Perhaps it’s this darn new Korean romantic comedy/drama kick I’m on. Or maybe it’s fallout from the lockout. Maybe it’s because of my Tressel broken heart and my alma mater’s embarrassing hot mess. All I know is for the first time in a long time, I’m not excited about football season.

Yesterday I watched probably 30 minutes of the Carolina Panthers preseason game against the New York Giants. I didn’t even stay long enough to catch Cam Newton’s first snap. Not since I first started really loving football have I avidly watched during preseason, so it could be my feelings are dormant until the real stuff begins.

This season feels unsettled to me–off-kilter. All the changes in rules and personnel. Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth on the Patriots? I know, I know, never question Bill Belichick. Roll it! But really, those two? Maybe I’m just cranky because the changes make me have to work harder if I wanna win  Fantasy Football and Pick ’em this year.  Seriously though, I really miss the days of team sports when the core team–the starters, the head coach, and stoic, reliable bench guy–were the team for at least a decade or until death do us part. Players, coaches, fans all married each other. Now it just seems a lot like love in our society where everything is so easily disposable. You don’t love him any more? Divorce. Better still, just start courting someone else publicly before you even have the divorce paperwork signed. Contract, vows, commitment and loyalty? Meh, only until the next pretty thing whispers warm words in the ear while stroking that enormous…errrr…ego. Never mind about the pieces of smashed hearts left on the turf. It’s on to the next one. (Right, Swizz Beatz?)

I hope this is just a lil speed bump in my relationship with football. Perhaps it’s the “7-year itch” of sports relationships. Although, when this happened with my NBA relationship after the lockout, I never really went back. I stopped watching two games a week and now start watching late into the playoffs. Occasionally, I’ll watch a regular season game or two. The fact that key games are now only shown on cable didn’t help the affair either since in the last decade I’ve had cable access sporadically.

Maybe all I need is for football to show me a little more affection. Something like a Vince Lombardi Trophy for one of my teams along with one of those ridiculously obscene rings. You can never go wrong bringing home shiny, ring bling to your lady.