In 1964 when I was 10 years old, I needed no Farmers Almanac to tell me the season or what temperature to expect. My year revolved around sports. Baseball pitchers and catchers were due to report to spring training around February 20th. I knew the baseball season would start around April 6th, the same time the NHL hockey season would be winding down and my best hope for the Rangers were they’d finish 5th ahead of the Boston Bruins and once again miss the hockey playoffs that was always over in April, same with the NBA playoffs missing the last place Knickerbockers. Football camp opened in July, the season opened around Sept 20th two weeks into the school year and the NFL Championship game fell during the Holidays.
Not anymore. They finish baseball in November, hockey and basketball playoffs can be watched at the beach on summer break and football ends in February. This must freak kids out. It was important to me to know the seasonal connection to sports schedules and how every year I could count on each sport happening exactly when I expected it to. But TV money changed professional sports forever, major college sports, too. I’ve lost my interest in following big time sports, but still have one candle lit.
Here I am beginning the 4th quarter of my life and looking for one thing, one single thing I can invest all my emotional eggs in. The New York Giants are that basket. Every year I go to the coop, visit all my chickens collect their eggs and put them into my Giant basket. Win or lose, they are my kids and I love them unconditionally. I still love football with all my heart. What do I get back? A rollercoaster ride where the ups are exceptionally high because of the deep disappointment in between.
I waited 21 years for the Giants to win a Super Bowl in 1987 and since than they’ve won 3 more. Having won 4 championships they are in an elite group of NFL teams with more than 3 each. A few teams have never won one. The tangible values of my team winning the Super Bowl are vast. For the following year, girls are prettier, food & music taste and sound better, people that piss me off don’t piss me off as much, getting a bill in the mail doesn’t make me scrunch.
Best of all, if you are a Giant fan, for the next year if you see someone wearing a Cowboy hat or shirt you give them a look and a quick finger point with a giggle that crushes their spirit and reminds them that they have a bad haircut and absolutely no reason to live rooting for Dallas. Feel free giving this reaction to anyone wearing Eagle stuff.
Sometime in July, I’ll be at the beach and a good song with come on the radio and my feet will be the sand and I’ll remember the Giants won the Super Bowl and that day no matter how good it is, that day will get better.
Our next City Stories: Stoops to Nuts storytelling show at Cornelia Street Café is Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 14th @ 6 pm.
I promise a great show with these artists: Steve Northeast, Jana Peri, Thomas Pryor, Daniela Schiller, Katherine Wessling & Nick Zaharakos.
Admission is $7 and that includes one free drink.
