Oh, The Pain!

Fourth quarter. Around 2 minutes left. My team is down 27-24, stalled at midfield.

4th down & 10. This play decides the game. This play decides our season.

Garcia takes the snap, and right away there's a blitzing defender in has face, rushing up the middle. As he falls, he puts the ball up, and I hold my breath....

Caught!!! Hank Baskett, the undrafted rookie receiver, makes the diving catch for the first down!!!! [At this point I'm jumping up and down, going crazy...] But wait. I can't believe it:

A flag is down? A flag is down?? A flag, is down. What???

False start on Scott Young, and I want to murder myself. 4th & 15 now, but still do-able, right? RIGHT!!!!

I life my head from my hands to look at the TV. DIRK JOHNSON? What the heck is he doing on the field?? Dirk Johnson is the punter. We can't punt! We only have one timeout. If we punt it to them, we have to keep them from getting the first down, [highly unlikely seeing as the entire game their running back has been creaming us] forcing them to punt it back. Then we would have about 30 seconds to make it into field goal range, just to tie it.

Well, we punted.

And that was it. First down Saints, and the game is over. Our season is over. I love Andy Reid, [head coach] but that was the worst call of the year. Hands down.

27-24. I called that score before the game, except we had the 27! I must have jinxed it. No more calling scores from now on!

In all fairness, it had been a magical ride, for both teams. Last year's Saints, playing without a home due to Katrina, went 3-13. One of the worst teams in the league. This year, they played inspired football on the way to a 10-6 record and the second seed in the playoffs.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, was expected to be at the very least competitive. We started 4-1. Everything was happy. And then, unexplainably, we lost 5 of the next 6, and lost Donovan McNabb, the star quarterback, in the process. Hearts were gloomy in Philly, and almost anybody who said they still believed was lying. Nobody believed. I didn't believe.

And then came Jeff Garcia, the backup quarterback. The team rallied around him beautifully, and they won their last 5 straight to make it to 10-6 and the third seed in the playoffs. I was amazed, and to say it was a pleasant surprise wouldn't quite cut it!

They beat the New York Giants in the first game. 6 straight, 3 to go. And, well, I told you what happened. It was an excellent game as football games go, but the bitter taste of defeat lingers in my mouth, and will for a while. There's always next year, or so they say...

[So, you probably didn't know I was that into football, eh? Yes, its unhealthy at times. I shouldn't let myself be so emotionally involved in something as silly as a game. But...]

Right, so I'm going to say goodbye now.

Goodbye.