Daddy's Girl

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In 1997 our family moved from our small Austrian village outside of Vienna to the suburbs of Chicago where my dad began a PhD program in Intercultural Studies. I started junior high while my brother and sister attended the local elementary school.  My dad's program was demanding and took up most of his time.  One of his few respites was Monday Night Football.  Growing up, John Elway was a household name. My brother had his smile. My dad would watch tapes of games my grandpa would record for him. As a young girl, longing for her father's attention and approval, I struggled feeling like my dad was often either working, traveling, or watching football. When I was in 6th grade my Dad's beloved Broncos won their first Super Bowl in history and were looking strong once again as I started 7th grade. It was then that I decided I would either need to accept feeling ignored on Sunday and Monday nights or I would need to learn about football. I chose the latter. At this time, the Indianapolis Colts were the worst team in the NFL, and with my very limited understanding of fandom, I figured they needed fans. Little did I know that 1998 was the year that the Colts drafted future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who would come to leave an indelible mark on my life. Learning about the sport created a bond that my dad and I continue to share today.  One of my favorite memories of mine is leaving a voicemail for my dad at the same time as he was calling me to scream about the Colts last second comeback against the Patriots. Making the effort to learn about something that my dad was passionate about was one of the best decisions I had ever made.  Way back then I had no idea that 14 years later, Peyton Manning would sign with the Broncos, bringing my football journey all the way back home.

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