EDITOR'S NOTE: 
THE EXTRA POINT

It's Not Just About the Game

After last week's inaugural issue, I got a piece of feedback that warmed my heart. A friend let me know the newsletter was not only entertaining, but that she also learned something. She went on to say she couldn't wait to have a conversation with her husband about it. 

I was happy to hear the positive feedback, but even happier to know that I shed light on a piece of the game for her and that she could share it with her honey. After all, that's my goal, to educate women about football. 

I believe that football isn't rocket science. I'm a woman who believes that women can do anything and understand anything. All we need is the opportunity. And I want to give women the opportunity to learn about football. 

But for me this is bigger than just football. I believe taking the time to learn about something the guys in your life are passionate about can impact your relationships with your fathers, husbands, boyfriends, and/or sons. 

Don't get me wrong. I want women to love the sport as much as I do, and I love the camaraderie I have with other women who love the game. 

But I've thought about why I love the game so much, and why I love this game more than basketball or baseball. And I came to one conclusion. I love this game because my daddy loves this game.

I can't say I was ever taught about football. I recall learning about baseball and basketball in Physical Education classes, but not football. I can't even say my father ever sat me down to teach me about it. At least, not that I recall.

But I do recall watching sports with my father every Sunday. In fact, some of my earliest childhood memories center around sitting with him to watch the Steelers beat up on everybody in the league. 

Sometime later I became a Cowboys fan, when they were "America's team." I had an affinity for the Raiders too, although it was brief. Eventually I settled on my beloved Bears. 

Despite my teams changing, there was one constant, I was on the couch with my daddy. Over the years, as my understanding of the game grew, so did our conversations about it.

I read the sports section everyday front to back, and I watched the games with him every week. Somehow it all started making sense to me. But it was those conversations with my dad, and that quality time spent yelling at the TV together, that stoked my passion for the game.

As I got older, and into clothes, makeup, and other girly things, general conversations with my father became awkward, except for on Sunday afternoons. We always had football. And no matter who I was dating, what skirt I wanted, and what color lipstick I had on, on Sunday I was still the girl who yelled at the TV with her daddy.

Now that I'm much older and on my own, it hasn't changed. We still have football. I might be yelling at the TV at my own home by myself (or on the phone with my sister every time Chicago's Devin Hester ones run back for a touchdown). But after the game is over, at some point during the week, my father and I I still talk football. 

So thank you Daddy for not treating me like a "girl" but rather like your "kid" (as you like to call us) and sharing your passion with me. 

And thank you also to all of you ladies (and men) who I now get to share my passion with, and especially to those of you who read this every week because you want to learn about the game so that you can share the passion of someone in your lives. 

Tricia D. Teague

Creator of Powder Puff Sundays™

FOR THE ROOKIE FAN

What Every Woman Needs to Know: How a Team Scores 

In many conversations with women over the years, there's one topic I've been asked about more than any other: scoring. 

Women ask me questions like, "How many points is a touchdown? What's it called when they kick the ball through the uprights?" You've got questions, I've got answers.

But I'm not just going to give you answers. I'm going to use a language universal to most, if not all women, to help crack the code that is football. It is the language of a favorite female activity: SHOPPING!

There are four ways a team can score points:

1. Touchdown
2. Point after touchdown (PAT)
3. Field goal
4. Safety

Touchdown

A touchdown is worth 6 points and is scored when a player takes the ball into the other team's end zone. This is the ultimate scoring play.

A touchdown is like the ultimate pair of shoes or the perfect handbag (depending on which floats your boat). If you're shopping to build an outfit, when the shoes or bag are perfect, you can build a whole outfit around them. After all, we're talking perfection. 

Point after touchdown (PAT)

After a touchdown is scored, the team gets the opportunity for bonus points. A team can choose to go for 1 point by kicking the ball through the uprights, or 2 points by taking the ball into the end zone again.

Extra points are like going to the register with a pair of earrings, and finding out that they are buy one and get the second pair free! Can you say BONUS!

Field Goal

A field goal is worth 3 points. The optimal goal is a touchdown. But in the event a team has exhausted its chances to get to the end zone, it can attempt to kick the ball through the uprights from its current location on the field to score 3 points.

