Yesterday prior to kickoff I found myself pacing in the living room. Back and forth I went in anticipation of another NFL season. And this was at 6 o’clock.
It seems so long ago that we watched meaningful football. Let’s face it, the Ravens haven’t played truly meaningful football since October of last year and the Orioles, well you know.
But now it’s time to lace up the cleats, buckle up the chin strap, pop in the mouthpiece and bring it on! This angst and this frustration have gone on far too long and in response to Hank Williams, Jr.’s song I say, “Oh you better believe it!”
My pacing was certainly an indication.
So I wondered how I might be around 12:50 on Sunday. Would I already be emotionally spent by then? If I’m pacing the living room hours before a Steelers’ game, what might I be doing prior to the kickoff of the Ravens’ season?
Hello Health Care Uniforms, Inc., I need a straight jacket size 41 please!
But back to the game last night, I must admit that I had butterflies as I watched that first kickoff tumble through the Pittsburgh sky. The NFL season is upon us – the most wonderful time of the year!
In our weekly staff predictions, I picked the Steelers despite the absence of Ben Roethlisberger. I’m not buying the Miami hype. I didn’t even pick them as a wild card team. I didn’t even pick the Steelers to make it to the post season dance. Instead I pulled out my homer card and picked the Ravens as a wild card team.
But last night I liked the Black and Yellow at least in a handicapping sense.
While watching the Steelers last night, I was impressed with three things, their coaching, their offensive line and of course Hines Ward.
How many teams could win with Charlie Batch? Just choke off the Steelers running game and force Batch into long third down situations and the turnovers will follow, right?
As you know that didn’t happen. Instead the Steelers despite the game’s ugliness, kept their serve and successfully defended their home turf as champions in Game 1.
Towards the end of the first half while down at the Countdown to Kickoff event at The Vault, I ventured outside, sat down in section 201 of the club level and watched the game on the Spectra Vision screen. I looked out at the sleepy field under the dim stadium lights. It looked perfect. It looked inviting and I wondered if somehow, someway the Ravens might host a nationally televised NFL opener there on Thursday September 6, 2007.
And then my thoughts drifted further down a purple path of delight….
How great would it be if the Ravens made it to the big show, the Super Bowl? Super Bowl XLI – yeah that’s the ticket! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…
Miami, uh-huh…South Beach, bringing the heat. Can y’all feel that? Can you feel it?
And how cool would it be if the opponent was the Washington Redskins and we smack them around the way we did the Giants in XXXV? Can y’all feel that? Are you with me?
And then afterwards, head down to Key West to continue the celebration. Ah yes, Sloppy Joe’s, Schooner Wharf Bar, Malory Square Sunsets and Irish Kevin’s. I came, I drank (from the Purple Kool Aid), and hopefully I’ll remember.
Suddenly a reaction to the game on the Spectra Vision snapped me out of my day dream of grandeur. TOUCHDOWN HINES WARD!
Boy what a reality check. Old Pumpkin Head was at it again and once again I wished he was a Raven.
And once again, I found myself pacing.
The NFL season is upon us…
One game at a time…
Are YOU ready?
