Ha, my worst weekend was the very next when Tennessee stabbed a knife in my heart that I have still not recovered from.
True story:
Jags were leading at halftime. Despite a Brunell interception in the end zone just before the half, I was confident that this was the year we would go to the Super Bowl. At halftime, I went and got another beer and in line behind me was a travel agent that was talking about putting together Super Bowl trips. I took her card so that I could call her on Monday and do whatever it took to book that trip. My lady friend at the time and I spent the next 10 minutes day dreaming about experiencing this magical moment in time. I was so excited that I didnt even take a sip of that beer.
When Eddie George ripped off that huge run in the second half, I was so disgusted that I threw (my still full) beer on the ground as I knew at that moment: the season, as well as the Super Bowl, was lost.
I still have that business card. I still have the ticket to that game. I still have a picture of that former lady friend and I in line (what they call a 'selfie' in the current parlance of our times). Maybe, I'm just waiting for that feeling to return one more time in life. Maybe I just like torturing myself. Maybe, I'm just a Jags fan.
**I'd pay money to kick Jeff Fisher in the junk
Going back to the 67-2 beatdown, my life as a Dolphin fan was forever altered. Before the beatdown, I was a rose-colored glass wearing Phins fan who went into every season believing it would end a super bowl run.
I felt Elway had finally gotten his rings, so it was Marino's time to ride out in glory. Why not, we had Jimmy back in Miami to work his magic, along with a young Zack Thomas and Jason Taylor anchoring a pretty decent defense. Yes, the running game was suspect but we had Marino...even at 38! Furthermore, there was no Jim Kelly to Thurman Thomas screens to deal with. All that stood in our way was the Jags. For sure, the old man would eat their secondary alive!
I was really pumped up for that game. It was on my mind all week and the lady friend struggled to compete with AJ's and the fish all year. However, it would be worth it after kicking the Jags ass in Jax and then taking out Tennessee. In my mind, the script had already been written.
Needless to say, after that game (well... 1st Quarter...), things have never been the same. The team has fallen off the deep end of the cliff. Years of people like Ray Lucas being the starting QB or snakes like Nick Saban as the head coach will do that to you. There was a season of excitment with Ricky Williams but that quickly went up in smoke "literally"!
I'm still a huge Dolphin fan but the losses don't make me mad anymore because the Jags sent my expectations to an all time low. It was sort of like telling a kid that Santa Claus isn't real. I used to expect 10-12 wins a year. All that stood in Miami's way was getting through the month of December. Now, I expect 8-8 or 9-7 annually and just missing the wildcard. Thanks Jags! You've made my sports life less stressful.
