I will begin with saying I'm crushed right now.. My heart is on empty.. I love my Philadelphia Eagles more than anyone could ever imagine.. sometimes in life you gotta go back..to move forward.. 1980.. I was living in the suburbs of Philadelphia, I was 9 years old and I loved sports and didn't really understand the game of football, even though my friends and I played sports all day long once we got home from school everyday. I remember my dad telling me the Eagles were in the Super Bowl.. I was instantly excited even though I didn't really quite know how much that meant at the time.. Sure, I watched the games but I was also a kid who loved being outside and I always wanted to be a Philadelphia Eagle. I'd day dream about it all the time and before bed I'd picture myself catching the winning touchdown and everybody goes crazy.. Ahh..to be young again... I was really good at sports.. football then baseball.. I played all my high school days and never was good enough to go to a big time college, however I did walk on at Boston College as a wide receiver.. played 4 years and that was it... I graduated with a Communications degree and went on to work in Radio at a small Philly station.. I worked for Jerry Blavat..the Geator with the heater.. guys from Philly will know who I'm talking about. I worked at 1540 AM Geater Gold for 4 years.. I got tired of talking on the radio and decided to try out for my Philadelphia Eagles.. I was in tip-top shape and I had a buddy who worked in the locker room as a towel guy.. he managed to talk to a player who then in turn asked a coach how someone could try out for the team.. Back then there were open calls to try out.. 2 weeks later I was at the Vet, ready to show my stuff.. I think I had a pretty good workout.. the Eagles didn't agree... 
Anyway to say I was saddened is a huge understatement.. I wallowed in my own misery for months to come.. I was out of work.. never should've quit the radio job without another one.. I'm impulsive at times in life.. I met a woman and moved to Texas.. I met a man at a bar I worked at, we bonded and that's the man who taught me everything about betting sports.. His name was Rudy, and I was enthralled about every word he spoke... I called him late last night, he is in his 70's now but we still talk once a week. I told him about my 2 crushing losses last night and he could tell my heart was torn to pieces.. truth is I care more about my Eagles losing the game then the money..sure, I care about losing that much, and my cousin and 2 best friends losing as well..but between you and I.. it hurt worse than when I got stabbed in Texas a while back.. I know I can make dough in this world.. but I long and live for football and my dream was to have my Eagles win a Superbowl one fine day.. I asked Rudy if I could see him.. I took a flight to Texas ...just me, my cohorts stayed back at the hotel and cried their eyes out.. I told each one personally... I will make this right..we're not leaving Vegas until I get all our money back and then some! I cried for 2 hours off and on to Texas.. All I could think of was what did I do and how can I get out of this mess.... I was worried more about how to ask the man I look up to for help... I got there and he Rudy was waiting for me at the airport.. I can always count on him to be there for me in life.. I would do anything for him if he asked...guess now its my turn... he loves coffee, drinks it all day long, so we got back to his place and we sat at his kitchen table and his wife came down when she heard voices.. she is a very sweet woman about 12 years older than him, but a good woman and I gave her a hug and she went back to bed..We talked about our horrid night and everything in between.. he said now what.. I finally just said it.. Rudy, I care about you a lot and I would never ever ask for anything from you if I didn't need it badly..his eyes perked up a bit and his lips were pursed..not sure how he would react.. I said I need a loan.. he sat back in his chair and just stared at me with a blank face.. I didn't know what to say.. he finally spoke.. Sammy, I like you..always have from the first day I saw you at the bar and you were the new guy in town and the guys always gave you a hard time from being from Philly and being new here.. You helped me when I needed it the most.. ( side not) Rudy had a major drinking problem and I got him the help he needed and saved his life and his marriage and his relationship with his 4 children. I know how hard it is to ask me for a favor.. so don't... I want to help you anyway I can... how much are we talking he says.. $ 200 K.. now Rudy was an Oil guy back in the day...he said he struck oil back in the late 70's and made a killing.. funny thing is I never knew that until after I moved back to Philly from Texas years ago.. he always said he was a blue collar guy that worked on the railroad as a conductor going through Rio Grand to Alpine... He didn't even blink an eye when I said the amount... He told me no problem.. we went to bed soon after and when I woke up this morning I walked down stairs and there was an envelope on the kitchen counter on it.. He says.. take it, its yours.. I was in shock, didn't think he had that much dough in the house.. I know he is before old school.. not going to ask why he keeps his dough in the house.. I thanked him over and over and finally he said.. now get back to Vegas and get my our money back! I was so excited I called the guys and told them everything. I'm on my way back now..should be there within the hour.. I'll be back later with my larger than life plays.. One in the NBA and the other in NFL.. trust me on this.. TONIGHT I WILL GET OUR DOUGH BACK AND MAKE A FORTUNE AND PAY BACK RUDY!!! 
