#SuperBowlSunday

It's one of two days a year I watch a football game--the other being the national championship (which I missed this year). So I watch only two football games a year. That's all I allow myself.

You see, I was once a diehard football fan.

I watched Mercury Morris and Duane Thomas play college ball in my hometown of Canyon, Texas. In 1966 & 1967, African Americans weren't allowed to play in the Southwest Conference. But Coach Joe Kerbel at West Texas State recruited many of the very best players regardless of race.

Because my father was the band director at West Texas, and Kerbel was our neighbor, I got to see the players up close. I still have Mercury's autograph from 1968.

At the same time, I was fervent fan of the Dallas Cowboys, especially after Duane Thomas joined the team.

As a freshman at the University of Texas in 1977, I watched every home game. Earl Campbell lived the same dorm I did--a tiny place called Jester Center. He was a marvel, dragging defenders down the field as he rushed game after game. He always got up from tackles in slow motion.

By 1980, I decided I wanted a literary career. I wanted to be a writer. As I thought about my life, I realized I was frittering away my time watching football. Countless hours. So I decided to confine myself to two football games per year: the college finale and the Superbowl.

Instead, I would write a minimum of 14 publishable paragraphs whenever a football game was being televised: Saturdays, Sundays, Monday nights, and whenever else I learned there might be a game on TV. I've stuck to that regimen for 41 years.

More than anything else, this habit probably explains why I have so many books to my credit.

So tonight I'll be watching. But this morning I wrote my 14 publishable paragraphs anyway.

Often, it's not until Superbowl day that I know who's playing. But earlier this week I learned it would be Denver vs. Tampa Bay.

Normally, when somebody asks my thoughts about last night's game, I have no idea what sport they're talking about. And I don't miss it one bit.