4th and 2

Sunday night wasn't fun for Boston sports fans. Bill Belichik's call to go for it on 4th and 2 from our own 28 will seemingly be debated for weeks. When it happened I was completely shocked. However, with a few days of reflection and obsessive reading I'm slightly more okay with the decision but still confused with the overall play-calling around the series.

The Monday after had Boston in an awful mood. One thing that I'd forgotten since living away from Massachusetts was the ability of a tough sports loss to palpably affect the entire mood of the state. The Boston Sports Club Locker room where I've been going to the gym was no exception.

I've been going to a BSC location in Waltham with amazing facilities, especially compared to the kinda dingy city locations I'm used to. The clientele is definitely different, as the daytime scene at the BSC is all retired old people who make the gym their hangout.

One thing I've learned....old men don't fear nudity. The majority will walk around with a reckless naked abandon. I've unfortunately come to realize that the ageing process shrinks one's frank while exponentially growing the beans; in ways I never thought medically possible. If any medical folk have any insight into this, please let me know.

Normally I've found the sauna is off limits for conversation with strangers. Monday was definitely an exception. There were five of us...the other four all old men sitting towels unfolded and totally relaxed. One guy started it simply with, "I can't believe he went for it." That was it, a solid 10 minute discussion analyzing the minutiae of 4th down percentages, clock management, and Peyton Manning followed. The intensity of emotion in everyone threw any awkwardness out the door.

It made me wonder, after seeing the NFL pregame shows trying new angles like broadcasting from Afghanistan, would the public be receptive to this as a new angle of sports shows? Cris Collinsworth in there with Shannon Sharpe (naturally with a super flashy towel) and Herm Edwards all sitting around bantering? It really could be the Best Damn Sports Show. Period.