Superbowl XLVI - Deja Vu All Over Again

I sat through this once before.  No, I am not speaking of a Giants/Pats Superbowl (while we all did), I am talking about a heart-wrenching Championship series/match-up between the "big brother" from New York and they arch enemy (yes, ARCH enemy).  It was the Phillies/Yankees World Series. 

As a die hard Mets fan, the Phillies were the d-bag division rivals whose fans have a propensity to be jerkoffs (generally - and when I say generally, I mean it, I am not trying to brand all Phillies fans as anything, I am merely going on observation.... I will say that at each game there were ALWAYS pockets of fans who were fun, good natured, and decent people); the Yankees were the big-headed boys up the block.  I related it to having to choose to root for the neighborhood bully, or that jerkface cousin down the (Jersey) 'pike who we had to see a few times a year who would always walk up to you and poke you in the eye.  For no reason at all.

I said there was no way I could root for either team in the Series.  There was too much bad blood (like hatred for a bigger, more successful, older family member who you want to throw the turkey at over Thanksgiving dinner) with the Yanks; the Phils were bona fide enemies - no way in hell that was happening.  Short of wishing an asteroid would hit the field and destroy 'em both, there was nothing much I could do but just watch.  And enjoy the game of baseball.

Now, there are those people who say, "you are from New York, you should root for the New York team." No.  I'm sorry.  It doesn't work that way for Mets/Jets/Bills fans or fans of a team in a particular area with more than one regional team in any sport (Chicago, or Florida, or California).  If we want to root for a New York team other than the Mets, we would root for the Dodgers or the Giants before the Yankees (yes, our California defectors are both in the National League, and the Yanks are American League, but you get my point).  You shouldn't dislike a team because of where they are from, and you shouldn't like a team solely because where they are from.  I am from Long Island; I am an Islanders fan.  Just because NYC is the love of my life and I lived in Newark, doesn't mean I should like the Rangers or Devils, respectively, because of their location.

Now, specifically back to the event at hand:

While the Giants have not held on to the "big brother" or "neighborhood bully" title continuously for decades like their baseball kin, I am starting to feel that way.  It only came on this season, really. A bit burned and jealous about my Jets? Sure.  But it was more than that.  At the Christmas Eve game, there were ALOT of nasty hate-filled Giants fan.  One tried to throw down with me as we were leaving the stadium.  Really?  Please.  I sat next to a few Giants fans who I had only met that day - we had fun, ribbed each other for crappy plays, etc. All in good fun - just like when I go to Mets/Yankees games.  But, there was just something DIFFERENT this time around.  

Anyway.  As with the Phillies, there is no way in hell I could root for the Patriots.  They are that jerkface cousin down the (Mass) 'pike who like to spit in your Cheerios just because they can.  Not to mention, they are led by the devil who doesn't own a complete shirt with original sleeves.

And, it is so hard to deal with a team that is not your own, owning your sport in your own backyard.  Heartwrenching.  Something I have gotten used to over these many a years.

So, after all that.  I am merely looking forward to a good football game.  It will be high scoring - 2 QBs playing at their best, playing indoors, a Pats team with a horrible secondary - so I look forward to some fun plays.  I am going to enjoy the game -- I won't high five when a particular team scores (or doesn't).  I will celebrate great plays.  I will enjoy the game of football.