NFL Game

 So Mike's boy Chris, a third generation Cane lawyer, bought Dolphins season tickets last year. He shares 4 of them with a friend of his from law school, and I went to a game with him and Mike last year.

The Fins are my favorite NFL team, but I don't live and die with them like I unfortunately do with the Canes. I enjoy when the Fins win, which has been spotty the past years, but don't fall into a funk when they lose. But this season, there was late drama: if they beat the rival Jets the last game, and the Bills beat the Pats -- the Fins would make the playoffs for the first time in 7 years.

I planned to watch the game on TV with Dr. Barry and Josh, but Chris threw a wrench into the plans: he was going to London during an inter-job break, and wanted Mike and I to attend the game. I protested that it was a hot ticket -- selling them with his parking pass would pay his airfare across the pond. But he was insistent.

Then came another wrinkle -- Mike offered ME both tickets, as he was to go to D.C. for his suegro's honor day -- Don is a retired Redskin, or whatever they call the team now. I begged off -- no -- THEN Chris ought to sell the tickets. But the D.C. trip fell through, and Mike announced our date was a go. And so I fetched him yesterday am and off we drove to Joe Robbie.

We parked in the Yellow lot across from the stadium, and located old friends Jim and Doug. THEY are huge Fins' fans -- they were tailgating with Jim's boy Jacob and a friend. Mike and I added vodka and tequila to the party, and we had a blast. 

A classic Jets fan wearing a too tight Kleck jersey walked by. I greeted him and could tell instantly he was from Queens. Indeed, he said, Woodside. Could I take his picture with my friend Jim, who was wearing a Fins jersey. "Sua!" he said. "But Gastineau is here with me!"

And so I took a shot of Jim in the middle of the former NY Sack Exchange -- which caused great laughter. They were the kind of guys I grew up with -- likely living in Broward or South Palm Beach County now.

Alas -- Jim and Doug only had subs for themselves, so Mike and I got some, appropriately, Shula burgers, which were quite good. We got to our seats, and the game began. We laughed -- in the 80s and 90s, the Fins had Marino and the Jets Ken O'Brien, 2 amazing QBs, and the scores were like 45-42. No more -- both teams had their 3rd stringers in, and no TDs were scored -- but the Fins out field goaled the Jets, followed by a last second safety as the Jets tried a Hail Flacco, and won 11-6. A baseball score.

But soon after, the jumbotrons showed the Bills vanquished the Pats, and so the Fins were in the playoffs. It was lovely walking out of the packed stadium with a mostly (except for the Jets fans) crowd.

We made our way to the lot...and waited. And waited. We got stuck there a good 45 minutes. But it was ok -- we rehydrated with Gatorade bought from a young man in the parking lot, and sat in the AC. Finally we drove home.

I texted Chris in London to thank him, and look forward to watching the playoff game with him upon his return.

A good day with your NFL team is indeed fun. I actually felt bad for Jets fans Barry and Scott -- their Jets now have the longest playoff drought of any team. I guess there's nobility in that -- sort of like being a Cubs fan. Not for me, though -- if the Fins lose a lot, I ignore them until they're better.

Other than the Canes, I look to sports to raise my spirits. I might as watch news of natural disasters as watch a losing team I care at all about -- or visit a nursing home.

So the Fins season will most likely end after one playoff game. They're playing the much better Bills, in Buffalo, and their star QB is still out.

Still -- there'll be next year...