The coat, the dilemma, and an opinion

We'll start with the coat. The stupid, motherfucking coat. I took Barbara's advice and tried Nordstrom's men section at both the regular store and the Rack. Nada. I had already checked Macy's men's and women's sections. Nothing. I even went out to the Coastal Farm and Ranch yesterday and found stuff that would do in a pinch, but how badly do I want Carhart or Dickie's plastered all over my body? Obviously not badly enough. So I am still coatless and it's supposed to snow Tuesday night/Wednesday morning (for the commute. Of course, today is Sunday, so that means they are so far off that it might just be 78 and sunny by Wednesday morning.). I DID, however, find exactly what I want online at LL Bean, and I've been ordering LL Bean since forever and they have never done me wrong, and if I had only just ordered the dang thing when I first got this ridiculous wild hair I would probably have it by now. Balls. Ordering it today. I allege.

The dilemma is this: tomorrow is the biggest. day. of. my. life. and I've been invited (actually I was begged) to a friend's house to watch it. I hope you've been paying attention. Though I've disproved the theory that I have to be home alone in my own house watching the Ducks for us to win, (Cabo) (I still kind of don't want to talk about it) (not Cabo, but missing the game), I am still really nervous about this situation. Not just because I'm working out in Hillsboro this week and she lives clear the motherfuck in southeast Portland and my plan even just to get to Beaverton for kickoff included me leaving the office at 4:30, but also because, well, the obvious. Other people. There will be other people there. People that she claims are huge Duck fans, and that they spend most of the time yelling at the TV and pacing and storming around, like me, but still. I mean, I doubt they are EXACTLY like me. I doubt any one of them will hide behind the sofa or the collar of their sweatshirt at any given time. Or race to the bathroom to throw up (which I will admit has not happened with any solid results since the 1st quarter of the Stanford game), or go into the kitchen and throw around whatever happens to be drying on the drainboard. Or cuss really REALLY loud. I don't know. I just don't know if I'm ready for it.

But she begged. So I feel badly (after having already said I would go) telling her at the last minute that I can't do it. And in theory, it's a social event (in theory, because who am I kidding? This is harder work than even the toughest of escrow desks I work on), and I have resolved to be a little bit more social in the new year. (But really, is THIS the right situation in which to exercise the social muscles?) Then there are the other Duck faithful that I work with who implore me never to leave the house for a Duck game and who, in the event our defense is looking a little sketchy or DT is having an off quarter, will text me and ask, "Are you even HOME?!" What about them? Why is it okay to let THEM down and not this other friend, who, in all honesty, has spent her entire Duck fandom without me? Barbie told me to be true to myself. I think I've made my decision.

So since the dilemma isn't really a dilemma anymore, let me now voice my opinion. I'm glad that there are Duck fans coming out of the woodwork right now. I'm happy to see more Duck sweatshirts and decals and flags (kind of. I still have flag issues) out there. But I have strong feelings about bandwagons and "support Oregon teams" and all that. You see, in my world, there are Duck fans and there are Beaver fans and then there are people that are into NASCAR. When the Ducks didn't have a baseball team, and the Beavers went to the College World Series, I didn't root for them, I didn't support them at all. I'm a Duck fan. Period. You don't cross a line simply because your school doesn't have a program. I'm not a "state of Oregon college" fan, I'm a Duck fan. And as a Duck fan, I hate the Beavers. So why would I ever root for them? I have much respect for Beaver fans who want nothing to do with the Ducks going to the National Championship (now, THERE'S a line no Beaver will ever be able to type), because they shouldn't be Duck fans suddenly after years of being Beaver fans. If, in fact, someone claims to be a Beaver fan but buys the Duck sweatshirt and roots for the Ducks in tomorrow's game, fine. But then the truth is that they never were Beaver fans to begin with. Do you get me?

There's nothing wrong with being a fair-weather fan, just don't do it around me. I take this shit seriously. And please do your sudden burst of Duck gear shopping at the Fred Meyer because it's flipping a nightmare in the Washington Square Duck Store these days, and it pisses me off that TRUE Duck fans have to wait in ridiculous lines behind people who never thought to be a Duck fan until it became chic and was mentioned on late night TV. I guess it all boils down to this: do what you want to do, support the Ducks, be all happy for Oregon schools and the PAC-10, great. Just don't try to start a conversation about it with me, because I don't buy in to it. Not being elitist (since there are some of us who have been strong, solid, never-say-die Duck fans for our ENTIRE LIVES, win or lose, good years, bad years and everything in between), just saying. Keep it away from me. Because seriously, I'm not very nice when I'm pissed off.

See this is why I am worried about watching this game in public. The nausea is setting in. I might have to lay down before I hit up LL Bean.

Go Ducks!