That Wasn't Supposed to Happen

'That,' of course, being the Patriots losing the Superbowl. I couldn't have anticipated the chasm that exists between 19-0 and 18-1, but it's there, and it's as wide as it is deep. But oh well, congratulations to all the Giants fans. They won that game in the most spectacular way, and as a Red Sox fan, I know what a great feeling that is, when it isn't supposed to happen but it does.

So I woke up this morning, dialed in the Slingbox to record the game, then set about trying very hard not to learn anything about the game its outcome for the rest of the day. There were a few close calls. My office neighbor, with whom I was planning to watch the game after work, nearly heard the results on the radio, on NPR of all places, but but managed to cut the volume before it was too late.

A little later on, in what would turn out to a be a fateful omen, friend/coworker/New Yorker Sheryl claimed to know the final score of the game, though she didn't give any clues as to how it turned out.

And then the closest call of all. I was returning to my office when I bumped into an older Japanese teacher. I had intended to take the stairs, but decided to jump into the elevator with him. He's a Yankees fan, so we've often had some banter back and forth. As soon as the elevator doors closed the first words out of his mouth were 'New England is very strong now.' I quickly urged him not to say anything more in that regard, and we turned to our usual elevator conversation about how cold/rainy/hot/sunny it is. Nevertheless, his comment had planted the seed of victory in my mind. Turns out he didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

So I made it through the day, and shortly after classes ended we had secured an empty classroom, hooked up the computer to the projector, and had our own private Superbowl party.



It's a shame that they turn off the heat in these classrooms as soon as classes end every day, because by the third quarter all three of us in attendance were dressed as if we were in the stands in Foxboro on a winter day.

I did something I rarely do regarding Boston sports teams: got cocky. Once the Pat's scored in the 4th quarter, I figured it was over. Sheryl had joined us. At one point she took a swig of water and started coughing.
'Choking,' I asked, 'Just like your team?' I was pretty proud of that one.
'Do the numbers 14-10 ring a bell?' I stupidly asked a few minutes later.

But then I started getting worried. There were two minutes left, the Patriots were winning, yet Sheryl was still there, claiming she 'wanted to see the end.' I was suspicious, for good reason. And even with 20 seconds left on the clock, I still clung to glimmer of hope, which was soon smothered completely.

So, there are quite a few people in the States who are pleased as punch that the Patriots lost. So congrats to all the haters, but more to the Giants and there fans. Now what is it, two weeks before pitchers and catchers report to spring training?

p.s. any other blogger users finding that the posting section has reverted back to the pre-beta version and the spell check no longer seems to work?