I'm Done With Football

The sun has set on my football fanhood. I just cannot do it anymore. You can only touch a hot stove once before you know it's hot and will burn you. To continue to touch that stove is plain stupid. Well, I am very stupid then. I continue you to root for teams that lose when I NEED them to win. No, I don't have money riding on these games. It is for pure emotional fanhood that I cheer, stress, agonize over games in hopes that the team I am rooting for wins.

Case in point, I watched in agony as the Sooners lost to the Gators a few weeks back. I don't want to go into detail about the pain that was in my heart.

Last weekend, I watched the Cardinals and Eagles go down to the wire. I wanted the Cards to win because I want Edgerrin James to get a ring. No, not every African-American wanted Donovan McNabb to get his first Super Bowl ring this past Sunday. The game was going great for my nerves until the second half. Then Arizona decided to play like shit on a stick. I found myself extremely nervous and agitated with every single play. I wasn't relaxed until the game was actually over. I was enraged when Darnell Dockett recovered the Eagles lateral attempt and tried to take it back to the house. Thankfully no miracles took place and the Cards won.

Onto the next game, the Ravens were the clear underdog and had very little chance of winning this game. But little chance is still better than no chance. The play that changed the game was not Troy Polamalu's interception return for a touchdown. It was Ravens backup CB Frank Walker's lack of a interception that allowed Pittsburgh to keep the ball on 4th down and kick a field goal to go up 9 points. The ball hit Walker between the 4 and the 1 on his jersey and he dropped it. No, Limas Sweed didn't break it up. It was a ball that a man who earned 1.9 million dollars this year with a 1.25 million dollar signing bonus should have caught! If he intercepts that pass, and the Ravens still score on the next drive as they did in the game, the score is 14-13 Ravens up. (Don't let me get started on Asante Samuel's dropped interception in the Super Bowl last year. He picks it off, Pats win, I'm a happy guy. Instead he drops it, bolts for the Eagles, and I'm not so happy guy. I'm still bitter about Asante dippin' to the Eagles also. I understand you have to get that money, but it was a happy team. I'm an Asante fan by the way, die-hard too, but damn he didn't have to jump ship, did he?)

Anyways, Pittsburgh is a good team, but they only rushed for 52 yards in the entire game, and QB Ben Roethlisberger had a 48% completion percentage. I have a funny feeling that if Walker picks off that pass, the Ravens win the game. Rex Ryan, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs vs. Ben Roethlisberger's 48% completion percentage with 3:43 left in the 3rd Quarter and without his goto guy Hines Ward who was injured in the 2nd Qtr. I'll take the Ravens all day long.

I was crushed that the Ravens lost, and driven to near death by the Sooners defeat. I will admit I am pulling for Edgerrin James and the Cardinals to win this Super Bowl. If they don't? I don't know if my heart can take it. I am seriously considering giving up sports. The loses are not good on my young heart. I can only imagine how Bob Stoops or Marv Levy must feel. These loses have made me understand what it is like to be a coach and the toll it takes. I think I'll steer my kids away from sports or else I'll be a crazy father much like Jeff Xavier's brother Jonathan.



I know good and well I'll go off the deep end at least once in my lifetime when I have children and they are playing sports. Nevertheless, I do not celebrate Lent, but my church always commits to a fast for 40 days. Maybe I'll give up sports all together.

Peace out,

Ricky Writer