Page 16 - Harnett Life Fall 2019

Football & The Animal

By Dr. Janet Batker-
Kingdom Lillington Veterinary
Hospital & Boarding

Hello animal lovers, it’s football season again, and time to in their division. Tell me who could bet against the Saints
root for your favorite teams. I was musing about football, a as they breeze through? I do hope I get to eat my words on
sport that used to hold little interest for me-despite the fact that.
that I am a Nittany Lion and a member of the Wolfpack
nation by virtue of education, a Jaguar in high school and What if the Saints play the Patriots? Who is going to come
now a rabid (see what I did there) Carolina Panther fan. It’s out on top? I’m not sure if the Buffalo Bills are matched
really amazing how many teams are named after animals, against the Jaguars this year but the buffalo and the Jaguars
primarily predators. So, can we predict the outcome of the have been hunted almost to extinction, which makes that
contests based on names or on the food chain? I’m not sure, another fascinating match, depending on how many hungry
but it is an interesting game. Jaguars show up-or maybe where the contest takes place.
It is cold in Buffalo. There may be a mixed metaphor here,
A little recent history-the Rams played the Patriots in the a Bill is actually named for William Cody, who hunted the
Super Bowl and lost to the Patriots-I guess there’s no sheep buffalo. The Buffalo team was once named the Bisons,
big enough to take down a Patriot and it sounds downright perhaps they should have stuck with that! I hope the play-
un-American to root against the Patriots. How about the offs don’t end up without any animals involved, with the
Eagles versus the Patriots? The Eagles took them down in Steelers against the Vikings. Maybe this is the year of the
a high scoring battle. Our nation’s symbol clearly trumped Bengals and the Lions. Someone in the Animal Kingdom
the men of the American Revolution, perhaps because ea- must keep statistics on this. Enjoy comparing the matchups
gles have made a tremendous comeback more than once! based on names and have fun watching football; it’s a phys-
When the Broncos played the Panthers a few years ago ei- ical sport but clearly there is a lot of finesse and thought
ther those Panthers weren’t big enough or there were too that goes into game planning. And for anyone whoever
many Broncos defending the herd. The Saints are going yelled at a player “I could do that”, try playing with your
up against the Panthers, the Falcons and the Buccaneers family on the holidays.
Page 16 Harnett Life ~ Fall 2019