# Men, football, their wives and families



## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

Just wondering how many of the ladies out there get mad over their husband wanting to watch football?

My wife always felt my watching football was to neglect my family, but some of the most fun I ever had with my 3 sons was watching football together. Even though our oldest two are now married and our youngest is still in college we still share that bond and will excitedly talk football over the phone.

So for any of the women out there who despise their husband watching football. What's wrong with that?


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## Hope1964 (Sep 26, 2011)

Any woman who doesn't want her husband watching football TODAY should be thrown out the door. 

However, if you're ignoring your wife for preseason games, you have a problem.

Football is like porn. Women need to be a lot more understanding than they often are about it, and men need to make sure they aren't neglecting their wives in favor of it.


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## galian84 (May 7, 2012)

Well...did you ever neglect her or bail out on plans for football? And did you watch football every Sunday/Monday? And did you ever try to get her into watching with you and your sons?

I don't think there's anything wrong with watching football, but it should be treated like any other hobby. Do it in moderation.

I enjoy watching football as well, and I often watch it with my boyfriend. I get especially excited if one of my teams is playing, or some team that I dislike (so I can cheer for them to lose, haha), or if it's playoffs/Superbowl, of course.


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## northernlights (Sep 23, 2012)

I don't like to watch any sports on TV. H knew this going into the marriage. Now, if he and our kids bonded over it, that wouldn't bug me. I'd use the time for some me time!

What bugs me is when my H wants to watch football, then basketball, then baseball, and he's staying up late to watch games while I'm going to bed by myself. Or, I want to watch a chick flick for once, and he gives me grief about it. It's totally fine to have hobbies that I don't care for, but there's a limit. And that limit is march madness!


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## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

galian84 said:


> Well...did you ever neglect her or bail out on plans for football? And did you watch football every Sunday/Monday? And did you ever try to get her into watching with you and your sons?
> 
> I don't think there's anything wrong with watching football, but it should be treated like any other hobby. Do it in moderation.
> 
> I enjoy watching football as well, and I often watch it with my boyfriend. I get especially excited if one of my teams is playing, or some team that I dislike (so I can cheer for them to lose, haha), or if it's playoffs/Superbowl, of course.


She might say I neglected her. I'd say no, she knew in advance what I'd be doing.

And yes, I'd watch football every Sunday and Monday - and so would my boys. To a guy who likes football watching Sundays and Mondays is moderation. We usually don't get to watch it Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday (pros) 

I tried to get her involved with it and she even tried for awhile but gave up on it. I don't necessarily blame football for that, she has a hard time sitting through anything, she's a workaholic.


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## SimplyAmorous (Nov 25, 2009)

I am very Thankful my husband is not into sports, he could care less about any of them... Today is the Superbowl.... we wouldn't have even known outside of our sons being invited to a Super Bowl party that we have to run them to. 

Our family is far more into Music







...or movie watching & we enjoy these things together.


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## Mavash. (Jan 26, 2012)

I got burned once by a guy who was into watching sports on tv. It was so bad that it made my deal breaker list.

It wasn't just football. It was basketball, baseball, golf, soccer you name it he watched it. It was beyond excessive.

I purposely married someone not into sports. Oh we might go to a live game or watch the superbowl but that's the extent of it. I wouldn't care if he watched 'some' football but I've seen guys camped out ALL DAY in front of the tv on a Sunday. Just one game after another. That would annoy the crap out of me.


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## TDSC60 (Dec 8, 2011)

My wife watches more football than I do. I've got one special team that I watch when I can - she has two or three that she will watch.


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## triggerhappy (Oct 14, 2012)

We were both heavily into football at one point in our relationship, we used to go nuts over it, however, the increasing objectification of women during the game and commercials became unacceptable. So now we do many other things we both enjoy, or we do things separate that we enjoy that don't include such ridiculous things.

My ex showed up late to our sons birth at the hospital because it was super bowl Sunday. 

Football is so over-rated.


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## ComicBookLady (Feb 28, 2012)

I am one who never really liked football, personally. My ex LOVED football, and that's when I started_ despising_ sports, not just disliking it, and here's why.

My ex would:

*A) *Treat me like I didn't exist when the game was on (any game). Women have a need to feel cherished as #1 in their husbands like AT ALL TIMES. It's not like I wouldn't respect his love of sports, I would leave him alone as often as possible out of care, BUT when I did say something to him, or needing anything, I was treated like an insect to be swatted out of the way. He wasn't returning the respect I was giving him.

And the same goes for events in your life that the husband places sports above. My MOTHER died and he didn't want to go to her funeral with me because a game was on.

