Musings on the Pats, Tim Thomas Blowing Off the White House

If you are a TRUE hard core New England Patriots football fan, you must be pinching yourself this week. Lord knows I've had to stop a few times during the week and think..."Wait are we really in the Super Bowl? And more importantly, are we really playing the New York Giants again? Really?" Well we all know the answer to that. The answer is Yes. Yes we are.

It all seems like a blur to me. But here's what I do recall one week ago today.

I can distinctly remember standing in front of Tony Berardini's large plasma TV... I know that my son Max was standing to my left. Tony had left the room in disgust, Johnny Sav was to my right and behind me. Max and I were both standing facing the screen. Gino and Gil were blasting out over the speaker system. We watch the game in HD, but listen to Gino and Gil. Tony has it all synced up. If you are a real hardcore Pats fan, you know that Gino and Gil are the true broadcasters for the team. They know the team better than all the other talking boneheads out there put together.

Gino and Gil are the voices of the Patriots.

The Ravens had just blown a go ahead TD (that honestly could of gone either way). But a no name defender named Sterling Moore broke up the play that Lee Evans should of caught. Should of, could of, would of. The Ravens were looking at a chip shot field goal that would tie the game and send it into overtime and who the hell knows. The field goal attempt was a gimme. A kick that most kickers make 99 out of 100 times. It was basically a PAT (point after attempt).

You and I could kick the thing through the uprights, it's that easy.

We were all surrendered to this simple and basic fact. The game will go into OT, and the momentum, will once again shift to the Black and Blue Ravens. I looked over at Max as the kicker Billy Cundiff quickly marked off his pace. "You don't think for a moment that he's going to miss this do you?" Max looked over at me and said "Dad stranger things have happened..." and no sooner did his words leave his mouth when Cundiff's foot hit the ball and we all watched as the ball went up and then arced to the left. By the time it went past the outer post he was at least 10 yards off the mark. He hooked it. That's when all hell broke out.

Things were fuzzy and blurry from that point on. There were lots of high fives. Hugs. Cell phones ringing. You know, the disbelief and relief had all come pouring out. We were all physically drained. I do not know how that is possible but it's true. It's as if we had somehow played in the game. Or part of it. But we were all emotionally empty. Damn that was a close one.

I thought about two friends of mine who I sometimes envy. They both hate sports.

One is a surfer, the other is a veteran buddy of mine who owns his own business. They both could care less about any organized sport. They despise all sports. I mean, not even a fake fair weather interest. Their lives are devoid of all sporting events. The surfer is always reminding me of how he scores perfect empty surf when the big games are on TV. He has some serious disparaging remarks about those of us who enjoy sports. He claims we are wasting away on the couch watching hours of mindless games. Especially football. Claiming they are all rich overpaid athletes, who could care less about the game.

And while he may have a point or two, I am just as quick to point out to him what he's missing by not participating in the watching.

"You are depriving yourself the absolute euphoria, and pure unrivaled joy, when your team wins, and you are watching the game with other like minded sports fans. The friendships and camaraderie that we all share is missing from your life. And, you also are missing the utter despair and disgust you feel when your team loses. That depression, and sick to your stomach feeling you have for days on end when your team loses..."

Wait, did I just write that? You see, this is why I envy him.

I guess he may have a valid point. After all, those of you who know me well enough, know that I still carry that 2007 Patriots 18-1 season bone lodged in my throat. And I'm afraid it is stuck there for an eternity. You know what I'm talking about. You Patriots fans. The perfect season. Spoiled by the same New York Giants we are facing this next Sunday. Oh the horror of that day still lives in my subconscious. Like some bad dream that we can never dislodge.

It is as I said. A bone lodged in our collective throats. Not to be removed for the rest of time. Unless... dare I say it my friends? Unless, we get that monkey off our backs by beating the New York Giants on Superbowl Sunday. If that were to happen? A Heimlich will be performed on all the Patriots fans all over the world.It will be the undisputed biggest and loudest Heimlich ever performed on the planet. We will all have that 2007 bone dislodged from our throats.

The bad dream will be over. The dark clouds will part and our sun will shine again. We will be able to breathe freely once again. If they win. And I believe they will. I do not believe we will witness the same insanity we saw back in 2007.

