Let the season begin….

If there is one thing Americans are relatively modest about, it’s our sports teams. The Olympics, for example, are always a popular, but never fanatical, success. We go, we cheer passionately, we make sure we come home with the most medals (or at the very least more than China), we produce a few athletic starlets, and then we come home, safe and secure in our international athletic dominance. This of course isn’t to say that we aren’t fiercely proud of our athletes and the years of hard work and dedication they put toward their sports. The Fab Five are certified angels, our women’s soccer have won hearts on and off the field, our basketball boys have continued resoundingly demolishing the international competition and at the end of the day none of us are complaining. It’s just that, on a whole, compared to our northern neighbor’s borderline terrifying pride in their hockey teams, our transatlantic friends’ unfathomable loyalty to their soccer teams, and our southern neighbors’ who have actually started wars over the aforementioned sport, Americans enjoy a successful, but comparatively subdued feeling towards our teams.
Football is the exception.
The Canadian riots that take place at the conclusion of every Stanley Cup and the Brit’s unfailing loyalty to their soccer teams that, well, aren’t that good, all utterly pale in comparison to violent and undying allegiance Americans have toward their football teams. The dedicators typically fall into one of three categories: the casual but loyal fan, the fan who has made football a certified study and knows the statistics and trade history of every NFL player of importance, and the ‘die-hard heaven forbid you ever utter a single derogatory statement about their favorite team lest you risk having your lights punched out’ fan. (No exaggeration, I’ve actually seen grown adults get into physical altercations inside their place of business over football teams.) It doesn’t even matter how good or bad the team is – they can be the absolute worst team in the entire league – but if you get on the wrong side of a die-hard fan, you should never expect anything less than getting the stuffing beaten out of you in the dead of night and your car getting totaled via sledgehammer. (You think I’m joking? I assure you, my metaphors are quite tame compared to what actually happen to some poor unfortunate souls.) Believe you me, the shenanigans that goes on during Eastern European soccer matches is child’s play to veteran football fans, and from what I’ve seen in the news recently, that’s saying something.
September 5^th officially started this year’s football season, and the whole shebang won’t be over until February 3, 2013 with Super Bowl XLVII (47). Since we’re in the very beginning of the regular season, that coveted cup is up for grabs and it’s literally anyone’s game at this point (depending on who you ask). With all these new hopefuls arriving on the field this season, it’s only reasonable that you add a whole new lineup to your writing repertoire. The first player on the green is the Lamy 2000 Brushed Stainless Steel Fountain Pen. A staggering amount of manufacturing skills and precision levels were required to create this timeless design using only one material: stainless steel. After extensive processing and designing, the Lamy 2000’s finished product possesses a high-end, velvet, matt brushed body. Its seamless, partially hand-finished surface is shaped to provide the optimum in form and function. For those of you who want a little more color, Sheaffer and Scuderia Ferrari are proud to present the Sheaffer Ferrari 100 Rollerball Pen. Its sleek, bold design features either a fire red or midnight black body with silver-colored rings and accents. At the highest level of quality, each pen proudly displays the Ferrari emblem upon the cap and the renowned “White Dot” of excellence on the clip. Each instrument reflects the same profound passion, extraordinary talent and incredible expertise that drives the Ferrari company. (I will refrain from making an awful pun.) The last, but most certainly not least, player up for grabs is the Monteverde Poquito Stylus XL Ballpoint Pen. This pen has been redesigned with a consideration for convenience, practicability and stylish new colors. The soft rubber stylus is as responsive as fingers on a touch screen, but offers better accuracy and leaves no fingerprints. The piece is compatible with smart phones, tables, GPS, E-readers as well as public ATMS and airport kiosks. With colors ranging from Graphie Grey to violet to turquoise, this is a universal gift that any techie would love to have.
Whether it’s the aforementioned gems or one of the many others who have just arrived from the factory, you need to make sure you’re looking sharp this season. Your favorite teams certainly are, and how would it look if you didn’t represent them accordingly? So get your pens, get your jersey, get your giant foam finger, and get yourself to a TV, ‘cause this thing only comes once a year and it’s something you certainly don’t want to miss.