Asa completing a pass

Noah encouraging E to get off the playing field.

Look at that intensity.  Noah could have scored, but Eli had to tackle him.

Elliot enjoying the game - he belly laughed a few times, thinking it was funny when we threw the ball and everyone went running after it.

I especially like how Noah tackles Eli, who's nowhere near the ball.

Elliot looks like he's getting ready to block/tackle Noah. After the play.  Sounds like one of the Johnson kids.