If a touchdown is the perfect shoe or bag, then a field goal is the one you buy when you have to find something to go with your outfit and you're running out of options. It's not the perfect shoe or bag, but it will do.

 Safety

A safety is worth 2 points. Unlike the first three, it's the only way a team can score points without taking possession of the ball. A safety is typically scored by tackling a player with the ball inside his own end zone. 

Here's one way a safety can be analogous to shopping. Let's say you bought a dress at regular price and find out that it went on sale a week later for 30% off. A safety is like going back to the store for an adjustment. You might be wondering, how? 

In the shopping/football analogy you score when you buy enough of the four essential pieces (top, bottom, shoes, accessories) to score some outfits. The key to scoring in football, the majority of the time, is to have the ball, just as the key to scoring in shopping is to make a purchase. But when a team scores a safety, it doesn't have the ball, yet it still gets points. And in shopping, when you get an adjustment, you don't make a purchase. However, getting money back on a purchase you already made is like getting points when you don't have the ball. 

"How do I Use this to Impress My Guy?"

The obvious way to impress your guy is to watch a game with him and impress him with the correct terms, like field goal, instead of homerun or three-pointer. But there are other ways to impress him that will be beneficial to you too.

How about incorporating your football terms into your honey-do list. You could categorize your honey-dos into touchdowns, field goals, and extra points. That way he knows just how many points he scores with you when he takes care of something around the house.

But bear this in mind...once he starts conquering your honey-do list, be prepared to give him some "extra points" later. 

FOR THE VETERAN FAN

It Ain't Over Until the Fat Lady Sings

The are seven weeks left in the regular season, yet some NFL pundits are already declaring the 9-0 New England Patriots the kings of 2007. 

Here's my question: Do they have supersonic, dog-like hearing that allows them to pick up the sound of a fat lady singing that is inaudible to us mere humans? Haven't we been down this path before?

I've taken a look at the Patriots schedule. Like everyone else, I'm convinced that they have a chance of joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins in the record books and becoming the second team to go undefeated in the modern NFL era. But the key word here is CHANCE. 

It's funny how quickly the writers forget the 2005 Indianapolis Colts, who ran over everybody for their first 13 games, then lost two straight. 

The Colts went into the playoffs with the league's best record, and everybody thought they were destined for the Super Bowl. Everybody except the 6th-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat the Colts in a divisional playoff match-up and went on to win Super Bowl XL 21-10 over the Seattle Seahawks. 

I'll concede that the Patriots are probably a lock for the playoffs, and will more than likely have the best record this season. But the best record doesn't guarantee a championship.

 Only one of the last 10 Super Bowls has been won by the team with the best record. (Ironically, it was in 2004 when the Patriots beat Carolina 32-29.) So despite others' declarations, I'll wait until 9:30 EST on February 3 to declare the Super Bowl champion. After all, the game should be over by then.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What is a touchback?

Sent in by Deb G. in Lake Villa, IL.

A touchback typically occurs during a kickoff or a punt. It's not a play but rather a referee's ruling of a dead ball inside a team's own end zone. As a result, that team automatically gets the ball on its own 20-yard line to start its offense. 

Here are the typical kickoff or punting situations that result in a touchback: 

1. The receiving player catches the kickoff or punt in the end zone and "takes a knee" (literally going down on one knee)

2. The ball goes into the end zone without being touched by a player on either team. This only applies to a punt. 

3. The ball is touched by a player on the kicking team who is either in the end zone when he touched the ball or knocked the ball into the end zone. This only applies to a punt.

4. The ball goes into, then out of the back of the end zone. This only applies to a kickoff.  

There is another situation that results in a touchback, but it's much less common than the kickoff and punt return situations.

If a defensive player  intercepts a pass or recovers a fumble in the end zone, he can take a knee instead of running the ball out of the end zone. When this happens, the result is a touchback. 

If you have a question you always wanted to know the answer to, send an email to PPSquestions@comcast.net. 

GAS CARD CONTEST

Winning a gas card could be as easy as:
 1, 2, 3!

If you've ever entered contests before, you know most of them require filling out a long form, or taking a 30-minute survey, or some other long, drawn out activity.

Winning a tank of gas, (well, half a tank at today's prices) could happen for you in three easy steps:

1. Click on a link to send feedback or ask a question for question of the week.
2. Write your email based on your choice in item #1. 
3. Press send.

