By Sheri-Lee Norris/ campus editor

October in the U.S. means a daily onslaught of political surprises, but it also ushers in baseball and football surprises. First, emotions run high as baseball teams compete to see who will make the World Series. Then we have the actual World Series.

I understand baseball. I like it. A game in the Rangers’ stadium is fun on an early May evening ― before the Texas sun beats us to a pulp in August and 110 degrees. However, I don’t like watching it on TV. It’s not the same experience. It’s much different in real life — hanging out with friends, hearing the roar of the crowd, smelling hot dogs and popcorn and watching little children with their gloves trying to catch a fly ball. That is all lost on the flat screen in my living room.

As the World Series concludes, football season has that come-hither seduction call to many not already tuned in. Games run all day Saturday, Sunday and even Monday night. It’s as if the mythological Sirens have lured men, and they can’t stop themselves from watching three days in a row! Is it group hypnosis?

It’s sort of embarrassing to say I don’t really understand football, nor can I keep an eye on the ball. The fake-out always gets me.

So, when I’m there in person, I just cheer when those around me do.

But honestly, it doesn’t matter. If friends are going to a game in person or watching it on TV as a group, I will go for the party – not the game.

Good grief – football is more an onslaught to my senses than politics. A bunch of guys hitting each other and piling up over a ball makes me cringe. Is there someone alive or dead under that pile of 250-pound men? I wait for the stretcher to come out and haul some dead soul off the field every time.

Since my home has become a sports bar for the next four months, I’m going to catch up on Netflix, prepare the garden for winter and decorate for the holidays — with iPod earphones plugged as deep in my ears as I can get them.

Y’all have fun. I don’t mean to be a spoiler. If this brings you happiness, well – yea! In this stressed-out world, play is a distraction from life. Just don’t make me watch it – unless you have drinks and a good party.

Bring on the Super Bowl! Then I can get my home, TV and husband back for a few short weeks before it starts all over again with baseball.