With only so many football Sundays in the year, I suffer a small anxiety attack on every one of them. I want to cram the entire experience into one action-packed day each week. On days where I do sit home I am usually stuck watching the crappy Buccaneers game. A halftime score of 3-3 is what I’m stuck with more often than not.
I enjoy wagering on the games. I play in multiple fantasy football leagues. I run a survivor pool. And more than anything else, I’m just a fan of the NFL. When I head out, I want as many different games on in front of me as humanly possible. I turn into a machine, instinctively knowing which TV has a team in the red zone. It’s my time to shine.
On this past Sunday, I did two good sized wagers on the early games. I had the Atlanta-New Orleans Over 51 pts, and the Seattle-Miami Under 41.5 pts. I arrived at the sports bar and settled in with and ice cold bucket of brews.
I was feeling good about the Miami game until late in the 4th quarter. The score was 14-13 with Miami up until that point. With five and a half minutes remaining, Ronnie Brown ran it in from 16 yards out, making the score 21-13. Seattle promptly marched down the field and scored on a Seneca Wallace three yard pass to Koren Robinson. The score was 21-19 and the Seahawks needed the 2-pt conversion to tie the game, and kill my Under. Wallace drops back…NO GOOD! I was only half-worried. Wallace is so bad. What is a Seneca anyways? Isn’t that a soft drink or something? Maybe not.
I love you Seneca!
The Dolphins get the ball with three minutes to go. They do nothing and punt back to the Hawks with two minutes remaining. Now they only need a field goal for the win and the Over. Their kicker, Olindo Mare had already booted two. Before you know it, they were at midfield with 50 seconds left. Another 20 yards or so could do me in.
Then Seneca saved me with a clock-stopping spike, and three incompletions. I love that guy! Win number one was great. I had been keeping my eye on my other game though.
I was feeling decent at halftime of the Saints-Falcons game, as they posted 23 points. Needing more than 51, this was quite obtainable. Then the 3rd quarter lull happened. I hate 3rd quarter lulls. You come out of halftime feeling pumped up and the two teams combine for a sleep-inducing three points. My optimism had been subsided.
I need four 4th quarter touchdowns. Matt Ryan, attempting to lock up the Rookie of the Year title, takes care of one touchdown right away. A short pass to Jerious Norwood turns into a 67 yard high-stepping sprint to paydirt. Then with 10 minutes to go, Brees hits McAllister on a 15 yard score. Suddenly I’m feeling pretty good about myself! And then….nothing again.
With less than two minutes remaining, I still need those two touchdowns. With a minute and a half to go, Brees throws his third pick of the game to Chevis Jackson, who also high steps it 95 yards the other way. It’s like Primetime in the Georgia Dome all over again.
High Stepping is back in the Dirty
Now they’re just playing with my emotions. One more TD needed. The Saints get possession again with just over a minute left. They move the ball nicely down the field, but time becomes the enemy. The clock is down to six seconds, and it’s Hail Mary time. I’ve lost on Hail Marys before. No way I could ever win on one, right? Wrong. The pass gets batted around in the end zone and falls right into the arms of receiver Lance Moore. Unbelievable!
If I had lost both those games in that manner, I’m not sure what might’ve happened. I could’ve been writing this on prison stationery. Let’s not think about that.
Now I just hit two ridiculous winners. I was pumped up and checking out the second round of games. I’m not a system bettor. I enjoy action and shoot from the hip. And that’s when I caught myself. Having just hit two nice paying, highly unlikely winners, there could only be a letdown ahead. There was no way it could get any better. I did not want to give back such hard-earned money.
I decided upon Carolina and San Diego for very small amounts to keep my interest. The games ended up splitting and were not even interesting. I would like to think that I have learned from some past mistakes where I would let the excitement of the moment; my compulsive overconfidence and the distortion of a beer buzz get the better of me. While that may or may not be the case, it worked out for me on Sunday. Which means next time, I’ll probably try to double up. I love the pain.
I enjoy wagering on the games. I play in multiple fantasy football leagues. I run a survivor pool. And more than anything else, I’m just a fan of the NFL. When I head out, I want as many different games on in front of me as humanly possible. I turn into a machine, instinctively knowing which TV has a team in the red zone. It’s my time to shine.
On this past Sunday, I did two good sized wagers on the early games. I had the Atlanta-New Orleans Over 51 pts, and the Seattle-Miami Under 41.5 pts. I arrived at the sports bar and settled in with and ice cold bucket of brews.
I was feeling good about the Miami game until late in the 4th quarter. The score was 14-13 with Miami up until that point. With five and a half minutes remaining, Ronnie Brown ran it in from 16 yards out, making the score 21-13. Seattle promptly marched down the field and scored on a Seneca Wallace three yard pass to Koren Robinson. The score was 21-19 and the Seahawks needed the 2-pt conversion to tie the game, and kill my Under. Wallace drops back…NO GOOD! I was only half-worried. Wallace is so bad. What is a Seneca anyways? Isn’t that a soft drink or something? Maybe not.
I love you Seneca!
The Dolphins get the ball with three minutes to go. They do nothing and punt back to the Hawks with two minutes remaining. Now they only need a field goal for the win and the Over. Their kicker, Olindo Mare had already booted two. Before you know it, they were at midfield with 50 seconds left. Another 20 yards or so could do me in.
Then Seneca saved me with a clock-stopping spike, and three incompletions. I love that guy! Win number one was great. I had been keeping my eye on my other game though.
I was feeling decent at halftime of the Saints-Falcons game, as they posted 23 points. Needing more than 51, this was quite obtainable. Then the 3rd quarter lull happened. I hate 3rd quarter lulls. You come out of halftime feeling pumped up and the two teams combine for a sleep-inducing three points. My optimism had been subsided.
I need four 4th quarter touchdowns. Matt Ryan, attempting to lock up the Rookie of the Year title, takes care of one touchdown right away. A short pass to Jerious Norwood turns into a 67 yard high-stepping sprint to paydirt. Then with 10 minutes to go, Brees hits McAllister on a 15 yard score. Suddenly I’m feeling pretty good about myself! And then….nothing again.
With less than two minutes remaining, I still need those two touchdowns. With a minute and a half to go, Brees throws his third pick of the game to Chevis Jackson, who also high steps it 95 yards the other way. It’s like Primetime in the Georgia Dome all over again.
High Stepping is back in the Dirty
Now they’re just playing with my emotions. One more TD needed. The Saints get possession again with just over a minute left. They move the ball nicely down the field, but time becomes the enemy. The clock is down to six seconds, and it’s Hail Mary time. I’ve lost on Hail Marys before. No way I could ever win on one, right? Wrong. The pass gets batted around in the end zone and falls right into the arms of receiver Lance Moore. Unbelievable!
If I had lost both those games in that manner, I’m not sure what might’ve happened. I could’ve been writing this on prison stationery. Let’s not think about that.
Now I just hit two ridiculous winners. I was pumped up and checking out the second round of games. I’m not a system bettor. I enjoy action and shoot from the hip. And that’s when I caught myself. Having just hit two nice paying, highly unlikely winners, there could only be a letdown ahead. There was no way it could get any better. I did not want to give back such hard-earned money.
I decided upon Carolina and San Diego for very small amounts to keep my interest. The games ended up splitting and were not even interesting. I would like to think that I have learned from some past mistakes where I would let the excitement of the moment; my compulsive overconfidence and the distortion of a beer buzz get the better of me. While that may or may not be the case, it worked out for me on Sunday. Which means next time, I’ll probably try to double up. I love the pain.
I have to sell a kidney for rent money now, which is no big deal except its the 2nd time.