The Glory and The Agony

Snow! Vermont! Skiing! Three-day weekend!

I clicked into my bindings for the first time this season at Okemo and thanks a month of heavy snowfall, the skiing was delicious! Two full days of the most exhilarating activity that I participate in, gliding down a mountain a pair of planks; gaining terminal velocity on steep groomers, bumping into rhythm on moguls or picking a line through a maze of trees in the glades, I am constantly hooting and hollering in gleeful joy. Aside from the possibility of maiming or killing (small odds!) skiing never lets me down.

Unlike some other activities I frequently indulge…

The Patriots have shown me glory through the years, but consuming sports is an insatiable need for victory now. Since the unfortunate turn of events in their masterful 2007 season, the Pats have been the worst tease in all of pro sports. The hype surrounding the team for the next year was thwarted 8 minutes into the first game when Brady’s knee snapped, the following year was a solid season which ended in a comedy of errors in their first playoff game after Wes Welker lost his knee and this year’s incarnation was a machine, rolling off a 14-2 record and beating virtually every playoff team in the process.

And then they blow it to The Jets. At home after another perfect home record… It makes no sense. And because I allow myself to engage this ultimately meaningless nonsense, I feel disheartened and again question my sanity for putting up with this… But I begin to think about the Red Sox front office putting together their own masterful off-season, pulling in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and I grin in anticipation of Spring Training and the potential for another World Series title…

I live for the euphoria of victory, but need the sting of defeat to remind me of the many other wonderful and truly important aspects of my life. Being the best person I can be is better than cheering the best team of the season.