The Patriots’ loss to the Jets affected me wayyyy more than it should have. I pretty much went into internet and sportsradio lockdown – and as regular readers may have noticed, I didn’t even want to write here last week. I was pretty miserable.
The worst part about a Patriots loss (for me) is that after a loss, the following week seems so much longer. Last week was no exception. It was probably one of the “longest” weeks of the year from my point of view. An ex-coworker of mine used to say that he could always tell if the Patriots won or lost by the demeanor of the office on Monday mornings. I fit right in with that theory.
(And just as a friendly Truth About Mike warning, weeks after Patriots losses probably won’t have many blog entries.)
After the loss to the Jets, Sunday’s game against the Falcons took on an even greater importance. Exacerbating the situation was the fact that I wasn’t able to watch or attend the game due to a conflict with a family function. Furthermore, my mother is in town from Ohio this week. I hardly get to see her and spending all day at the Patriots game probably wasn’t the best way to spend the limited time that she is here. All that said – it is probably the last time I am ever missing a home Patriots game in September or October (the best weather for football viewing) due to a family function – it is just too hard for me.
(And yes, again, I know I have a problem and this is not “normal” behavior.)
My brother (who is as twisted as I am) and I devised a plan to not hear the score until after the function. Our plan was to record the game and try our best to avoid any chance of hearing a score or update. Then, we could watch the game when we got home almost as if we were watching it live. In this day and age of unlimited text messaging, smartphones and ubiqutious WiFi, this is much easier said than done. After a more extensive/longer than I will ever admit to “strategy session,” our plan was to:
A) Turn off our cellphones until we watched game to avoid any calls or texts with potential score updates. We were betting/hoping that no emergencies would happen.
B) Not listen to the radio on the way to or from the family function. CDs were ok to listen to.
C) Send out a “no updates please” warning text to anyone who would be at the function that may be apt to mention the score.
D) Tell people at the function not to give us updates in a what-seems-like-joking-but-really-serious manner. Annnd lastly….
E) Send his fiancee into the restaurant before entering so she could scope out if there was a TV inside or not. If so, we could plan our entrance accordingly.
Again, even with all the preparation, this task was much easier said than done. Each time someone mentioned the Patriots, I would cringe and try to focus on something else. We even had one of those Fever Pitch type moments when we both covered our ears when we thought a person was about to mention the score.
Our plan went off mostly without a hitch. The only mishap was when John heard the Falcons score from someone, but not the Patriots score. Thankfully, I wasn’t paying attention. Other than that small incident, we were able to have a great time at the family function and we didn’t hear the score. The plan worked and we watched the game when we got home almost as if we were watching it live.
The best part?
The Patriots won the game, thus saving us from another week of dread.
Saturday, I was in Napanoch, NY. Napanoch is a sleepy town nestled in the middle of the Catskill Mountains. It is the type of place where you pump before you pay and not vice versa. Even though I hadn’t been back there in about ten years, not much has changed; It was almost exactly as I remember it. Interestingly enough, Napanoch is the same town where Plaxico Burress is being jailed.
The reason I was there was to attend a memorial mass for my uncle who passed away in April. Growing up, my family made many trips to Napanoch for family visits. It is a place that was part of my childhood and I’ve spent many hours in the car making the Napanoch to Pleasantville drive, and vice versa.
During the final stretch of the drive, I was amazed at how many memories came rushing back into my head. As a young boy, I would see the signs for towns like Kerhonkson and Wawarsing and I’d know that the journey was almost over. Back then, the 3.5 hour drive felt like an eternity.
Each of the senses was affected during my visit: The sight of the mountains off in the distance, the smell of the church I hadn’t been in for over twenty-five years, the feel of the couches in my aunt’s basement and the sound of the river that runs under Route 209. All familiar in their own ways and all the same. Everything old was new again.
Being back there also made me realize how much has changed in my life since I was there last. There have been new arrivals and departures within the circle of people I hold close. Napanoch also has undergone some changes of its own. The Grand Union market is now a Stewart’s and the sign outside the Twist King while still there, is old and faded.
It’s funny how familiar places can rekindle suppressed emotions and memories. The amount of time that passes between visits doesn’t matter at all. These places remind us not only where we have been, but also help us remember who we are, and how we got there.
One of my favorite things in life is to watch a master at his craft.
In my travels, I’ve been fortunate enough to see many of these folks: Pedro in Fenway on a hot summer night, Jordan making the hearts of an arena full of Clevelanders flutter, Tiger nailing a 15 foot putt before an erupting gallery, the hush that falls over Lambeau as Favre enters, a younger Billy Joel simultaneously tickling the ivorys and dropping jaws, and of course Brady in the snow or the Superdome for that matter.
I always wonder what it is like to be on top of your game, on top of the world for one moment in time. It must be the best feeling in the world knowing that you do something better than anyone else can; You’re at the top of your game and nobody can touch you. Last night, I witnessed another virtuoso wielding his skill like a Jedi Knight with a lightsaber.
