Hate the Patriots? Let me count (in dollars) the ways

[OuttaLuck 0]

Disclaimer: This post is only partially (and to a minor extent at that) about ff, so for those of you who don't want to read a long message that has little information about ff or your team, please move along elsewhere. Hopefully, this post will make some of you who suffered tough losses feel better about how it could've been worse this weekend, unless you ruptured your spleen or found your best friend boinking your wife.

I'm a die-hard Giants fan, but the game against the Jets was not televised by CBS in my area because the local CBS affiliate always televises the damn Patsies if they're on at the same time. I figured what the heck, I want to see the game, and it's supposed to be an unusually warm weekend in this area, so I'll take a trip on my motorcycle to Long Island, enjoy a few hours at the beach, stay overnight at a motel and then find a sports bar to watch the Giants/Jets game. Everything was great until I arrived at the motel at which I'd made a reservation and was informed that they'd "overbooked and a room was not available", but that they'd send me to a comparable motel that had a room available. I said ok and set off again, but the directions I'd been given were awful, so I stopped at a gas station to get more directions. I come back out to find someone had taken my motorcycle helmet from the back of my bike (NY has a mandatory helmet law). I know, I was stupid for leaving it on the back of the bike, but I didn't expect someone to take it.

I made it to the motel without being pulled over for not wearing a helmet (the good news). The bad news was that the motel was $55 more than the original one, featured cigarette burns on the bed and table, the TV and air conditioner didn't work properly, and it was adjacent to a highway where the trucks sounded like rocket launchers.

Set out on Sunday morning to try to buy a replacement helmet, and figured I might be ok because I hadn't seen a lot of cops in the area. I headed toward a motorcycle business I'd found in the phone book, but hadn't gone 2 blocks before I was pulled over--turns out there was some sort of parade/festivities going on in the area, complete with streets blocked off, and cops all over the place. Got a ticket for riding without a helmet (I guess he figured I was trying the "my dog ate my homework" excuse when I said it had been taken). Asked the cop if I could move my bike off the street to a nearby mall, and he said if I did, he'd impound my bike because I didn't have a helmet. Took out my cell phone to call for a cab, and...no service. Left my bike and went to a nearby gas station, where I found a guy willing to drive me to the mc shop for the mere sum of 30$. Seemed like a nice guy, and we were talking Giants football on the way to the mc shop. Went in, bought a helmet, came back out--and he was gone. Doh. Got a ride back to my bike from someone at the shop (only $15 this time), and came back to find (yup, you may've guessed it) a parking ticket on my bike (maybe from the same pain in the butt cop who wouldn't let me move it).

Found a sports bar and settled in to watch the game. A guy who'd obviously already had a few sits down next to me, and promptly knocks his glass of beer into my lap as he reaches for some pretzels. Doh.

A few observations about the game...Couglin was an idiot for trying to move down the field with about 30 seconds left in the first half, resulting in an interception and a Jets FG; Jacobs is much better than Ward and I can't see why (despite Jacobs' early fumble) Coughlin doesn't set the beast loose on every series; Pennington should be a QB of the past (his two interceptions, one returned for a score to seal the game for the Giants) were awful; in my opinion, the Jets RBs will do little until and unless they have a QB who can throw a decent pass more than 10-15 yards downfield; the Giants were horrid on kick-off returns (one by Leon W. for a TD and 2 others that were close if not for saving tackles); Ross is a good corner while Webster should receive E. Patterson's old knickname of "Toast"; and I hate the refs for calling back the second TD by Jacobs. Yeah, I know it was a hold, but it cost me a win, damn it.

Left the bar and headed to the ferry back home. While in line, the guy behind me hits my bike and dents my rear fender. Of course, he has no insurance. On the way home after getting off the ferry, I get a flat tire and have to go through more crap to get it fixed. Get home in time to see that my opponent's TE, Watson, has gone wild, but that I still should be ok with Favre and Berrian still playing. Then GB decides to run the ball at every opportunity and Berrian becomes a sideline cheerleader. Doh. Lost by a point.

 

So let's add this up as far as the damn Patsies being televised instead of the Giants:

 

Motel $150

Ferry fees $50

Helmet replacement cost $130

Tickets and fines $140

Replacement for fender (who knows--$100 bucks or so?)

Tire replacement $175

Meals, tips, gas, etc. about $100

 

But to see a comeback win by the Giants? Priceless!

 

Of course, what's also priceless, in retrospect, is my incredible stupidity for not simply scalping a ticket to the game. Anyone else this dumb to go to such lengths to see your team?

 

Anyway, I thought my difficulties this weekend might make some of you feel better by comparison. For those of you that want to flame me for a long post without a lot of ff value, well, all I can say is at least I warned you at the start?