Image credit: dehooks / 123RF Stock Photo
It’s Super Bowl weekend. This year is especially exciting because my team is in. I’ve been a fan of the Seattle Seahawks ever since watching Steve Largent catch his 100th touchdown pass in 1989.
My wife gets it but she doesn’t get into it like I do.
In most marriages one partner is a bigger sports fan than the other. Most of the time us guys are more into sports than our wife. Relax, I know it’s a stereotype. I have heard of wives that like sports more than their husband, I just haven’t met many.
Guys, have you ever noticed your wife is not even watching the game? The Lombardi trophy is on the line and your wife is not even in a room with a TV? Weird, right?
The Super Bowl is the biggest and greatest sports event of the entire year, a national holiday full of football violence, finger food, and funny commercials. As great as the Super Bowl is, it can lead to issues with the ladies. Actually, it’s not football’s fault, it’s yours. Guys, we can get absorbed when watching football, especially the Super Bowl. Saying something damaging to your spouse when watching football is way too easy. If you don’t pay attention your carelessness will cause an injury in your marriage.
If you want to have the best Super Bowl experience I have two tips.
Invite her in. It’s ok, she’s not going to ruin anything. Act like you notice her and invite her to watch the Super Bowl with you. Just because she doesn’t have the entire roster memorized doesn’t mean she has no interest. Let her in on the fun, tell her what gets you pumped about the game. Even if she doesn’t get into the game as much as you, it’s likely she will love getting to share it with you. After all, she is into you. Share what you are excited about and she will get excited too. Sharing excitement makes for an exciting marriage.
Ladies: When you take some interest in the game, your husband will feel you are interested in him. When your husband feels interesting to you, he tends to respond more lovingly.
Let her not care. Don’t force her to care as much as you. It may not make sense to you. Get over it. When you notice she isn’t even watching the game or when she makes a comment like “I missed it, what did the umpire say?” Don’t shame her for not caring as much as you. She isn’t rejecting you.
Ladies: Express your preferences kindly. It’s easy for us guys to get our love of sports intertwined with our identity. When you criticize football, you could be criticizing his identity. Tell your husband you love him and you are going to do something else. Same rule applies, don’t shame him for loving a silly violent game.
These two tips are equally important to remember in all sports seasons. The Super Bowl is only one day of an entire year of sports. Husbands are also occasionally known to have interests other than sports. Hunting seasons can bring dramatic division in marriages. Boats, dogs, motorcycles, computers, running, whatever activities interest him can either damage or improve the connection in your marriage.
How will you make this weekend a super opportunity to connect with your spouse?