My True Colors Patrick Stephen O'Connell

Walk into my room and you will immediately notice blue draped across the walls and blanketed over my bed. This is not just any tone of blue; it is the Tennessee Titans’ baby blue. My infatuation with the Titans took root during my childhood. Sitting just feet from the television as a six-year-old, I watched entranced as Texas prepared for their last chance to snatch a college football national championship away from USC. The Longhorn’s star-quarterback, Vince Young, scampered his way into the end zone to win not only a national championship but also my endearing loyalty to him, and his future NFL team.

In many ways, my life revolves around the Titans. During the seventeen-week NFL season, I schedule my weekends around the Titans’ game. To ensure that I have time to watch the Titans on Sunday, I spend most Saturdays in the library, a decision my friends jokingly tag as “cruel and unusual punishment”. To me, it is a no-brainer. These thrilling moments watching the game are my most prized hours of the week. My Titans’ fervor affects my mood for days after each game. After a victory, you can find me bursting with joy. Losses are another story as my parents discovered when they had to carry me away from the television in a frenzy to...