the superbowl is tomorrow. i get a lot of ribbing at work about american football, from people who just don’t get it (and who, of course, think rugby is superior) – who think all the stopping and starting, all the padding, makes american football a less serious game. i like to describe it to them as violent chess – what happens in between plays is almost as important as what happens on the field, and if you don’t appreciate the strategy behind it, you’ll never truly be a fan. dont’ mock what you don’t understand.

so tomorrow the indianapolis colts play the chicago bears. my beloved patriots were knocked out in the semi-finals by the colts in a nailbiter that kept me up all night, but ended badly. so i while i wanted to watch the big game, i wasn’t all that enthusiatic about it, and certainly wasn’t planning to watch til the finish at 3 or 4.

but my friend amity happens to be from indiana, and this is the first time she’s seen her team make it to the bowl. her husband is away on business, and so she was planning to watch home alone in the wee hours. and having been in that position of watching your home team win it all in the solitude of your bedroom in the middle of the night, far away from all the celebrating masses, in a country that thinks your sports are silly, that doesn’t understand how much it means to you to see your heros triumph, that won’t even acknowledge the victory the next day… well, i know how lonely it can be.

and if they don’t win, it’s even lonelier.

so i’m headed to her place tomorrow night. i’ve taken monday off from work and we’re going to drink sam adams beer, eat buffalo wings, nachos (all difficult to come by delicacies over here) and cheer on the colts. and win or lose, at least she won’t be alone.

it’s the least i can do.

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