Most football fans
would consider having your adopted team go to the
Superbowl, a once in a lifetime event. Yes, there are
a few dynasties - but most of the football guys I
know, never see their team make it - and if they ever
do, it's literally their only shot of every being a
satisfied football fan for at least a
year...
...but
having your team play your best friend's
team in the Superbowl is absolutely
ridiculous. Especially considering said
teams were adopted 20 and 25 years ago and
it's the only teams we ever select when
playing videogames. (Please
watch
me
running a kickoff for 103 yards in our
online league in 2003)
So what once was
just "hoping our teams would be good, so we can play
our favorite teams in next year's Madden", is now 2
games away from fucking insanity. If this happens, I'm
hiring a film crew to film us watching this. Let me
give you a little insight for those casual sports
fans:
The Bears came out
of nowhere after a 1-3 start to reel off 8 in a row,
gain the #1 defense in the league, and secure the #2
seed in the NFC. The Steelers suffered injuries
mid-season, but got their star quarterback when it
mattered and they won 5 in a row including last week's
playoff win in Cincinnatti. A healthy Pittsburgh all
year would've given THEM the #2 seed, yet because of
the mid-season injuries they snuck in as #6 - but of
course now those seeds don't matter. 2 wins and you're
in.
Chicago is at home
against basically, the only team I didn't want them to
play: Carolina. Carolina was in the Superbowl a couple
years ago, and they are extremely streaky. Although we
beat them 13-3 in the regular season, they are much
better and I am absolutely nervous about today's
matchup. We should still win. Our defense is so
reminiscent of the Baltimore Ravens run in 2000 it's
spooky. An "ok" offense, with a
KILLER defense...and a quarterback that simply
knows how to "not screw up". If we win this game, I
believe we'll be in the superbowl. We match up
extremely well with Seattle (who're already in the NFC
Championship with a win today) and our momentum will
carry us.
Pittsburgh on the
other hand is facing the Colts in Indianapolis.
Everyone believes Indy will win and rightly so. They
went 13-0 before losing their first game (they then
rested their players the next 2 acquiring one more
loss) and they're the definition of perfect. They
should go to the Superbowl. They belong in the
Superbowl. One problem: They haven't had a meaningful
game in a month, and haven't had a meaningful WIN in
over that. They are rusty. They are shaky...and the
upset is in the air. The Steelers are on a huge 5 game
winnning streak and Roethlisberger (their quarterback)
is on FIRE. Indy doesn't want to play them. Basically,
this will be a game won or lost in the first quarter
at 1:30 PM today. If Indy scores quick and looks
good...it's over. If Pittsburgh trounces... we're in
for the upset of the last several years.
So the path is
set. Now let's add the destiny to this:
It just so happens
I'm going back to Columbus the first week of February.
Never even occured to me when I booked it last
monght that it was during the Superbowl. So Marty and
I will be able to watch this game together, which
hasn't been feasible since 1999. When I realized that,
this all just took on an air of destiny...
...but
realistically? The logical guy in me? It doesn't
matter who from the NFC goes to the superbowl
because the Colts are going to CREAM them. That's
common knowledge from a realist. As well, the Panthers
are more balanced than the Bears and will make Rex
Grossman (Bears QB) look like Eli did last week and
embarass the Bears at home. I do NOT have a good
feeling about ANY of the two games today and will
certainly be a nervous wreck for several
hours.
It's funny, most
fans are blind. They believe in their team with all of
their heart. I HOPE with all of my heart. I PRAY
with all of my heart. But, I'm not stupid. Like the
Cavs-Lakers game a couple nights ago. I turned to
Cassi and said - LeBron is going to miss one of these
free-throws to tie the game. When he made the first, I
said: "He will miss the next one, it's too much." And
he did. I'm a HUUUUUUUUUUGE LeBron fan, but as someone
who's seen game situations a MILLION times, you
just get a feeling. Doesn't make me any less of a fan,
and it doesn't mean I didn't PRAAAAAY that he
would make it... but my head knew.
So here's to the
heart. Because if the Steelers and Bears somehow pull
off their games today... we're both going to meet in
the Superbowl, and Marty and I are going to lose
are ever-lovin' minds. Not only will it be an event
for us - Superfan Ron is a Steelers fan, as seen in
his avatar from the boards:
...and my Uncle
David is a huge Steelers fan as well. Marty would have
plenty of support. I don't care, bring it on.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let my head be
wrong, and let our teams make it to the Championship
games next week.