I’ve been to a lot of concerts. For my money, nobody epitomizes the term “rock star” like Bono. I’m not the biggest U2 fan. I certainly like their music, but wouldn’t go out of my way to go to a show. I would however, go out of my way to watch someone like Bono do his thing.
If you looked up the term “rock star” in the dictionary, there should be a picture like the one below: The trademark glasses, smooth look and of course the sound that can move the soul. Last night, he rocked 60,000+ people of all ages. He made them sing, sway and dance in unison. “Stuck in a moment,” he thrust himself upon the consciousness of everyone around him.
For that moment, nothing else mattered but what he said and sang.
1- I think I stole this blog idea from Peter King. I don’t care because writer’s block has struck again.
2- I think I hate the term “meme” and I’m never using it again.
3- I think in life, we come across more than one person who could be our soulmate. I’m putting the number at around 5.
4- I think @people who use #Twitter symbols in their #Facebook status look like idiots.
5- I think that even though I am all over the internet (this blog, Facebook, message boards, Twitter), I still am a very private person.
6- I think I am wayyyyy beyond excited for my dinner plans on Tuesday.
7- I think I learned a great lesson last night in Fenway Park. A drunken seat neighbor told be that if you lose your digital camera, the waterproof case becomes useless. Outstanding tip.
8- I think “Glee” is the best new show on TV.
9- I think that Rex Ryan (head coach of the NY Jets) is more obsessed with the Patriots than I am.
The Buffalo Bills score (what seems like) a game-clinching touchdown to take a 24-13 lead. The Blade deflates and many fans stream towards the exits. The Bills had played valiantly and seemingly had ruined the return of the 2007 NFL MVP.
Patriots fans are a fickle lot. Due to their success, the bandwagon has been overloaded with Johnny-Come-Latelys. Everyone loves a winner and the NFL team of the decade is no exception. However, it is a price of success that I will gladly play.
As for the four people in Seats 1-4 in Row 1 of Section 325, there was no talk of leaving. We’ve seen it too many times. As long as #12 is on your sideline, you always have a chance – even down 11 points with 5:32 left in the game.
After that Bills touchdown, the ESPN cameras cut to Tom Brady who was seen rallying his troops. According to Randy Moss, Brady entered the huddle and told his team they were going to win. Brady believed his team still had a chance. He had this belief even though he and his team were very sluggish during most of the game.
The 2009 Patriots are a work in progress. There have been many departures of familiar faces and many arrivals of not-so-familiar ones. Even the most optimistic of Patriots supporters (Hi! My name is Mike.) conceded that it would take time for this team to gel. There will be growing pains for this team, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Over the next two drives, Brady cooly and calmly lived up to his words. He went 12-14 for 112 yards and two touchdowns to snatch victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat. He lead his team to a 25-24 victory after he told them he would. There aren’t many people who can talk-the-talk then walk-the-walk like the way Brady did last night.
He was magical. With a surgeon’s precision, he carved the Bills defense. The throw to Ben Watson for the game winner was simply perfect. It was right in the soft middle of the Bills cover-2 defense on the back shoulder of his receiver. It was textbook, and was the exact throw he needed to make.
The stadium exploded and it almost literally shook. My cell phone blew up with texts. Random people hugged and high-fived from the seats to the concourse to the streets to the parking lots. Football season had officially begun in New England and the Patriots were 1-0.
Today is probably the most anticipated day of the year for me. Last season, we went to the opener with all the hope, promise and excitement of a new season. All of that hope ended minutes into the game when Tom Brady went down. Thanks to Matt Cassel, it was still one hell of a ride – but for the wrong reasons.
Tonight, the fun begins for all the right reasons. The best player in the NFL is back and if I were a fan of any other team, I would be hoping he gets hurt again. It really is the only thing that will stop the Patriots from being in Miami on February 7th.
On SoSH, there have been a series of threads called GOAT threads. GOAT stands for “Greatest of All Time.” They have been pretty interesting to read and have ranged over many different sports. I think when he is done with his career, Tom Brady will be the GOAT at the quarterback position.
Amazingly, I’ve gotten a ton of traffic from google on my post on 9/11 last year. This already has been the busiest day of the week here (before my post!). Even though it was 8 years ago, September 11, 2001 is very much in people’s minds.
I’m so proud to be an American. I live in the greatest country in the world and owe it all to the many men and women who have made great sacrifices. They made these sacrifices (sometimes the ultimate sacrifice) in the name of the hope, dream and idea otherwise known as:
America.
Have a great weekend everyone. Make the most of every day!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Congrats to Michele and Sanjiv for the hatching of their new daughter, Mackenzie!
It’s the mostttt wonderful time of the yearrrrrr….
The national pastime is back! The only bad thing about the NFL being back is that the season will be over soon. The NFL is the best run league on the planet. Every team has a chance today and every game matters.
