Congratulations to the Giants...and a few thoughts on Football

One Sunnyside resident, Luis Pinzon, 27, was overcome with joy. “We finally beat Boston,” he said, wearing a Lawrence Taylor jersey. “That’s all I care about. We finally beat ’em. Not Boston. Undefeated Boston,” he said with vindictive relish. “That’s who we beat. As long as they won, I don’t care if the Yankees lose to the Red Sox for the next five years. I’m not going to complain. That’s enough. I’ll give my first-born child to — to — to whomever.”

Mr. Pinzon’s wife, Sonia Pinzon, 26, said she was trying to be supportive, but giving up a child was where she drew the line. “I don’t think so,” she said.

Now that is just TOO funny!!! It reminds me of the SNL Mastercard commercial from after the sox won the World Series in 2004....I can't believe I am actually linking to a red sox site, but this is a classic.

To be honest with all of you, until very recently (last season) I have never been terribly knowledgeable or well schooled in the world of Football. I have now come to the point where I watch it almost every week, but I have not had a real alliance to any particular city as the way I do to my beloved Yankees. See, my high school never had football, and while I would always watch the Super bowl, football was just never on my radar unless it said NURF on the side. When I first moved to football crazed DC my comprehension of the game was so vague I quickly realized that I was going to need to do some home work if I hoped to have anything of sporting substance to talk about from after World Series until the end of the January.

I started small, but steadily gained enough knowledge so that I could at least hold my own against my roommate in our ritualistic Xbox face-offs (we actually kept a running tally of wins on the refrigerator). Believe it or not at that point I actually played as the Patriots. I thought what the hell, I am from New England right? And they actually are not from Boston, but Foxboro, which is miles down I-95. That all ended in October of 2004. You see, even given my limited interest in the game at that time I realized that baseball loyalties cross over to other sports. I could no longer quazi cheer for the Patriots, or root for any team from (or near) Boston for that matter. In a nod to my roommate and good friend, I then chose the Ravens.

Since the early days of the Xbox challenges I have actually grown to really enjoy football. As I mentioned, I now find myself watching almost every Sunday, I even went to my first professional football game in Baltimore and saw the Colts thoroughly embarrass the Ravens. I've come to realize though that I think I should be rooting for the Giants. I can't give up my pledge to support Baltimore, but watching Eli Manning and the Giants this year was awesome. Similar to when the Yankees play the sox, the Super bowl turned out to be a classic New York vs. Boston battle royale. In fact it was nothing less than the best Super bowl I have ever seen. Plus, with so many of my friends being fans of Boston based teams, rooting for the Giants just feels natural. So I think that I have come to an epiphany, I still have a lot to learn about football that much is clear, but I think starting next year I am going to pledge partial allegiance to the Giants with the remaining half going to the Ravens.

I know what you all must be thinking, I am becoming a fair weather fan. I fully admit that, so in order to not be one of "those guys" I hereby pledge the following (at least when it comes to the NFL):

1. I will not to talk the talk until such time as I know football stats at least partially as well as I know baseball stats.

2. I will not purchase any Giants paraphernalia for at least one season.

3. I will know the names of at least 40% of the players on each of my chosen teams.

4. Should someone call me out on my fair weatherness I will not argue.

5. No matter what, The Yankees and Baseball always come first, no exceptions....EVER.