The beer's better now, and I don't miss football ...

... so why does it occur to me today?

Certain weekend warriors among us are fond of saying, “football is life speeded up.”

Conversely, I’d describe the pursuit and enjoyment of good beer as, “life slowed down.”

And, I previous lives, many Sundays were slowed down while watching football – though not always with the beer I’d prefer to drink now, in my current incarnation.

Still, I remember when autumn Sundays seemed truly meant for rest and relaxation, before home ownership and time-consuming hobbies like cycling transformed those previously placid days into work days ust like all the rest.

Even if the beer I tolerated then doesn’t pass my lips today, it’s pleasing to recall those aimless Sundays with friends, lounging in front of the tube, watching the afternoon’s games, and eating bottomless pots of chili.

Old habits are supplanted by new traditions, and so be it. Both have their place, but nostalgia remains what it is: Greatest hits collections of memories, with all the duds and bad parts – Monday morning hangovers, insipid cans of Coors, and raging indigestion – conveniently filtered out.