Finally

When I was a kid, football season was time spent with Dad. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of my Dad explaining to me what clipping is, or how the yards to downs ratios were calculated. Dad's team has always been the Rams, no matter what city they happen to be residing in. My team was the New Orleans Saints. I choose them because they had a French connection and because I liked the colors. They looked menacing on the field. From their earliest years, however, the Saints were hardly menacing. Years of losing seasons, coaching changes and injuries brought no superbowl dreams. Most years, the Saints never even had a chance to make it into the playoffs. But this year, oh, THIS year. Win, then win, win again. Do I dare hope? Win again, win. WOW. The season finished 13 - 3. The three losses were at the end of the season, after the playoffs were assured. Then the playoffs. The right teams lost, the right teams won. YES. And the superbowl? YES! Go Saints. I will be your fan, win or lose. The winning seasons are sure fun!


On a side note, I have to add that James' team is the Minnesota Vikings. Always has been, since he was a kid, too. He and his Dad had the same at-the-knee football lessons, but, his carried him on to play the game and his high school team even took the state championship - the state of Texas, no less! Big football there in Texas. Anyway, his Vikings had a dream season, too, and the NFC divisional playoff (the game that decides which team goes to the superbowl) was between the Vikings and the Saints. We were rooting for opposing sides, but, we kept our heads and our rivalry, as well as our marriage, survived.