NFinaLe - Thoughts from Week 17

Over the course of the last three years, I have become an enthusiastic fan of the National Football League. As the regular season concludes today, I have some thoughts. Why I am choosing to share them with you, I don't know. Nonetheless, here they are:

On the Cleveland Browns - Who would have ever thought it possible? Not that they would win 10 games, but that I would be marginally interested in their team! Dare I even use the word, fan? Didn't see that one comin'!

On the Cincinnati Bengals - Palmer deserves better.

On the Denver Broncos - Unbreak my heart! (I hope the Cutler Chronicles are about to begin!)

On the Miami Dolphins - Thanks a lot! Now I don't have anything to tease Coach Davis about at the lunch table! If you're gonna do something, in the name of all that is decent, follow through till the end!

On the Green Bay Packers - Never thought I would say this, but--I hope Farve makes it to the big show. The guy is hard not to like.

On the rest of the NFC - Who cares?

On the New England Patriots - Congratulations!--for the time being, but remember--it don't mean a thing if you don't get the ring! (I came up with that all by myself! How exactly do you coin a phrase? Is that a government run thing?)

On Tom Brady - I heard you say last week on "60 Minutes" that there has got to be more out there than just winning three Super Bowls. There is, and I truly hope that you find it one day. I can tell you what it is if you want me to.

On naming this team or that team the "best ever" or the "best of the decade" or the "best" of anything - Rubbish! Drivel! How can anyone authoritatively name any team the best of anything! "Best-ness" is a relative value dependent on the ideals of the person using the term. It can't be quantified. Championships aren't about who is the best. Organized sports aren't about who is the best. Sports is about who wins when it matters! This year's Super Bowl Champion won't be the best team--it will be the team who won when it counted. Period. End of story and end of post!

A Day in the Life

Up to this point in my videographic career (which, by the way, has been short and largely unnoticed by the mainstream media), I have focused primarily on documenting the special events of our lives as a family. Birthdays, holidays, vacations, and the like have been the primary objects of my focus and my camera. Several months ago, I decided that, in the next installment of the "Doan Family Video" Series, I would take a different approach. Perhaps we will one day look back on those early years of our family life and long to remember what the normal, non-holi days were like--then again, perhaps we won't. In any case, I have endeavored in the proceeding video to capture the spirit of the average, run-of-the-mill, everyday...day in the Andrew Doan family. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Snowbound...Sort Of

I have only been a teacher for 2.5 days this week. In case you were wondering, on a normal week I am a teacher for 5 days. This, however, has not been a normal week. Monday night I contracted a case of the dreaded bahoobie disease. (If you don't know what that is, then you don't want to know.) I called in sick Tuesday morning, but I was feeling well enough to go in that afternoon. On Tuesday night I witnessed one of the most exciting finishes to a high school basketball games that I have ever seen. (I hope to post more about that later.) On Wednesday, school was cancelled because we all were snowbound...by about 3 inches of snow--interesting. On Thursday, my basketball team improved to a record of 4 wins and 0 losses. (I am thankful, but don't be misled--we haven't really been tested as a team yet. Hopefully, that will come on Monday.) I also learned that many fast food restaurants will give bus drivers and coaches a free meal! On Friday (today), school was cancelled for a second time because of the snow. Even though I am 27 years old, there is still something special for me about snow days. It can put just about any old Crabby Appleton in a good mood! Eldan has contracted a slight case of the bahoobies, but other than that we are all just enjoying Ohio's version of a winter storm! Two weeks from today, and we will be on our way to New Hampshire for Christmas Vacation! Until then, stay sane...