Why I love football, and hate cable

Monday Night Football, you all know about it, most of us watch it (even if you're not in to football, what else is on at 10pm Monday besides the late news?). But this season, it's been on ESPN, a cable sports network. I am a huge New England Patriots fan, my wife and I originally coming from the Boston MA area, and NE just played their second Monday night game of the season, tonight.

Now here's my dilemia: I do not have cable. I'm a cheapy; unwilling to pay 50$ a month for something I'll hardly ever use, and will most likely be a huge distraction to me serving God to boot.

So, you can imagine how I might feel, with the Patriots going in to MNF (Monday Night Football) 11-0, going for the perfect season, and coming up against the lackluster Baltimore Ravens. Not very excited, afterall, The Pats were picked to win over lame-o Baltimore by 20 1/2 points!! (You can't really get a half point in football, but you know, statistics and all).

So then why am I writing this? Because turns out, the game was close. So close, we're talking down to the last seconds. With the Patriots trailing.

When the game first started, I booted up the play by play gamechannel on ESPN, to see what plays were being made since I could not watch the game on TV. The game quickly turned in to a close touchdown for touchdown game, and I began to regret not having cable. I knew, just knew, this was going to be a close game. A game the Pats COULD lose.

Which is saying a lot, considering they've smashed 9 out of 11 teams they have played so far. Last week, when my son was being born (literally, to the moment), the Pats barely squeaked by 31-28 over the injured and losing record Philadelphia Eagles, to my great happiness. This helped my wife push better, by the way, thanks Tom Brady.

So this week, we were hoping the Pats would go back to their smashing-fest over this weakened and messy Ravens team. Not so.

The Game was TIED at the half. TIED. And by the end of the 4th, with 44 seconds left in the game, the Pats were down by 4 points.

I was left 'watching' the game, on a refreshing computer screen that told me what had happened after each play.

I hate cable because it keeps fans like me from seeing the greatest games of the seasons, that are supposed to be blowouts!!! How can you be on the edge of your seat watching a slowly refreshing computer screen? I WAS. How much more for those who could watch the game.

Thank the Good Lord that Tom Brady is a clutch player. And after 2, count them 2, 4th down conversions near and in the red zone, Brady hit his receiver for 6 points (and then the extra). Pats up by 3. Like...30 seconds left.

Baltimore makes a bunch of penalties, and then tries to march down the field to get in Field Goal range to tie, and can't do it. Time runs out. Pats squeak by, by only 3 points, again. Whew.

What a ridiculously close game, I can't believe I missed it. If the Pats don't get their act together, they won't be the Steelers (9-3) next week. And they're good.

But hey, Brady is clutch.

In other news, we gave Josh a (victory) bath (his first) after the game. He liked it. WHOOOO!

Okay, -end mindless football dribble-

Grace and Love,

Joe


**UPDATE**
It has just been brought to my attention that the final Patriots game of the season, where the Pats will hopefully be clinching a perfect 16-0 season, will be aired December 29th, on a Saturday night, on the...NFL Network. The problem? Most of America DOES NOT GET THE NFL NETWORK. When I say most, I mean 70,000,000 Americans "most". The cable companies don't even carry it, so I couldn't get it even if I wanted to. It's Satellite only. This is football blasphemy, ladies and gents.

Those greedy money mongers. If Jesus let us know when He was returning, I bet the Network Television guys would charge 'every eye' money just to see Him come!!! Infuriating.