Annual event of the nation, besides Christmas, New Year, finally arrived. After having been part of the melting part for nearly 3 decades, I am at times amazed how this sports event, besides World Series, plays such a significant role in this culture. At Sam’s club, the lines were unusually long even for Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t help noticing the contents in the shopping carts: beer, chips, cupcakes and sandwiches. Even though my cart wasn’t nearly as elaborated, I was there partially for the same reason. There was no party for us at home or elsewhere despite of the invites from a couple of dutiful and zealous fan friends for reasons double folds: (1) Steelers not being part of the game; (2) some family member (no name) has a tendency of losing control in moments of frenzy. Thus, party of 3 it was: nice and simple, and safe.
Being one of the opposite sex, I am not ashamed to admit that I prefer gossip to politics, shoes shopping to sports events. Over the years, however, I have slowly developed an interest in baseball and football after living with 3 men for over 20 years. It started with baseball games, when I discovered the fun at the ball park in the 2 plus hours of fresh air, easy talks and a shared kindred spirit with a stadium of fellow fans. Football-wise, it is a natural evolution from marrying into a family from Pittsburgh, thus inheriting their sports teams. Watching a football game with Steelers involved, however, may not necessarily be fun as you and your whole being rise up and flop down with their performance. The easiest solution for us is to follow up the results after the fact. In comparison, a Super Bowl without Steelers would put us on the neutral sideline with nothing at stake, thus securing for us a night of safe enjoyment.
We had hoped for Vikings and Chargers to make it there this year, but Saints and Colts would do too. As underdog lovers, we unceremoniously sided for Saints. After all, for the longest time they have been known as the ants, the losers. Going to Super Bowl must have exceeded their as well as the rest of the nation’s wildest dream. As cliché as it may be, their win would be a “feel-good” ending that everyone loves. And a happy ending we indeed had hoped and received as the night concluded with Saints being crowned for the 44th Super Bowl champion. The game was perfect, not merely because of the win, but more of its drama, suspense, rise and fall, followed by a twisted, unexpected outcome with a satisfaction that no sure wins could ever deliver.
As we watched the celebration at the stadium on our HDTV, I couldn’t stop thinking of the silly tune “Oh when the saints go marching in”. For decades they had been nobody and on that Sunday night with the confetti showering down and the whole nation cheering on, they might as well be marching straight to the pearly gate. The infectious joy lulled us both to stay on the TV even after the trophy was passed and title awarded. We watched with a smile on our faces those jubilant fans and players roaring in their ecstasy and almost wished that the celebration wouldn’t end. Tonight I would visit my bed with excitement still warm in my heart. We would talk on even after the lights were out, making silly remarks such as “Saints Bree’zed through the win”, “we ain’t ants any more” and recapping the game like two kids that wouldn’t want the night to end. Drunk in glee as I might have been, I did not forget that in a day or two all this exhilaration would vanish like vapor under the sun. No wins on the face of this earth last on. This pessimist should have been deflated to gloom in no time. Somehow, I managed to come back with an epiphany. Despite all let-downs from this life, there indeed is yet a final parade when the saints go marching in at the call of our maker on that final day. In every way and with far greater magnitude we, the elects, are living a Cinderella fairy tale here on earth, waiting for that call and the happy ending in heaven. For many of us, we were once lower than the ants but now the beloved, the privileged and the saints. There is no greater win than this.
I laid my head down and closed my eyes; my heart sealed in peace and contentment.
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