To send feedback, send mail to ppsfeedback@comcast.net. 

To ask a question for the question of the week, send mail with your name and home city to  ppsquestions@comcast.net. 

Everyone who submits a question for the question of the week, or who provides feedback via the feedback/suggestions email will automatically be entered into a random drawing for a $25 Gas card, to be awarded at the end of the season in the Pro Bowl issue (week of Feb. 10, 2008). 

Good luck!  

For official contest rules, click here or go to the contest rules at the bottom of the page.

ARE YOUR FRIENDS READY... 

...for Some Football?! 

You have friends you think are ready to learn about the game. You have other friends who already know and love football. You may have friends who don't really care about football but who might think this newsletter is cute.

Whatever way you categorize them, you can share this newsletter with them.

If you click this special email to a friend link (or the one at the bottom of the page), your friends will not only get this newsletter, but will have the option of subscribing for themselves. 

So please forward this newsletter to everyone who you know who you think is ready.

COMMENTS/
SUGGESTIONS

We Want Your Feedback 

We think you're important, and that your opinion is important. We cherish every piece of feedback that we receive.

You may be learning about football and looking forward to a particular topic being addressed in the rookie fan section. 

You might be a veteran fan, or even a football junkie, and you've got an opinion about something written in the veteran fan section. 

All feedback is good feedback. And we want to hear it. So let us have it by sending your feedback in an email to PPSfeedback@comcast.net. 

Past Issues of This Newsletter

This newsletter is distributed free of charge. If you are interested in receiving past issues, please send an email with "Past Issues" in the subject line to: 
PowderPuffSundays@comcast.net.

About Powder Puff Sundays

Powder Puff Sundays is an enterprise that seeks to educate women about football as well as allow female fans to enjoy the sport in a female-friendly environment. This is achieved through sponsored events, this newsletter, and a variety of other female-friendly activities.

If you are interesting in learning more information about PowderPuff Sundays, upcoming events, the company, or Tricia Teague, please contact us via email at: 
PowderPuffSundays@comcast.net.

Contest Terms and Conditions

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY VOID WHERE PROHIBITED 

The PowderPuff Sundays Subscription contest begins November 1, 2007 and ends on February 5, 2008. You may enter by sending feedback or questions for the PowderPuff Sundays email newsletter. One entry, per person and per email address.

PowderPuff Sundays ("Sponsor") reserves the right to disqualify any entries. Alternatively, in lieu of online entry, the Contest may be entered by sending a postcard marked "PowderPuff Sundays subscription Contest" to: 

Tricia Teague
PowderPuff Sundays Subscription Contest
P.O. Box 203
Waukegan, IL 60079 USA

Sponsor is not responsible for late, lost or misdirected mail. Contest open to anyone 18 years of age or older. Employees and immediate families (spouses and parents, siblings, children and each of their spouses) of Sponsor, its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, and any other company involved with the design, production, execution or distribution of the contest are not eligible to participate. The Winners release the Sponsor and each of its affiliates, officers, agents and employees from any responsibility or liability in connection with any loss, accident or death incurred in connection with the contest. The Sponsor does not make and is not responsible for any warranty (including fitness for particular purpose) or guarantee with regards to any prize or portion thereof. Each Winner hereby consents to the use of his or her name and/or likeness by the Sponsor for advertising purposes without additional compensation unless prohibited by law. The Winners may be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Publicity/Liability Release prior to receiving a prize. These must be returned within ten (10) days after notification. Failure to comply with the Official Rules may result in disqualification and the selection of an alternate. Any tax liability is solely the responsibility of each Winner and each Winner may be required to provide his or her social security number for tax purposes. All federal, state, local, municipal and provincial laws and regulations apply. SPONSOR SHALL BE DEEMED SOLE INTERPRETER OF THE RULES AND CONDITIONS. Prize is not exchangeable, transferable or redeemable for cash. By participating, entrants acknowledge and agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Sponsor are final. Void where prohibited by law. All entries become the property of the Sponsor, who may use such entries in its discretion, and will not be returned. To obtain the name of the prize Winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to "Winners," c/o PowderPuff Sundays Subscription Contest, P.O. Box 203, Waukegan, IL 60079 USA