楊淑媛

The National Football League （NFL） is a professional2 American football league with 32 teams in. How does one choose which team to support？ Some people choose the team of their hometowns， or where they now live， or the team that their parents or their friends follow.

美國國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟（NFL）是美國職業(yè)橄欖球聯(lián)賽之一，共有32支球隊。人們怎么選擇來支持哪一個隊呢？一些人選擇自己家鄉(xiāng)的球隊，或者他們現(xiàn)在居住地的球隊，或者他們的父母或朋友支持的球隊。

A boy student from Oklahoma wrote a letter to each of the owners or presidents of the 32 NFL teams. He would see what answers he got， and then choose his team.

一位來自俄克拉荷馬州的男學(xué)生給國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟的32個球隊的所有者或者會長各寫了一封信。他想通過這些隊的回復(fù)來選擇自己支持哪一個球隊。

Bill was home from school， sick. It was the week before Christmas. He was “kind of bored” and needed something to do. So he asked his parents if he could write to every professional football team. Bill wrote 32 letters by hand.

比爾從學(xué)校回家的時候，不小心生病了。這是圣誕節(jié)前的一周。他“有點無聊”，需要找點事情做。因此，他問他的父母他是否可以給每一個職業(yè)橄欖球隊寫一份信。接著，比爾手寫了32封信。

“We werent quite sure what we could get back. He didnt really have one team that he wanted to hear from.” his mother said. “He just wanted to see what kind of reply hed get.”

他的母親說：“我們不太確定我們能收到什么回復(fù)。他不知道他希望收到哪個隊的回復(fù)，他只是想看看他會得到什么樣的答復(fù)?！?/p>

A letter to the Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson was one of those posted. Bill wrote in his letter， “My family and I love football. They are fans of different teams. But I dont have a team to cheer for yet. I am ready to pick an NFL team to cheer for lifetime！”

寫給卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊的老板杰瑞·理查森的信也是寄出的信件之一。比爾在信中寫道：“我的家人和我都喜歡橄欖球。他們是不同球隊的球迷。但是我還沒有選好一個讓我為之歡呼的球隊。我準備挑選一個國家橄欖球聯(lián)盟的球隊來讓我一生為之喝彩！”

A few weeks later， Bills mother was pulling into her driveway when a delivery man arrived with a box from the Panthers. When Bill came home， he opened the box excitedly. Inside he found a signed Carolina Panthers helmet3 as well as a handwritten4 note from Jerry.

幾周后，比爾的母親正在路邊停車的時候，一位快遞員送來了一個來自卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊的盒子。比爾回家后，興奮地打開盒子。他在盒子里找到了一個有簽名的卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊的頭盔以及杰瑞的一封親筆信。

The team owner had written to Bill， “We would be honored if our Carolina Panthers became your team. We would make you proud of your joining us.”

這位球隊的負責(zé)人給比爾回信說：“如果卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊成為你支持的球隊，我們將感到很榮幸。我們也會讓你為你的加入而感到驕傲的?！?/p>

Bill was overjoyed with what he got. He decided that from then on he would support the Panthers. He keeps the letter from Jerry in his bedroom. His mother says， “Its not the helmet they sent us. Its what they told us.” That is what mattered to Bill and why he chose to become a Panthers fan.

比爾看到這些后欣喜若狂。他決定從此將支持卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊。他把杰瑞的信一直珍藏在他的臥室里。他的媽媽說：“不是因為他們送的頭盔。而是因為他們通過頭盔告訴我們了些東西?！边@就是比爾在乎的東西，也是他為什么選擇成為卡羅琳娜美洲豹隊球迷的原因。

Notes：

1. panther [] n. 豹；黑豹；美洲豹

2. professional [] adj. 專業(yè)的；職業(yè)的；職業(yè)性的

3. helmet [] n. 頭盔

4. handwritten [] adj. 手寫的