We Wasted The Good Suprise On You...

When I was a kid, I loved the Oklahoma Sooners. Well, mostly their football team. And mostly because my Grandpa did. At that point, I really couldn't have cared less about college football. It was more about getting as much swag as I could that had the name "Sooner" on it. It's why I like the movie "Far and Away".

I remember one christmas telling my parents all I wanted was Oklahoma Sooners gear. Footballs, bed sheets, sweatshirts, whatever, as long as it had the word Sooner on it (although at that age I still wasn't sure what a 'sooner' actually was). Well, christmas eve comes and all is quiet. I, of course, can't wait for the morning, so I sneak out in the middle of the night with my flashlight, scissors and tape.

I pick the nearest gift with my name on it. With the precision of a seasoned surgeon, I slice the tape perfectly between the seams. Ever so quietly, I pull the object out. With much joy, I admire my new sooner's hat.

Fearing I might get caught, I quickly use the tape to re-assemble the gift with the kind of perfection that comes from years of sneaking. The next morning we bound down the hallway to our new gifts. My brother and my sister are excited about what the unknown has in store. I'm a bit more reserved. I try to play it off as maturity, but it was all because there was no more unknown. I knew what my gift was. Of course, when the moment came, I played the part of the excited kid getting exactly what he wanted.

I've never really thought about that christmas until yesterday.

Sure, the Colts beat the Bears. Whoopieding. Even when Hestor ran the opening kickoff back, I can honestly say there was never a moment I was worried. Somehow, I just knew that we were going to win. Not because of destiny or anything else, just because I knew we were a better team.

I have to be honest when I say the present opening came for me two weeks ago. When Jackson intercepted that Tom Brady pass, I jumped up and ran around my house screaming like a crazy person. Yesterday, I barely smiled. It was like it was a forgone conclusion.

Don't get me wrong. I've been waiting a looooooong time for the Colts to reach this point. I've been waiting since Colts stood for: Count On us to Lose This Sunday. Back when Dean Biasucci was the kicker, and Bill Brooks caught passes from Jack Trudeau. Yes, I've been through those low times. And it feels good for us to finally be at the pinnacle.

I think, though, the pinnacle is when you know you are the best. It's when you beat the best. Sorry Chicago, but the real super bowl was two weeks ago.

It had better commercials too.