Passion

Passionate fan base

So the Iggles are in the Super Bowl and ARG has been nuts about them ever since they made the playoffs.  She buried herself in a blanket the last 4 plays of the Atlanta game, literally telling me and the Wife, "I can't watch, just tell me what happens!"  I was like, "don't you want to see this, babe?" and she was like, "I can't, Daddy!!!"  Impressive.  A microcosm of this city right now, really.  The local news spent the first 15 minutes of the broadcast on it, then another segment during sports.

LB, Jr., on the other hand, has declared he doesn't care who wins, even going so far as making a Patriots flag, then hiding from his mother somewhere in the house - as of this writing, I don't think she knows it exists, much less where it is.  This is smart of him, since the world's biggest mama's boy would probably be disowned if she found it.

Anyhow, I'm not here to regale you on the latest around here.  I'm here to talk about another topic that has been on my mind early in 2018...


Watching ARG's emotional future for the next week buried in a blanket as Atlanta promptly blew that game against the Eagles reminded me how important it is for people to care about things.  I don't mean "care" as in, I care if the mail shows up today.  I mean care as in like, you're investing part of your soul into it.  That sounds a bit dramatic, maybe, but hey, if you don't believe me, listen to the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Exceptions to the rule

I went on a week-long Facebook blackout right after Charlottesville went down because I just couldn't take it much more.  That blackout is now on its 5th month.  My only exceptions have been keeping up with Mojo and family's adventures in Belgium and anything Team RWB related.  Not only do I not miss it, but it's had me focused on the things I care about much more.  I text or call now, not scour the social media.  I'm focused on friends, family, positive hobbies, and, strangely enough, not so much on work.

I started noticing this was going beyond myself towards the end of 2017.  It was like the entire world needed a break and reason to be happy and celebrate.  It feels like it's carried over into 2018.  I know our little world here in NJ has been pretty cool the last couple months, even with every possible flu bug and virus making it's way through the area.  I sense people are happier for one another, showing just a little more empathy.  Not that we all didn't care before, but there's just something different going on.  Take for example this story about a local community that raised money to buy Super Bowl tickets, including travel, and personalized jerseys for their bus driver who was a long time driver for their neighborhood and a die hard Eagles fan.  Unity is in the air.  Sports can help drive that.

Optimism

On some level, it makes me miss being about to root for my teams at home, even though pretty much all of them stink at the moment.  All the Philly teams, plus Penn State, are doing well right now or on the right track.  The last I remember something like this for myself was the late 90s/early 2000s Wolverines, Red Wings and Pistons runs, followed by the Tigers in the late 2000s.  However, we seem to have created a local Army fan base, and Mojo and I may even delve into season ticket holding for our Black Knights.

All I know is I'm happy for Eagles fans.  ARG and the Wife have been bonding like mad over the Birds while LB, Jr. and I play basketball in every room in the house.  There are currently 7 Eagles signs on the door to our back yard.  Every day ARG comes home more excited.  I can't bear to tell her her week will be ruined if they lose, the typical parenting "softening the blow."  Too much passion to put that down even a little bit.  I am, however, prepared for her to miss school Monday if they lose since she gets to stay up for the game and will be inconsolable if the Eagles lose it.  Anyways, this is starting to feel more like a personal journal than a blog at this point, so I appreciate your reading.  If you can see this, chances are you fit in this world for us, and I thank you for that.

And now, in old school LB style, we'll throw in a game prediction... I initially figured this would be Pats -6, it opened Pats -5.5, and with a day to go, it's down to Pats -4.5.  I do think it will get bet back up to Pats by 5.5.  If Wentz were playing, I would love the Eagles.  The Eagles have every intangible in their favor - nothing to lose, huge momentum, and a fan base that seems to care a lot more than the Pats, who are used to being here.  It's gonna sound like an Eagles home game in that yard.  Though I wonder if the Pats convert that into, "us against the world" motivation.    They also have the keys to beating the Pats - run the ball and get to Brady with 4.  However, I think the emotional high the Eagles are on wears off a bit.  Too many weapons in the short passing attack for the Eagles to cover.  Pats are gonna run a ton of hurry up, which the Eagles D has struggled with (see Giants, NY) and play a lot of 2 TE (random prediction - 5 catches, 49 yards, and a TD for Dwyane Allen).  Eagles keep it close, but they are going to have to wait a year or two.  Their time is coming, it's just gonna be with #11 instead of #9.

The Pick - Pats 24, Eagles 20.

JB and I have a date for our Pearl Jam discussion for the blog, and I'm hoping we can get a post from Mojo about life in Europe, *hopefully* coinciding with our announcing we are Army season ticket holders.  If you ever felt like writing and want/need a space, give me a shout and the floor will be yours.  We do the editing, pic finding, links, etc. for ya, if needed.  I hope this post finds you and yours enjoying a blessed 2018.  Icona Pop will see you out.  Seriously, they will.  ARG digs this one.  Hasta.