Commentary by Patrick McCormick
9/12/2010
I don’t watch a lot of sports on the tube anymore, but I still enjoy a football game now and then. I grew up in Chicago and used to love the Bears. My father had a small bar and restaurant; I would go there to watch the games. It was a lot of fun. I knew all of his customers; many were my friends. It was a great way to kill a Sunday.
I moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 1993 and started watching Buccaneer football games. They were worse than the Bears; it was just like being home. Then, as if by magic and a lot like the Bears, they won a Super Bowl. To my amazement, they did the same thing the Bears did and promptly broke up their championship team. They have been getting progressively worse each season. It's been a terrible disappointment.
Somehow, I survived a succession of dry years watching what I call, “Rope-a-dope-football”, one dumb play after another. They could not score many points, but they wanted to play defensively. How many times can you run the ball up the middle of the field and not gain any yards. You would think the coaches would try a different play. No, they would just keep running the same play until they fumbled the ball.
I would throw my chips across the room. I’d kick the dog and holler at my kid. Finally, after having my emotions twisted with torment and frustration, I would turn off the television and leave the room. Chug a beer, have a shot, pace around the house; invariably I would go back and turn the TV on again. God I love the game.
Well it’s Sunday; the season opener. The Buccaneers are playing the Browns at home and there is nothing on my “Honey do List”. I am ready for some football. Got my chips and dip and some cold beer. I even have some brats for the grill. Anxious, I plop down onto the couch to watch the pregame baloney; just like millions of other football bums. I’m drinking a beer and starting to feel pretty good… and then I hear it; No! At first I don't believe it...I get on the internet and check it out. It's true!
The game is blacked out! Those morons couldn’t sell enough tickets; now what. I threw my chips across the room. God, I hate this game!
I felt the same way you did Pat. Our own local team, and we can't even watch them on TV. It's because they change the players so often now, we have no idea who the players are now a days. The team has gotten so bad since the Super Bowl win, no one wants or can afford to buy tickets to the game, so they are blacked out. It sucks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Mary...I was fried...nothing to do yesterday...wanted to watch the game. so seldom do. God, I hate football.
ReplyDeletePat