For those of you who know me, you know I am a big Ohio State fan.  Growing up in Ohio, football is just a part of what you do, and in my family, Ohio State football is what you do.  I married into a Penn State football family.  Jon grew up in State College, PA, and despite leaving for college in Maryland, bleeds blue and white.

Since we got married, this weekend in the fall (Ohio State vs. Penn State) has been both filled with fun, and heartache for one of us.  Luckily as we have aged, we get less worked up about it…until we had kids.  Both of us have been on the pursuit of our children’s loyalty to our team since the day we brought Katharine home from the hospital (New Years Day) to a bowl game extravaganza where they were in different bowl games and both were victorious.

So this morning, as we watch College Game Day and the pre-game highlights come on, I realize that I have lost.  Katharine says to Jon, “Dad, is Ohio State better than Penn State?”  To his dismay, he answers, “This year they are Katharine.  And, last year.”  Trying to hold back, I sit with a thought….not just those two years darling.  Since we got married, Ohio State as come out victorious 9 of the 12 years….hoping to add number 10 this evening.  My hope was that Katharine would say, “Go Buckeyes!”  Instead, she states emphatically, “Dad, we are going to have to cheer really hard tonight.”  Matthew, following anything his older sister does, just nods yes.  As the morning progressed, she even got to requesting the Penn State fight song be played for her.

So, despite winning the battles most years, it appears like I have lost the war.