That is my best guess as to why some women hate when husbands watch sports; men place it as a priority above their wives, and the women don't feel like #1 to their husbands. If men took the time to pause the game, or give their attention (real attention) fully to their wives when they speak during the game, that would reinforce to their wives that they are #1 and the men would be left alone more often, as the wife feels more secure knowing any time she speaks or has needs she'll be heard above anything else.

And YES that includes occasionally doing something your wife needs instead of watching a game.

*B) *My Ex's whole personality hinged on whether or not things went well in the game. If his team was losing, he would scream, cuss, sometimes throw things, and sometimes freaking CRY (all in front of our son). Full blown temper tantrum. And yes, sometimes he would attack ME for nothing at all. It was horrible. If his team won, well he was on cloud 9, and even would give me affection. But imagine what it was like for me, waiting to see how the game was going just to see if I would be loved or attacked that night. It was AWFUL. That's what made me hate sports.

Anyway, I think most women would think it's lovely you like sports, and that you love spending that time with your sons, and would respect that entirely. But a lot for non sports wives hinges on how you treat THEM during the game. Make sure they're always #1 to you!

My husband now doesn't like sports also, and I'm SO HAPPY about that!  But even if he did I'd love him just as much.


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## SpunkySpunky (Dec 17, 2012)

I was the one who watched football 

My husband didn't like sports.


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## ScarletBegonias (Jun 26, 2012)

I'll watch a soccer game here or there but I can't stand other sports. SO is a casual viewer of most sports and is very enthusiastic about soccer.
I don't get angry when he watches sports at all.but I believe that's because he pays so much attention to me and is always interacting with me.i have a feeling if we didn't get so much quality time together I might have something to say about the sports.

I'm actually in bed with the dogs watching Jane Eyre while he's in the living room w a couple of his friends watching the game he keeps coming in and giving me kisses and love how can I be angry at that?


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## SimplyAmorous (Nov 25, 2009)

Mrs. NotSureWhatToDo said:


> And YES that includes occasionally doing something your wife needs instead of watching a game.
> 
> *B) *My Ex's whole personality hinged on whether or not things went well in the game. If his team was losing, he would scream, cuss, sometimes throw things, and sometimes freaking CRY (all in front of our son). Full blown temper tantrum. And yes, sometimes he would attack ME for nothing at all. It was horrible. If his team won, well he was on cloud 9, and even would give me affection. But imagine what it was like for me, waiting to see how the game was going just to see if I would be loved or attacked that night. It was AWFUL. That's what made me hate sports.










....as I was reading this I started laughing out loud, that sounds quite insane to me...like MADNESS..... Geeze.... good thing he's your EX!! I've heard of men who take their sports pretty serious, but that downright sounds mental !



> *ScarletBegonias said*: I'm actually in bed with the dogs watching Jane Eyre while he's in the living room w a couple of his friends watching the game he keeps coming in and giving me kisses and love how can I be angry at that?


Sweet ~


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## ComicBookLady (Feb 28, 2012)

SimplyAmorous said:


> ....as I was reading this I started laughing out loud, that sounds quite insane to me...like MADNESS..... Geeze.... good thing he's your EX!! I've heard of men who take their sports pretty serious, but that downright sounds mental !


Haha! Yeah it was seriously mental, but at the time I was so young (19) I just didn't know better. I'm happy he's my EX too! :smthumbup:


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## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

k


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## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

Not going to a funeral to watch a game is the ultimate disrespect. Wow. I like watching football but that's inconceivable. Also acting like an idiot.

Yeah, it can go to extremes. I lived in Nebraska during the 90's when they were winning national championships. In college you lose one game and your chances of not being in the championship game are about 99%.

Well, the Huskers lost a game and a man in Omaha had a heart attack and had to be hospitalized. Gives new meaning to the term "get a life".

Sorry for the women here with some of those bizzare stories. I'd find those unacceptable too. But the same goes for women who go to extremes. To get down on a guy just for watching a game would be wrong too. There's lots of things my wife does I don't like (like those stupid essential oils parties) but I don't gripe about it. Well, I might gripe, but once I've said my piece I let it go. Women need to do the same.


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## Plan 9 from OS (Jul 13, 2012)

My wife used to not like football, but I don't think she ever begrudged me watching it. Then one day, she started to get into the NFL team for the area we were living in prior to our current residence. So she started to enjoy it more and sometimes she's more into the NFL than I am. I've never been a sports junkie, but I've regularly watched the NFL and college FB. The only two sports vices I had. As I get older, the need to watch FB on TV is growing less and less. And now with the DVR - I NEVER put FB first before my wife. Even when my team is on and I want to watch, I'll DVR it and do whatever activity my wife had her heart set on doing. In the end, I get a nice "reward" for being so considerate! . But, it so happens that this kinda relates to a thread I started on the marital sex forum. Here's a snippet of my post: 



