When you have a man crush this big, you have to do something to celebrate. So I'll blog. Tonight was a good day for football fans in Indiana. The Colts made the Super Bowl, and Purdue's favorite son, Drew Brees, led the New Orleans Saints to their first ever Super Bowl birth.Prior to today's games (and throughout the playoffs), I had to explain to many friends that while I don't dislike the Colts, I also don't root for them. I like that when they win it brings revenue and prestige to Indianapolis, but as a native of Chicagoland, I'm a Bears fan through and through. If the Colts weren't so likeable (and Indy weren't my current home), I'd probably despise them for beating the Bears in the Super Bowl a few years back.
So that leaves no question as to whom I'm rooting for in two weeks. I had the sheer pleasure of attending Purdue during the Brees years (and the Orton and Painter years, too), following his team to the Rose Bowl, meeting him once (in passing, not like my long convo with Coach Hope!), and developing a gigantic man crush on the guy. I expect every Purdue fan with no allegiance to the Colts to be rooting for the Saints, too.
I'm sure the Colts will be favored, and the smart money would bet on them, but I'm guessing that's what many were saying about Brett Favre and the Vikings prior to tonight. I think that made the Saints' victory even more special for me. I despise Brett Favre, not only for his diva attitude, over-exposure in the media, and willingness to stab the organization in the back that made him a star for so many years, but mainly for the fact that said organization is the one team I grew up loathing. The Green Bay Packers were pure evil, but mostly because of Brett Favre. This year I despised the Vikings far more than the Packers due to his presence (and hey, I actually like Aaron Rodgers and had him on my fantasy team).
But back to the Super Bowl. Brees will definitely have a tough test against not only the Colts defense, but Mr. Manning as well. Having followed Drew Brees so doggedly, I consider him one of the smartest guys to be playing in the NFL, and definitely to be quarterbacking a team. And while Brees has shown some great game smarts, book smarts, and business savvy, I can't think of a smarter on-field leader in the NFL today than Peyton. It's really refreshing to have two teams that are so likeable and led by such great guys playing in the Super Bowl.
I can't wait to cheer on Brees and the Saints, but I'm guessing that attitude won't get me invited to many Super Bowl parties in Indianapolis. No worries though; what matters is that it's time again to Boiler Up!
3 comments:
Trying to think of something witty... Randle El had a TD pass in a Super Bowl way before Brees... That's really weak... The Bears Stink... Um... Dang you affable PU fans, so hard to get angry at! Go Colts!!
Brees is thinking boiler up in the photo as it was taken!
Confession ... I have friends with last name Smiley, when I tried to put them into my google reader I accidentally got your blog. I removed you but for some reason you are still ALWAYS on my home page (the first one) asking me if I would like to resubscribe. So I always look and see what you guys are up to ... this has been going on for over a year and I am finally admitting it! ;) On your last post about eating ... I wanted to comment (but felt I had to do a huge intro first?) that none of my kids (I have three) EVER liked baby food. I tried and tried but they hated it. They went straight to puffs, then biter bisquits, to cheerios and kix, to quickly (like a couple weeks) what we were eating. And the transition was always easier than my friends whose kids were eating 6 jars of baby food a day. I just mash up a little of what we are having - I feed until they get the hang of a spoon (which is not very long) - and put dry finger stuff on the plate too so that they get practice and patients (while I try to steal a bite off my own plate). Just wanted to chime in!
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