It’s Hard to Watch

It is painful to watch my team loose like this. Yes, my team. I’ve been watching the Raiders, especially on Monday Night Football, for as far as I can remember. Late nights in high school, where my dad would let me stay up late to see if the Raiders could pull off a comeback, like they did back then against Denver when down 24 – 0. It feels like I’m in high school once again. Too many young players and lots of mistakes being made.

Even worse, it’s tough to listen to it all. Once the announcers get on one side of the game it’s just bla, bla, bla. Eddie Royal, a rookie from West Virginia is having the game of his life and listening to the announcers talk about him like he’s god’s gift…brings be back – yet again – to how the announcers used to talk about John Elway. If I had a nickel…

And I like the Mike & Mike guys, especially with Coach Ditka as the 3rd Mike in the booth. But didn’t anyone brief them that you don’t TALK OVER the officials when they’re calling a penalty. It’s like they never watched a pro game before, they talk right over the flag calls. It’s really annoying, especially when all the over-talkers from Madden to Dierdorf know to stop when an official is announcing what’s the penalty.

The Raiders score a touchdown, at the very least, eliminate the chance of a shut-out. But McFadden, the 4th round draft pick, walks himself to the locker room and they’re checking him for a shoulder injury. A 3rd personal foul was just called. They’re falling apart at the seams. They need to hold it together, as I try to hold it together watching. Now a 4th personal foul. I'm so tired, but can't abandon hope.

I didn’t plan to write about sports much here. But these are my boys and it’s very late, and I need to get it out. I I am a weird mix of jock and nerd. I played football in high school and in the parks on Staten Island with friends in full equipment, playing teams from other neighborhoods with names like The New Springville Boys and my personal favorite The Wanderers. I even played a year in college for a Staten Island traveling team, The Warriors.
I digress.

Normally I’m not a much of a rant guy, but tonight I’m feeling it. I realize there are no books mentioned anywhere in this post. Sometimes this will be the case. But I am currently reading a book about sports as I watch the game, so that kind of counts. It's manuscript about baseball, which seems like a much better thing to focus on right about now.

And the final is 41 – 14, ouch.

I wonder if I’ll dream in Silver and Black tonight…