In the #Outlanderofferings clip, The Outlander cast plays “This or That?” from Outlander Starz, Tobias Menzies says, “American football versus our football?” in response to football or basketball.

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKgTa7WDH-s

I have called the game with a brown and white oval ball American football in a previous blog.  My son calls the sport that he plays with the big round black and white ball soccer.  It makes me wonder how I should refer to the different sports.

         

As a mother and part-time preschool teacher with a small amount of knowledge of PR, I multitask and integrate as much as possible.  I found myself at the Riverside Arts Market representing the Southern Women’s Show in October with my son.  (The Jacksonville 2015 show will be October 15^th-18^th.  For more information, go to http://southernshows.com/wja.)  I follow their Twitter account @SWSJacksonville for updates as well.

My son, who was wearing his Jacksonville Football Club jersey because we were going to his game directly following the market, happened to be standing next to me at the Southern Women’s Show table.  A very nice couple approached the table, and I prepared to give them information about the show.  The following conversation happened instead.

Nice man: Do you play football?

My son: soccer

Nice Man: football?

(My son looks at me questioningly)

Me: yes

Nice Man: Good for you!  I see your jersey.  What does it stand for?

My son: Jacksonville Football Club

Nice Man: (Showing us his hat) do you know about the Hull City Tigers?  They are playing Arsenal this week.  I’m sure you get a channel that will show the game, you should watch it. What position do you play?

My son: mostly defense

Nice Man:  (This is where I discovered just how seriously people in the UK take football.)  Keep playing…looking at me…it is so important that you support his playing.

Before I realize what he is doing; he takes out his wallet, and pulls out cash to make a donation to the JFC.  I thank him profusely, and explain that I can’t take his donation.  Because I suffer from Outlander Withdrawal, and have been striking up conversations with random people with accents, I ask him where he is from.  He and his wife are from England and are on holiday ending with a trip to Walt Disney World.

            

Now I am familiar with the Hull City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Fulham teams.  The owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shad Khan, is the owner of Fulham FC. Jacksonville also has a new soccer team, Jacksonville Armada FC.  The team’s web site, www.armadafc.com, refers to the game they are playing as “soccer”, so I will do so as well.  I am thrilled that I am learning so much as a result of watching Outlander and starting a blog.

I discovered Jacksonville has a rugby team, the Axemen.  The only things I know about Rugby, I learned from reading the Escape to New Zealand book series by Rosalind James.  I would recommend reading the series, it felt like I was actually in New Zealand while reading her books.  My travel wish list now includes trips to Scotland and New Zealand.

I still have questions.  My son is playing flag football during the winter.  It is non-tackle American football.  Players wear a belt with flags.  The defensive team removes the flags of the ball carrier.  I’m not sure what you would call that in the UK.  I also wonder what people think when the Jacksonville Jaguars play in London.

I really should have had my husband write this blog.  ESPN is on 24/7 at our house between my husband and son.  My husband is playing in a fantasy football league this season, so not only is the TV on, but he has commandeered our lap top.  I walked in the family room this afternoon, and asked, “Are you using the lap top?  I am thinking about working on a blog post.”  He says, “Can you give me 10 minutes?  The Fulham game will be over then and the lap top will be all yours.”

We have 14 weeks until April 4^th.  I realized that the deadline for registration for Jacksonville Football Club for the recreational and developmental leagues is January 31, 2015 for spring.  Football and soccer games and practices should help to take my mind off of my Outlander Withdrawal.

Here is a list of Twitter accounts that I follow mentioned in this blog:

@RAMJacksonville – Riverside Arts Market Jacksonville

@SWSJacksonville – SWS Jacksonville

@JaguarsUK – Jaguars UK

@jaxaxemen – Jacksonville Axeman

@FulhamFC – Fulham Football Club

@JaxArmadaFC – Jacksonville Armada FC

@Outlander_Starz – Outlander

Thanks so much for reading!  Please let me know if you have any answers to my questions.

J Mc

inspiredbyoutlander@gmail.com

@OutlanderI