Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

Tonight has been an epic example of the old adage "Don't count your chickens before they hatch".  For the last 6 weeks the media and press of Denver have been on a constant drumbeat of discussing how the Denver Broncos were going to the NFL Superbowl this year.  That dream ended in the bitter cold of Sports Authority Field at Mile High this evening.   All the hype and hoopla concerning how great the Broncos were and how they were a lock to beat the Baltimore Ravens meant exactly nothing.  The Ravens demonstrated on the field that they were the better team today and that the Broncos season was at an end.

Here's a link to an article written by one of Denver's top sports writers that defines the viewpoint of many in Denver going into today's playoff game.  http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_22343829/mark-kiszla-ravens-not-exactly-cloud-nine-against.  After reading this article you can see how many in this city were thinking before the game.

Back in week 14 of the regular season I sat in front of my TV on a Sunday night watching the local newscast and was astounded when the sportscaster started talking about who the Broncos would likely face in the Superbowl.  Really?? I was utterly astounded by this premature line of thought when there were some really good teams in the running for the playoffs.  Denver is a city that seems to live and die by it's football team.  Why stir up such hopes and dreams when there is no reason for it?  You need to demonstrate you can win in the post-season before you should start making such predictions. 

Not being a Broncos fan, I felt that I had somewhat of an objective viewpoint on this game going in to it.  Listening to the sportscasters and media pundits talk about Peyton Manning and the game I realized they were missing one key point - Peyton Manning for all of his star power has been a failure in the post season.  Yes - he has won one Superbowl with Indianapolis at the end of the 2006 season, but in general he has done horrible in the playoffs.  If your team's goal is to win the Superbowl, Peyton Manning is not necessarily the quarterback to accomplish that goal.  In the aftermath of today's game there are articles being written that Manning's legacy in football is not going to be that of a champion but that of a disappointment.  See the following article in Manning's home town newspaper.  http://www.nola.com/superbowl/index.ssf/2013/01/peyton_manning_column.html

The bottom line is though Peyton Manning does great in the regular season he is not a big game super star like Tom Brady, Joe Montana or even his brother Eli.  Just as an example, his brother Eli's post season record is 8 - 3 with 2 Superbowl victories.  Going into today's game, Manning's post-season record was 9 - 10 with only one Superbowl victory which is not a particularly stellar statistic for someone of his star power.

Hopefully if the Broncos do well in the regular season next year this kind of hype and over the top expectations can be avoided.  From my personal perspective I certainly will be glad if I never hear the phrase "United in Orange" again!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.

It's Just A Game....

I make no bones about the fact that I am a Pittsburgh Steeler Football fan.  Teasing others about the fact that the Steelers have won more Super Bowls than other team is great fun.  However - it is just a game.  There is no purpose behind football other fun.  It isn't serious to me and I don't experience a great let down when my team loses.

On the other hand, I live in a city that seems to take it's football team very seriously.  Two weekend ago when the Broncos beat the Steelers I was amazed to read some of the posts people put on Facebook.  The one that threw me for a loop the most was made by someone who isn't even a friend of mine.  I look at his status updates for the humor of it.  (No he doesn't post funny status updates he just takes himself so seriously that his posts are humorous.)  This particular post the Monday after the Broncos won basically said that his life was so much better that day because the Broncos won on Sunday evening.  Yikes - that would be kind of depressing to me if football wins and losses effected me in that any.

My point in all of this is - don't take it so seriously folks.  Football is a game.  There is nothing intrinsically important about it.  When we put football players and coaches on a pedestal just because they can play a game well we end up with horrible things like the Penn State Football program and the coverup of crimes.  Or we end up with bad men who think they can do whatever they want.  There have been so many incidents of football players who do bad things and end up in trouble with the law.

It's enjoyable to sit down and watch a football game, I will not deny that.  But does it make sense for us for the owners and players to be paid the crazy salaries that they are paid?  Football is strictly an American sport - so does it make sense to have these kinds of salaries for a sport that no other country in the world understands?

Obviously I have an opinion on the questions that I have put out there, even if you don't agree with all my viewpoints, hopefully you can at least understand that it is just a game and it shouldn't sway your opinion of whether life is good or not.

As for me the Steelers lost the first game and then won their second game.  Frankly I didn't feel a whit of difference.  For me life is good and football doesn't play too much of a factor in it.

On a not good note, here is something that has made me feel not so good.  Bob - one of the family friends who visited us 2 weeks ago has taken ill and is currently in the hospital.  I don't have all the details of what is going on, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Thanks and peace to all! ~J.