Bearded for Success

I stayed up late last night watching the Patriots game.  I marked this game down as a loss before the start of the season, and especially after the Pats struggled in their first two games against bad teams.  Well maybe those teams aren’t that bad because the Patriots dominated a good Falcons team in Atlanta. 

Statement Time!

Atlanta made a game of it late on a couple of fluke plays but overall the Patriots played with purpose and a smash mouth mentality that’s been sorely missing the last few years.  This is how the Patriots played when they were winning super bowls before they turned into a finesse offensive juggernaut.  This is much more entertaining. 

One of the biggest advantages Atlanta had was a raucous crowd in their domed stadium but it typical Hotlanta fashion they abandoned their team when they got down ten points.  The lower half of the stadium was virtually empty by the end of the third quarter.  You can say what you want about Boston fans but at least we support our teams. 

So the baseball regular season ended yesterday for my beloved Boston Red Sox.  They’ve been playing out the string of meaningless games since clinching the division crown and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 

My son in law asked me when I was going to start my playoff beard; something I had never considered because for most of my adult life it wasn’t an option.  Outside of some very deadly guys at Ft Bragg no one in the Army is allowed abundant facial hair.  Since my son in law is on a serious winning streak in terms of good ideas (hey - he married my daughter) I decided to give it a shot.  Beards have been integral to the success of the Sox this year – a not so subtle F.U. to the clean-shaven New Yorkers.  A tradition dating back to 2004.  Today is day one of the playoff beard that will remain as long as the Red Sox are alive in the playoffs.  

Playoff Beard - Day 1

How this beard will be received from certain long absent spousal units is another thing entirely.  I better ensure the house is sparkling clean.  She spent the day up along the Costa Rican border and I’m sure shopping was involved.  She called late at night to report there was now a sports bar in her Panamanian home town that served excellent pizza and where she just watched most of the Patriots game as well.  Panama is sounding better and better.