W.C. Fields once said: “Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people“. I know better than to bet money on sports games, but occasionally I get so swept up in my passion for the Giants, I can’t help but enjoy a friendly wager where the stakes are pride and bragging rights. After this last Giants-Steelers game, I think I would have been better off losing a large sum of money…
If you’re a regular reader of the Thought for the Weekend, you know that nearly five years ago, Mary, a diehard Steelers fan, lost a bet with me over a Giants-Steelers game. When the Giants won, we made her wear a great-looking Giants baseball cap. Of course, we took plenty of photos for posterity, including one which lives on the Matchmaker Logistics website.
A couple of weeks ago, Mary had the opportunity to take her son, Denver, to his first pro football game. They were going to see the Giants and the Steelers face off at the MetLife stadium. After enduring years of teasing about that photo of her in the Giants cap, Mary was ready to turn the tables. She proposed a second wager with the same terms and conditions–the supporter of the losing team would wear the winning team’s hat.
Before I continue, let me remind you of those classic commercials for America’s most beloved theme park. The very first one aired in 1987 and featured New York Giants (of course!) quarterback Phil Simms in his moment of triumph after Superbowl XXI. An unseen narrator said something like: “Phil Simms, you’ve just led the Giants to a 39-20 Superbowl victory! What are you going to do next?” Simms replied, “I’m going to Disneyland!”
The commercials became a part of our pop culture, parodied in films, television shows and even at Superbowl half-time shows. Bruce Springsteen ended his Super Bowl XLIII half-time performance by saying “I’m going to Disneyland!” to the camera. Even the Steelers had their day in 2006 with a commercial that featured Hines Ward and Jerome Bettis after Super Bowl XL.
It seems that while sports stars get to go to Disneyland, sports fans who lose silly bets get to look like Goofy. This time, although the Giants led by ten points at the end of the 3rd quarter, the Steelers rallied in the 4th quarter, scoring 14 points for a 24-20 win. Losing the game was nothing compared to the shock and, dare I say, humiliation of receiving my very undignified penalty hat in the mail. Talk about goofy! Gawrsh!
Mary didn’t just pick that silly hat to torture me; she and her son actually wore them at the game! (See that photo here). This year, if the Giants and the Steelers both make it to the Super Bowl, rest assured that I’ll be upping the ante on our friendly little game–no more classic caps from me!
Meanwhile, as we take time to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family, I leave you with these two quotes: one that’s serious (like the Giants cap I selected) and one that’s more in keeping with Mary’s choice in Steelers head gear:
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not coincidence. ~ Erma Bombeck
May this Thanksgiving weekend be all things Disney: fun, family-oriented, magical, and even a little bit Goofy.
~Bob
