| Oh, lighten up! The wigs. The official NFL jerseys. | | | | a point of dressing 'differently.' Which meant not |
| The pig snouts. The strips and stripes and logos | | | | like their parents. But, she observed, they all |
| stenciled on face and abdomen. The Swiss cheese | | | | dressed exactly like each other! |
| hats. The Viking helmets. It's all just good, clean | | | | So, too, if you're tailgating in the parking lot, by |
| fun. Isn't it? | | | | your NFL jersey shall they know you. Instantly, |
| Well, maybe when you try to wash off those | | | | total strangers become long-lost friends. |
| blue and white stripes, not so clean. Better stick | | | | Okay. Depending on which NFL jersey you happen |
| with the NFL jersey. | | | | to be wearing. But that still makes half the people |
| Still, why go to all that trouble just to root for | | | | in the parking lot friends. And it's not as if you'll be |
| your favorite football team? Can't you have just | | | | going to war with the rest of them. Well, probably |
| as much fun in jeans and a T-shirt as you could | | | | not, anyway. |
| in, say, a Swiss cheese hat and an authentic | | | | That is, dressing in the NFL gear of your choice |
| Packers jersey? | | | | can create a sort of non-toxic difference. The |
| Maybe not. | | | | kind that usually allows both sides to have a drink |
| Consider this: the team itself is not satisfied to | | | | (coffee, tea, or Bud Light) with each other after |
| dress in jeans and a T-shirt. Granted, it helps to | | | | (or during) the game. |
| have a visual clue when you're trying to throw a | | | | And look: you're not going to get half of the world |
| pass. Or make a block. Keeps the passing to and | | | | to fall in love with the other half anyway. Not |
| blocking of the wrong team to a minimum. | | | | even on your best day. So if you can get at least |
| And that's the point: the team. By their uniforms | | | | a quarter of the spectators at any football game |
| ye shall know them. | | | | to become buddies with another quarter, well, |
| There's something to be said for the camaraderie | | | | you're half way toward, if not world peace, at |
| generated by dressing alike. When her kids were | | | | least a merrier football stadium. |
| teenagers, a friend of ours noted that they made | | | | Besides, it's fun. |