Go Bama!

Tonight is the night -- the BIG bowl game between Alabama and Texas, two top-ranked teams. It's been hyped for a long time, so fans all around the world will be rooting for their chosen team.

Me? I will probably watch the action awhile. It's not that I'm a kill-joy ... I just don't know how to follow it all. One thing I do understand is this: The object of the game is to run the ball to your end zone and make a touchdown -- lots of them! And to kick the ball between the goal posts for that all-important extra point. This is called a field goal.

Are you impressed yet? I am amazed I've remember this much! Oh yeah, I do remember that the one who runs with the ball is supposed to avoid the big guys who want to knock him down to the ground. Beyond that, I'm basically ignorant.

As many times as my husband has tried to explain it to me, I still don't get the "first down, fourth down, etc." Neither do I understand why -- when I've finally figured out which team is which and where their end zone is -- they insist on switching places at half time to confuse me.

I certainly don't grasp the concept of guys running and jumping up to bump chests so hard they fall backwards. Of the tradition of "piling on" when someone is down. Once he's held down by a guy the size of a Sherman-tank, why do other players keep jumping on the pile? One of these days, they're all going to stand up (except the guy on the bottom), and look down in horror to discover they squished the one on the bottom flatter than a pancake.

We've also gone over the player positions many times, but for the life of me, I can't remember what a tight-end or a fullback is supposed to be. Sounds too much like personal descriptions of different body parts to me! Ah, well ... I just watch and listen and try to learn, but it's looking pretty hopeless.

So ... I'm counting on Jason Cody to help his Nana sort all this out. After all, he's started out learning football, so he'll have the advantage. He watches the games with his Daddy and seems to be just as "into" it as the big guys. I do know he can stick with it far longer than I can! In the photo here, he's as intent on the game as he is on his thumb... and that's saying a lot.

So tune in your TV at 7 p.m. tonight, even though the game doesn't actually start then. There will be lots of pre-game hype and a lot of talk about Coach Nick Saban and the way he's shaped the Alabama team.

I'm sure our first Heisman trophy winner, Mark Ingram, will also be discussed a lot, but that's okay - he's made history and we're proud of his game, his attitude and his humility.

Back to Jason Cody. We bought this "Lil' Bama" cap for him and the Bama "hoodie." I can only imagine what it's like in their part of Virginia tonight. The BIG GAME is just hours away!

Instead of nursery songs, my grandson will be hearing the Alabama Fight Song, which is his Daddy's ring-tone. I figure he and his Daddy have on their "team shirts" and are geared up for an evening of football. Me, too. Sorta. ROLL, TIDE!!