Anyway to say I was saddened is a huge understatement.. I wallowed in my own misery for months to come.. I was out of work.. never should've quit the radio job without another one.. I'm impulsive at times in life.. I met a woman and moved to Texas.. I met a man at a bar I worked at, we bonded and that's the man who taught me everything about betting sports.. His name was Rudy, and I was enthralled about every word he spoke... I called him late last night, he is in his 70's now but we still talk once a week. I told him about my 2 crushing losses last night and he could tell my heart was torn to pieces.. truth is I care more about my Eagles losing the game then the money..sure, I care about losing that much, and my cousin and 2 best friends losing as well..but between you and I.. it hurt worse than when I got stabbed in Texas a while back.. I know I can make dough in this world.. but I long and live for football and my dream was to have my Eagles win a Superbowl one fine day.. I asked Rudy if I could see him.. I took a flight to Texas ...just me, my cohorts stayed back at the hotel and cried their eyes out.. I told each one personally... I will make this right..we're not leaving Vegas until I get all our money back and then some! I cried for 2 hours off and on to Texas.. All I could think of was what did I do and how can I get out of this mess.... I was worried more about how to ask the man I look up to for help... I got there and he Rudy was waiting for me at the airport.. I can always count on him to be there for me in life.. I would do anything for him if he asked...guess now its my turn... he loves coffee, drinks it all day long, so we got back to his place and we sat at his kitchen table and his wife came down when she heard voices.. she is a very sweet woman about 12 years older than him, but a good woman and I gave her a hug and she went back to bed..We talked about our horrid night and everything in between.. he said now what.. I finally just said it.. Rudy, I care about you a lot and I would never ever ask for anything from you if I didn't need it badly..his eyes perked up a bit and his lips were pursed..not sure how he would react.. I said I need a loan.. he sat back in his chair and just stared at me with a blank face.. I didn't know what to say.. he finally spoke.. Sammy, I like you..always have from the first day I saw you at the bar and you were the new guy in town and the guys always gave you a hard time from being from Philly and being new here.. You helped me when I needed it the most.. ( side not) Rudy had a major drinking problem and I got him the help he needed and saved his life and his marriage and his relationship with his 4 children. I know how hard it is to ask me for a favor.. so don't... I want to help you anyway I can... how much are we talking he says.. $ 200 K.. now Rudy was an Oil guy back in the day...he said he struck oil back in the late 70's and made a killing.. funny thing is I never knew that until after I moved back to Philly from Texas years ago.. he always said he was a blue collar guy that worked on the railroad as a conductor going through Rio Grand to Alpine... He didn't even blink an eye when I said the amount... He told me no problem.. we went to bed soon after and when I woke up this morning I walked down stairs and there was an envelope on the kitchen counter on it.. He says.. take it, its yours.. I was in shock, didn't think he had that much dough in the house.. I know he is before old school.. not going to ask why he keeps his dough in the house.. I thanked him over and over and finally he said.. now get back to Vegas and get my our money back! I was so excited I called the guys and told them everything. I'm on my way back now..should be there within the hour.. I'll be back later with my larger than life plays.. One in the NBA and the other in NFL.. trust me on this.. TONIGHT I WILL GET OUR DOUGH BACK AND MAKE A FORTUNE AND PAY BACK RUDY!!!
With my winning NFL play that pays Rudy back... win this and my 3 buddies and I get our initial dough back plus a little more.. In the end this trip might not have gone the way I wanted it to.. but at least nobody will have lost your hard earned dough.. Sammy will rise again like the late great Derrick Smith and Harry Kalas!!! 
