'Let's Do Helmets'
Three-year-old Ollie can tell you the names of all 32 NFL teams. We have 32 miniature helmets which are great fun.
I say, "Green Bay." He says, "Packers."
I say, "San Diego." He says, "Chargers." And so on.
Sometimes he'll say, "Let's do the birds." So I ask him to identify the nicknames for Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, Baltimore, and Arizona.
Then he'll say, "Let's do the [here he makes a menacing growling noise]." So we do Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago, Carolina, and Jacksonville.
We do the cowboys (Dallas and Buffalo) and the Indians (Kansas City and Washington).
We do the horses (Denver and Indianapolis).
We do the pirates (Tampa Bay and Oakland, the only team he says in a distinctive, intimidating sort of voice.)
In the latest twist, now he asks me to sing each team's fight song. I, of course, have no idea if NFL teams even have fight songs. But I have a few iconic fight-song melodies in my memory bank -- Michigan's, for example, and (alas) this one. Also the tune from Sooner High School in Bartlesville. (I can't use "Boomer Sooner" because Ollie knows that's not an NFL song.) So I just recycle those tunes and make up lyrics for teach NFL team as I go along.
Ollie thinks the whole thing is just swell.
I say, "Green Bay." He says, "Packers."I say, "San Diego." He says, "Chargers." And so on.
Sometimes he'll say, "Let's do the birds." So I ask him to identify the nicknames for Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, Baltimore, and Arizona.
Then he'll say, "Let's do the [here he makes a menacing growling noise]." So we do Detroit, Cincinnati, Chicago, Carolina, and Jacksonville.
We do the cowboys (Dallas and Buffalo) and the Indians (Kansas City and Washington).
We do the horses (Denver and Indianapolis).
We do the pirates (Tampa Bay and Oakland, the only team he says in a distinctive, intimidating sort of voice.)
In the latest twist, now he asks me to sing each team's fight song. I, of course, have no idea if NFL teams even have fight songs. But I have a few iconic fight-song melodies in my memory bank -- Michigan's, for example, and (alas) this one. Also the tune from Sooner High School in Bartlesville. (I can't use "Boomer Sooner" because Ollie knows that's not an NFL song.) So I just recycle those tunes and make up lyrics for teach NFL team as I go along.
Ollie thinks the whole thing is just swell.
