Jan
6
Like black and white, chocolate and vanilla, my jobs last weekend couldn’t have been more starkly opposite. The work was simar but the atmospheres felt distinctly playoffs and pre-season. On Saturday night I was in East Rutherford to cover history as the Patriots would bid for football immortality - an undefeated 16 game regular season.
Usually interconference games are kind of dull. Not this one. The Pats are clearly one of history’s best squads and the Giants, though limping into the playoffs, still have enough juice to ruin someone’s day. The game didn’t disappoint but the outcome did. I think most of America was pulling for big blue but it just wasn’t enough. It was loud in there though and for much of the game the Giants gave us hope that the “any given Sunday” thing isn’t just a dream.
After a long season of shooting matchups like Cardinals/Ravens it was really exciting to be in a playoff-like atmosphere. I got home around 2am and then headed off for the Linc where I would experience the complete opposite effect.
The Eagles/Bills tilt was like the fourth preseason game. You know, the one where season ticket holders give away their seats and the dull din of the place ends up sounding like a funeral home. The Eagles won and blah, blah, blah. I can’t wait to get to the playoffs and get that intensity back.