Friday, February 03, 2006
Ten Years
I remember the first Steelers Super Bowl in which I was alive to participate. It was 1996; I just recently got my first car and was now upwardly mobile. I went over to the Brewer’s house where T and his brother were decked out from head to toe. Erica, the three Matts, Emily, Jodi, Mike, Dawn, Traci, and Chuck were all there. We were excited, but no one as much as T. The rest of us watched, but mostly for the commercials. But towards the end, when Troy Aikman couldn’t go wrong and Neil O’Donnell couldn’t go right, we knew it was going to be tough. Keeping in mind that we were only 16, we each had half of a consolation beer. Yes, I know its wrong, but with a family name like Brewer, I think alcohol is in your blood—literally and figuratively. We took some time to sober up and then packed into two cars and spent the night at Connie’s house. Fortunately, Super Bowl Sunday spilled right into President’s Day Monday that year, giving us a nice day off.
Oh high school. We were all so cool and knew everything. What the hell happened since then?
It is now almost ten years to that day. I don’t really speak to any of my “best friends” anymore. We all grew apart; some grew up and some never did. Some grew old beyond their years, and some grew fat beyond their gut. I’m fortunate enough to be one of those who grew up. But what exactly did it get me?
As I sit only two days away from Super Bowl XL—we won’t even discuss how confused I was until I learned that ‘L’ is an actual Roman Numeral, and not part of a weird marketing scheme to make the Big Game even more extreme or extra large—and I look at what I have planned. Mike and Cheryl are having a party, courtesy of their 52” HD TV. How awesome is that?! I would love to go, but they are an hour away and it’s a work night. Stephanie usually throws parties, but as a Seattle fan, I’m banned from there this year. Many of my other friends aren’t football fans and thus don’t have a strong desire to see the game. My, how things change in 5,256,000 minutes (figure courtesy of Rent). Well, even if I curl up on the couch by myself, swathed in enough black and gold to make school bus drivers everywhere green with envy, I know I’ll be a die-hard supporter of the Black and Gold this year, next year, and even ten years from now. We won’t discuss how life will be at 36, but I’ll still be there cheering for them loud and clear.
Oh high school. We were all so cool and knew everything. What the hell happened since then?
It is now almost ten years to that day. I don’t really speak to any of my “best friends” anymore. We all grew apart; some grew up and some never did. Some grew old beyond their years, and some grew fat beyond their gut. I’m fortunate enough to be one of those who grew up. But what exactly did it get me?
As I sit only two days away from Super Bowl XL—we won’t even discuss how confused I was until I learned that ‘L’ is an actual Roman Numeral, and not part of a weird marketing scheme to make the Big Game even more extreme or extra large—and I look at what I have planned. Mike and Cheryl are having a party, courtesy of their 52” HD TV. How awesome is that?! I would love to go, but they are an hour away and it’s a work night. Stephanie usually throws parties, but as a Seattle fan, I’m banned from there this year. Many of my other friends aren’t football fans and thus don’t have a strong desire to see the game. My, how things change in 5,256,000 minutes (figure courtesy of Rent). Well, even if I curl up on the couch by myself, swathed in enough black and gold to make school bus drivers everywhere green with envy, I know I’ll be a die-hard supporter of the Black and Gold this year, next year, and even ten years from now. We won’t discuss how life will be at 36, but I’ll still be there cheering for them loud and clear.
# posted by Jay @ 8:49 AM 
