The End Zone

Last year, I watched so much football, I ruined my end zone.

This is it! Even though the NFL season officially launched on Thursday night, this is the first NFL Sunday of the season. I always go into each season with high hopes, but its been a long time since my favorite team did anything significant.

My favorite team? The Miami Dolphins. They were the best of the best 40 years ago. They made it to the Super Bowl in 1984, only to lose to the San Francisco 49ers, led by Joe Montana. Its not enough to get to the big game, you need to win it. The Dolphins hall of fame quarterback, Dan Marino, knows that  all too well. He said that because he took his team to the Super Bowl so early in his career, he thought it would be easy to come back again. They never did.

So, one of the greatest passers of all time, never got a championship ring, which is what every NFL player wants. The prize is very elusive. The teams are so good, along with injuries to key players, off season player acquisitions, the team's schedule, leadership in the front office and among the players to get them fired up to win, even if it seems like they won't.

More and more women are getting into NFL football. My mother and sister, Joanna, have always been interested, but then again, there are others, like my daughter, Sarah, who claims that football does exist in her world.

When I was doing morning radio, I would have my mother on the show, via telephone, to get her predictions for the following Sunday's games. She was very accurate. She knows her football. She should have a bookie. She would be rich.

My brothers and I are in the games within the games. We compete for prizes by choosing the winners each week. It's fun and peaks my interest for all of the games, not just the ones my favorite team plays.

I have high hopes once again. You never know. Could this be the year? I hope so.

See you tomorrow.

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