> Just tonight I was feeling amorous. The super bowl was about to start and my wife, me and the daughters were all in the family room. I leave my la-z-boy, go sit on the couch with her and get the afghan and cover us up. We're half sitting and laying down on the couch covered up. I cozy up with her and gently caress her. I begin to explore some of her erogenous zones under the cover - the upper inner thighs, her behind, the small of her back, etc (but no crotch or breasts). Her breathing changes a little and I'm able to pull off the one handed bra unhooking move and play with her breasts. The whole time, we're chatting with the kids like nothing is going on. She slides her hand down my pants and begins to play with me. It starts getting a little hot (too hot), and we were lucky the kids were asking about "when is it our turn to watch TV?" questions. We use that to our advantage - proclaim how we're making this huge sacrifice to give up the TV to them - run upstairs, rip off our clothes and have some awesome sex (wife made one AWESOME "O-face" when she was riding me..). After I'm finished, we snuggle in bed together and watch the Super Bowl - (I LOVE my wife! ).


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## *LittleDeer* (Apr 19, 2012)

I am not worried about my SO watching sports, he never ever puts watching sports ahead of our relationship.

As long as I don't feel neglected, I don't mind at all, I just do something else while he watches it. 

I think it's people who no balance in things and their hobbies take over that have the problem.


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## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

I appreciate all the input - especially from the ladies and hearing their points of view. Even gave me some things to think about.

Well, no more football until August ...sigh.


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## SpunkySpunky (Dec 17, 2012)

I am appalled at some of these stories. I mean, I love my football and soccer but I never neglected people or my duties. Wow.


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## dormant (Apr 3, 2012)

I despise watching any kind of team sports on TV. My wife, however does like it but refrains because she knows I don’t like it. Last night, she watched some of the game, I chose to take a nap.

My disapproval is not restricted to TV though. The only games I will go to are when the grandkids are playing and even then I draw the line at football. I find it to be barbaric.

For me, sports bring up a deep rooted sore spot dealing with my father, when I was growing up.


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## K.C. (Dec 1, 2012)

I love sports and can and do watch just about anything.. if I have the time.

SO many other things have to take priority that I don't end up watching that much and even miss a lot of the games "my" team play. 

Early in my relationship I was full on with it, used to go to a lot of matches, even to the 2005 CL final which cost a fortune. I realised it was taking away from the time and money I had with my family though and moderated it heavily. Mrs.C never really complained that I recall but with a family that side of life becomes less important. The 2005 CL final remains the last game I actually attended in the flesh.

For 90 minutes when Liverpool play it is still massively important but the rest of the time I try to let it slide.


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## Vrs (Jan 23, 2013)

Yeah, that's real growth. The younger you are the less likely you are to get it. Sports, specifically football, used to be such a bigger part of my life. Now I enjoy watching the athleticism but it's importance isn't nearly what it used to be. In the past I'd actually let my teams loss spoil my day. Not any more, although I have to admit I like it when they win.


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## K.C. (Dec 1, 2012)

Heh, I am not quite there, If Liverpool lose I get a gob on. It is just a small part of my life now though rather than the huge part it was 10 years ago


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## sinnister (Dec 5, 2010)

Hope1964 said:


> Any woman who doesn't want her husband watching football TODAY should be thrown out the door.
> 
> However, if you're ignoring your wife for preseason games, you have a problem.
> 
> Football is like porn. Women need to be a lot more understanding than they often are about it, and men need to make sure they aren't neglecting their wives in favor of it.


You = awesome.


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## KeepLoveGrowing (Feb 1, 2013)

Football is fine with me. 

If he is watching a sports marathon taking up the whole weekend... I'd have a problem. If he's watching one or two games, especially if he is involving our son, then I'm happy for him and enjoy some me time.


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## hawx20 (Jan 10, 2013)

BrookeT said:


> I am so freaking glad I married a guy that could care less about football. "Men" who ignore thier family to watch a game aren't really men in my book.


Oh c'mon now, thats a bit harsh. How many women out there have there favorite shows that they watch and dont want to be disturbed while they are watching it?

I love football. Whats wrong with giving a man a few hours of one day a week to watch? Now if hes watching college football ALL day saturday, spends ALL day sunday watching the NFL, and then spends the entire monday night watching....well thats a different story and I can understand...For the 3 hours my team is playing, I dont want to be bothered except during commercials and halftime.


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## JCD (Sep 2, 2012)

BrookeT said:


> I am so freaking glad I married a guy that could care less about football. "Men" who ignore thier family to watch a game aren't really men in my book.


Is it 'ignore their family to watch a game' or is it 'has any outside interests outside the family.'

It's a passtime. It's a piece of their lives that isn't about the family.

Why are so many women threatened by 3 hours a week for a quarter of the year? (and I am NOT a sports fan)


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