It's just a game.

A tail of two afternoons yesterday.  I camped out at the house, watching my beloved New England Patriots go down in flame, while my wife went out to what was supposed to be a '1950's themed Tea Party Bridal Shower'. 

I'm going to come out and say that I don't know if there is a less important thing than football that a LOT of people(not just freaks like me) allow to have a serious impact on their mental state.  I still remember back in the 2007 season, when the Patriots went 18-1.  I was watching the Superbowl at home, and it was late in the game when David Tyree made the fatefull 'Helmet Catch'.  My wife, who had been paying minimal attention to the game(I think she had been crafting in a different room) picked that minute to walk in and ask me how the game was going.

I yelled at her.  I think it was something stupid about how that catch wouldn't have been made if she hadn't walked in to the room with her negatives vibes.  Yeah...yelled at me wife over a game.  To her credit, she just turned around and walked out of the room, and waited until later to discuss the issue with me, but...I yelled at my wife over a game. 

You know how my life would have been better if the Patriots won in 2007(or last night)?  I would have been able to go to work and give a little grief to fellow sports fans instead of taking some grief.  That's it.  It's a game.  Yes, it's a billion dollar business, but it's also a game. 

I take it better now.  That 2007 Superbowl was probably the worst I've ever been...but I still spent most of the 2nd half in a funk yesterday, as the game got away from New England.  However...I still smiled at my daughters when they came into the room to give me a hug.  I didn't throw anything.  Most important, when my wife came home from her bridal shower with 10 minutes in the game, and New England falling short...she got a hug, a kiss, and a smile. 

I was going to say that my wife makes a pretty fair consolation prize...but let's face it...even if the Patriots had won, the Lombardi Trophy wasn't going to come home and smile at me.