DOWN TO THE WIRE

All week long the tension had been building.

The question: could the New York Giants beat the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII?

Not only did the Pats have a perfect season and hadn’t stuttered once, the Giants had not been in a Super Bowl in a minute and they started the season off 0-2. Coach Coughlin's job was in serious jeopardy at the end of last season and all through this year's play-offs, the team was the underdog. I wanted the Giants to win, but had serious doubts. This was going to be tough. In my mind, unless there was a blow-out—in the Giants’ favor, it just didn’t look good. But then what did I know? I am a die hard Buffalo Bills, Knicks, and Mets fan. None of these teams has seen the inside of a final round play-off game in over 14 years. Although not a Giant fan, but a tru Nu Yawker, I, like the millions of other fans, wished the team well in defeating the snooty team from "Bah-ston."

I watched the game at Solomon’s Porch Café located on Stuyvesant in the heart of Bed-Sty, Brooklyn (where else?). I sat in the corner, tapping away on my laptop, and occasionally chatting with the other patrons, a couple of whom, I believe were New England fans (say what?). We were glued to the screen (well, 70% of the time I was). It was a nail-biting, down-to-the-wire, hold-on-to-your-hat, photo-finish. Both teams’ defense lines did their jobs (hence the low score) and allowed very few first downs. In the fourth quarter, the lead changed four times.

What a game; and what an example. As Americans, we are plagued by so much right now; bird flu, identity theft, Eblola virus, pedophiles, terrorism, school shootings, drug wars--and that's just the morning news. Easy to just give up and throw in the towel. Alas, however, I have decided from here forth, to take a different approach. Not just because of this game, but because life itself has been too good to me thus far to ditch any of my dreams or goals.

Sure, things get tough, but it wouldn't be life if it didn't. I'm pretty sure the Giants would have loved it if they had walked out on the field and simply been able to waltz away with the championship. But then, it would not have been much of a game, would it have? The Pats brought their "A through Z" game, stifling their opponent and gaining the lead late in the game. Yet the Giants managed to stay focused when faced with a serious challenge: down by four points with only two and a half minutes left to play. Not much time to pull things together, but they did. When the final buzzer sounded, they were the champions.

That's how we have to treat life. Stay in the game, keep focus and play your ass off until the fat lady sings--in stereo!

Axe.

Currently Listening To: Native New Yorker by Odyssey, New York, New York by Frank Sinatra

Currently Reading: Speak So You Can Speak Again by Zora Neale Hurston