Sunday, January 20, 2008

Time Out for American Football


Just finished watching the New York Giants defeat the Green Bay Packers in overtime in the NFC championship game, 23-20. It was a hell of a contest in frigid conditions, the guys looking like bulls in a frozen pasture. I feel bad for my parents, going for Bret Favre and the Packers, but there you have it. Sports.

Over a lifetime, the teams I've rallied to: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants (and Washington Redskins as a little kid way back in the day -- dropped once we moved to North Carolina, after coming to hate their quarterbacks); always loved the entire Black and Blue Division: Minnesota Vikings (if you want to talk about heartbreak in sports. . .), Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions; and finally, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Colts under Johnny Unitas.

Teams I've never liked: Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots. Loathe them is more like it. . . . .


Bart Starr of the Green Bay Packers back in the day. Old school.


Johnny Unitas was cool. Got to meet him once (actually ran into him at a Philadelphia Eagles game). I also met Roger Staubach of the Cowboys, a friend of my Dad's who gave a pep talk at my high school. He was sincere and straight up. I was a linebacker and guard on a terrible team that needed a lot more bigger players to be competitive. We never found them while I was there . . .

Today's Rune: Warrior.

6 comments:

Generalissimo (Dictator) for life said...

I knew this game would come down to the Packs screwing up badly.

The Redskins were awesome when they were owned by Uncle Duke in Doonesbury.

Charles Gramlich said...

The Dallas cowboys are the only team I've consistently hated. I liked Miami in the Csonka/Kick days, but not now. I'm fairly neutral about the pats. I was really pulling for Green Bay though. I've disliked New York at times in the past, but like them now, just not as much as Green bay. I was particularly sorry that NY won off a Favre mistake.

Johnny Yen said...

I grew up in Chicago and was a Bears fan, but always rooted (in vain, of course) for the Vikings whenever they made it to the Superbowl. Ironic, since I ended up married to a Minnesotan.

The Cowboys are the only team I actively hate.

Generalissimo (Dictator) for life said...

I hate the Cowboys and Packers, because I'm from Chicago.

Lana Gramlich said...

I never liked the Cowboys, either. Seems like lots of folks don't like them, actually. Kind of strange, that. I wonder what the psychology behind it might reveal.
Although I'm not a Giants fan I had to appreciate the win, being a native NYer & all...

Johnny Yen said...

You instinctively hate a team that calls itself "God's Team."