The helmet catch. I mean you have got to be kidding me?

That won't happen again. Believe me. That kind of bizarre wacky football juju is not going to happen this time around. It will not happen twice. Eli Manning might be lucky, but he's not that lucky enough to pull this kind of BS off again. Besides, he's already had this year's miracle catch when they played Green Bay, and he tossed that Hail mary pass up into the end zone right before the half and they came down with the ball. That's all the luck they have this year. That's it.

No sir, I think we can all expect a very exciting Superbowl. And I know that 90 percent of the people I know will be into this game. Regardless of who's playing. I know my two buddies who are anti sports won't be watching. That's OK. There will be no highs or lows with them come next Sunday. No, it will just be another day to them. My veteran buddy will be watching the History channel, and my surfing buddy will be scoring waves out on the West Coast. And good for them.

And all you Patriots fans... well, this could be Ring No. 4, and won't that be great? Getting that 2007 bone out of our throats once and for all. And look I know some of you are secretly asking... "But Ralph what if they lose?" Well I thought about that... and well... there will be another bone stuck in there. 2007 and 2011.

Seven eleven. But I'm not going there. I'm going positive. But just in case... that's what the mantra is all about... you know,

"Surfing Heals ALL Wounds..." GO PATRIOTS!



Now for some of my Weekly Global Observances:

I don't want to sound like a holier than thou KNOW-IT-ALL. But Tim Thomas you blow off a chance to visit the White House and meet the president because of your political views? Dude You have got to be kidding me? This is for your team Tim. Not you. Your team. The BOSTON BRUINS. Suck it up Tim. Man you caused more problems and directed more negative feelings than anything else this year. That was stupid Tim. STUPID and childish. I did not vote for Obama but he's the president. RESPECT The Office. Respect the President of the United States of America. You fool. Speaking of politics, I heard that Newt Gingrich during the last debate say if he were president he would have a colony on the Moon with some 13,000 people living on it. WTF??? Our economy is in the tank, people NEED jobs and Newt is talking about spending BILLIONS to start a colony on the freaking moon?? WTF???? Somebody put that chimpanzee in a space capsule and shoot his ass off to the moon so he can look for some real estate up there to start his colony. Newt's World.

Mitt Romney must be smiling today.

Speaking of losers, and I'm sorry if this offends anyone (not really) but this needs to be addressed. Joe Paterno's fans and followers last week? WTF??? That man knowingly let his assistant rape and molest young boys for 9 years! NINE YEARS! Hey Joe Pa you have got to be kidding us right? See this is why he should of retired back when he was sane enough and smart enough. You could of had the legacy you "would have" had. Instead you ENABLED a sick pedophile to commit these awful crimes. Joe face it, the last 9 years you were a stupid old man, who made some stupid decisions. Now you are facing the one thing you can't hide from. An opponent you can't beat. GOD. Good luck Joe, better dress light, though, I think it's going to be warm where your headed.

Finally, how AWESOME are our NAVY SEALS? Are you kidding me?

The Hostage rescue last week was something right out of the movies. Jumping 11,000 feet out of an airplane, at night, and humping a few miles on foot, and then systematically dispatching 9 scrawny ass somali pirates without losing a single man, and MOST importantly, not losing a single hostage. SEAL Team Six. Glad they are on our side. They are the same SEALS that took out Osama Bin Laden last May. This is the future warfare. Special OPS and Drones. If I were a terrorist or a Pirate, I'd sleep with one eye open...and I'd be looking at the Help Wanted Ads .

GO PATRIOTS...a Nation of fans are behind you.

REST IN PEACE Grandma Parker...my wife's grandmother who passed away on Saturday January 28th, 2012. Mildred Parker was 93 years young from Morris Illinois. She was a wonderful woman, and a loving mother to Judith and her siblings, and an absolute sweetheart of a Grandmother to Cory and I...and she was so thoughtful to her great grandchildren. I will miss her cookies that she sent every Christmas and Easter. And her long hand written letters. She was a beautiful and loving person. And she is finally home with her husband and in the Kingdom of God...

Rest In Peace Grandma Parker, we all loved you dearly.