Super Bowl Sunday

 I guess the idea to make today, the Monday after the Super Bowl, a national holiday, never grew legs, as they say. It was a silly idea.

But for me, Super Bowls are nice markers in time's past, and yesterday was my third favorite -- even though I watched the game with only the Special Needs Spaniel Bo as my companion, eating takeout DiNapoli on the couch. Kenny had invited me, but it appeared that D2 and Jonathan might be stopping by -- but in the many moving parts that are our family, went to an out of town cousin's meeting instead.

My favorite all time SB memory was 1981 -- Eagles/Raiders. We hosted a party in our on campus apartment -- several guests brought their small black and white TVs, and we placed them all around. We had pizza and chili, and a bathtub filled with Moosehead beer -- and coeds from the Midwest who actually thought we Northeastern Jewish guys were cool and exotic. Ha. 

Even though I was just 19, and life was so simple (grades and friends) I had a sense that the time was special, and I might not pass that way again. Sure enough, a mere 1.5 years later, my Dad had died and with is any traces of being a boy I was to have. To this day, when I meet a grown man whose parents still make a lot of life decisions -- I wonder what that may have been like -- as opposed to being called upon to manhood days before I turned 21.

My second favorite game was in 2015. I happened to be in Seattle on a deposition trip, and I walked around Pike's market. It was the 'deflategate" game, where the Patriot's Tom Brady was accused of using a smaller football when the Pats were on offense, and many of the fishmongers made great fun of that -- having large fish on ice marked "Regulation" and the little guys "Tom Brady Fish."

I ended up at the hotel pub, and had some drinks and chowder, and watched with very spirited Seahawks fans. Since the Dolphins are my team, as I told my newfound buddies, it was easy to cheer against New England -- and the Seahawks were about to win, but in an epically poor decision, threw the ball instead of handing it to giant Marshawn Lynch.

The nice Northwesterners shouted curse words I had never heard, and then got up quietly and left the pub. I felt for them -- but not like when the Canes blew 2 championship games against Penn State and Ohio State -- THOSE were tragedies...

So yesterday, since Wifey was away, the Ds labeled the day "Pathetic lonely Dad Sunday" and had plans to hang with me. Again -- D2 ended up staying with Jonathan's peeps, which was fine, and D1 and Little Man came over. They gave him a choice, since Joey's cousin was staying at the Beach -- did Little Man want Beach or Pinecrest? "Grandpa Dev!" was his answer.

D1 ordered in sangwiches, and then we showed D1 the new koi from our neighbor Mariela. From there it was a trip to Target, where we bought him way cool Spiderman sneaks that blink red (on clearance for $9) and he found a red Super Mario hat. His Mom said no, but Grandpa Dev said yes. From there, we stopped at Greer Park, where Little Man saw that I was right: you DO jump higher and run faster with new sneaks -- especialy Superhero ones.

We got home and neighbor Mariela invited us over. Little Man and Amelie played, and we learned Amelie, though 5, reads on a high school level, and is already writing computer code. Turns out her Dad, Jesus, is a super genius -- he teaches at Columbia. I assumed he meant a school in Bogota, but indeed it is the Ivy League one.

He's a wine expert, too, and poured us a Burgundy that was so delicious, I forgot vodka. D1 looked it up -- sure enough -- a $300 bottle. Yeah -- I'll stick to my pedestrian vodka.

We spent a lovely hour with them -- Amelie and Little Man played beautifully -- she even started to teach him what the different chess pieces are called. I want him to spend MORE time with this prodigy, of course -- likely Little Man will be classed as gifted for school -- but not Super Genius level, I don't suppose.

D1 and Little Man left for home, and I ordered in DiNapoli -- and watched the Eagles dominate the Chiefs. I was happy -- I know lots more Philly folks than KC ones, though my neighbor Allison was walking her dog today in mourning. She's a KC product...

Wifey called during the game -- her roommie had gone outside to call her husband, I think, and we caught up about what she's been missing and our wonderful grandsons.

And so, football comes to an end. The Heat look to be a playoff team -- but not too deep. The Panthers may have a chance at a second Cup. And pitchers and catchers report soon -- we'll be taking the boys to a few games this season. As D1 says: "Yay sports!"