Monday, December 29, 2008

When The Football Gods Smile

Family Christmas Dinner 2008

On the Saturday after Christmas, it has been a long-standing family tradition that our entire clan... great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, and cousins... meet over one relative's house and enjoy a huge meal together. It's like a winter family reunion. We basically have each household to bring a dish (or something to complete the meal) and crowd into someone's house to eat and catch up on each other's lives. We used to have a pollyanna for the "kids" in the family and it was temporarily suspended when those same "kids" grew up and became adults. Now that our family has gotten even larger with the addition of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the pollyanna is gonna be reinstated (smile).

The women usually handle most of the food preparation and the watching of small children, while the teenagers and young adults compare cell phones, I-pods, text messages, and what have you. The men often gather in the living room and debate about what else... football! What? You thought I was going to say the economy? The fact that we have a new president and he's black? Well yeah, we did talk about that for a minute but, what brings all of us together from ages 25 to 65 is football.

My brother and I used to sit and listen to our father and uncles have this century old debate when we were kids. When we were about 20-21 years old, they actually let us into the discussions for about a comment or two because nobody really cared what we had to say. Now, we are the "men" and we are the ones knowingly laughing when our sons and nephews enter the debate. But, today's "kids" have more to bring to the table than either I or my cousins had when we were "coming of age" to be allowed into these conversations.

My cousin's 27 year old son has a Blackberry that gave him instant scores and records of all of the teams we were discussing. My other cousin's 24 year old son went on his laptop and pulled up the records of the Eagles and all of the teams in the NFC. With knowledge and technology like that, you just have to let the youngins into the debate. They got the facts cold. Technology be damned, nobody can know what the outcome of a day will be.

Almost all of us agreed that the Philadelphia Eagles would not be going to the playoffs this year. Mind you, we didn't doubt that they might have enough skill to beat the Dallas Cowboys yesterday but, in order for us to be anything more than spoilers, Tampa Bay had to lose to the Oakland Raiders (impossible) and the Giants had to lose to the Vikings (not likely). We all unanimously agreed (a family first) that combination of losses would not happen and whether the Eagles won or lost, they had no business going to the playoffs anyway.

Further, to back up what we said, all of the sportscasters on ESPN said the same thing! You know me by now... I'm the devil's advocate and the Maverick of all bloggers. So, I said... "What if? What if everything plays out exactly as we need it. Then what?" (I gotta make it interesting.) I was greeted with laughs and jeers by everyone involved in the conversation.

Yesterday's results:

Oakland Raiders 31
Tampa Bay Bucs 24

Minnesota Vikings 20
New York Giants 19

Philadelphia Eagles 44
Dallas Cowboys 6

Ahem! Who's laughing now? Did I call that one or what? Somewhere in the great beyond, my grandfather, father, and uncles are scratching their heads and smiling. I doubt that they drink beer in heaven but, they are toasting me with "milk and honey" or whatever they drink.

We're going to the playoffs, baby!

SmileyCentral.com

(P.S. I did make one misstep... I predicted that the Detroit Lions would win their last game and not go 0-16... they lost. Can't win 'em all.)

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you enjoyed Xmas!!! Welcome back!!:)

Darius T. Williams said...

So, I take it you like football, eh?

Keith said...

@Reggie- Hey Reggie, thanks.Hope your Holiday was good also.

@Darius- Yup, all day!

Anonymous said...

Yesterday was a great day for us Eagles Fans Keith..Toni and I were actually at the game..it was a great feeling!

Anonymous said...

GO EAGLES!!!LoLOLOLOL!!!

Anonymous said...

It was a great Football Day-I'm as
shocked as you were Keith!lololol

Anonymous said...

When I lived in Jamaica and The U.K. We got like this over Soccer!,Only it was a National thing,rather than a regional.

Anonymous said...

Hey..My Falcons won yesterday too!
Congrats to you guys in Philly!!

Anonymous said...

Didn't catch any of the games yesterday..I was drinking some wine and listening to A Tribe Called Quest and some early Native tongues Hip Hop...just loungin-lolol.

Anonymous said...

Had to love it-Go Eagles-lololol!!!

Anonymous said...

Glad you enjoyed yourself at your Family Christmas Dinner Keith.

Anonymous said...

The only thing I like about football is the players uniforms and tight butts..lololol.

Anonymous said...

Lolololol...I saw the game yesterday,I'm hoarse from all of the screaming.

Anonymous said...

I'm just finishing your story on "Escapades"....Deep..Glad you had a nice time at your family reunion..That's a great idea to do it around Christmas.

Anonymous said...

E A G L E S- EAGlES!!!!!lolololol
I was at the game too!

Strongblkwmn said...

I'm a football fanatic. Go Giants! I always prepare my food the night before so that I can watch the games.

My family did breakfast this year and it was great. It's our new family tradition. We had a really good time.

Anonymous said...

I knew the game was over at halftime. That's when I took a nap and woke up to see the score, 44 to 3 and seeing T.O. looking long face on the bench.

I miss BIG family gatherings. We don't have them as much b/c alot of family are all over.

Anonymous said...

Lovely Picture collage!... I'm mad you almost said SIKE like yo all were going to talk about anything other than football

Kofi Bofah said...

Eagles spanked the Cowboys.

I know that Philadelphia was going crazy.

Are the Eagles now 'the team that nobody wants to play?'

Keith, admit it. You guys got lucky.

C'mon.
The Bucs lost to the Raiders - at home?
The Bears lose to the Texans with a playoff spot on the line?

Anything goes this season - besides the Lions losing...

Keith said...

@Kofi- Oh Most definitely we got lucky..No way That combonation of events was supposed to happen.




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