Sunday, February 27, 2011

A Well Planned Surprise

Happy Birthday!!!  OK bye!
Lindsey had her birthday evening all figured out. We’d arrive home from the airport, get cozy on the couch, order Luzzo’s, turn on the Oscars, and talk about dresses.

Never was I happier to have planned an all-girls surprise party.

Tonight also happened to be Knicks-Heat. On national television. With Carmelo.

I won't go as far as to say this was the reason I planned the party. But let's just say I was aware the game was being played.

The surprise went swimmingly. Linds was too focused on dresses and pizza to suspect anything. We made small talk with the guests and told them about our trip. But Lindsey’s one-track mind was just as strong as mine.

“Soooo,” (WALKING POLITELY-BUT-BRISKLY PAST THE GROUP AND TOWARD THE TELEVISION) “What’s everyone wearing?”

I took that as my cue to leave, and raced down the stairs and onto 1st Avenue. I hopped in a cab, got out at Boston Market, and got home just in time for tip-off. (Actually, it was forty-five seconds in. My stuffing wasn’t ready when I ordered it.)

The game was epic. Without a doubt the most fun I’ve had watching the Knicks in 10 years. The NY fans were out in full force, so much so that they booed LeBron and chanted “De-fense” -- even though the game was in Miami. New York closed out the 1st half with a 16-0 run, and the 2nd with a 15-4 run to win the game by five. Carmelo was awesome. Carmelo is awesome. The media will surely follow up with 800 stories about how New York basketball is really and truly back. I will attempt to read all of them.

I even tweeted about it. At Chad’s behest, I’ll now be supplementing my blog with real-time twitter updates, so you can get even more FVG!

Once you start tweeting, you get sort of addicted to checking. You want to know what people are saying about the Knicks right as it happens. And you even learn a little about that surprised party you planned.

Maria:   “James Franco can I have what you’re having?”
Katie:    “Anne Hathaway's stylist=Rachel Zoe. Thanks credits for confirming.”
Kristen: RT “sandra bullock, you are my absolute favorite. complete class act”

I had no idea what any of them were talking about.

Life was good.

Friday, February 11, 2011

The FVG Apocalypse: A Valentine's Day Super Bowl

Now you've really pissed him off.
When the NFL settles its labor dispute (whether this year or the next) there's a strong likelihood we'll have an 18-game regular season. Polls currently show 27% of NFL players are in favor, and roughly 250% of NFL fans. Girlfriends everywhere are cringing.

But they haven't even considered the worst part.

According to proposals I've read, the season would start two weeks earlier (replacing the last two preseason games) and end two weeks later, culminating with a President's Day Weekend Super Bowl. Federal law requires President's Day to be the third Monday of February, which means once every seven years, President's Day is February 15th.

Which means once every seven years, the Super Bowl would be February 14th.

Oh my.

A Valentine's Day Super Bowl. The one game girlfriends will always let their boyfriends watch vs. the one night boyfriends will always do whatever their girlfriends say. I don't care what teams play that Sunday: This matchup is waaay better.

So, what gives in this doomsday scenario? I honestly have no idea. In my life I've come across three types of females: Women who like football, women who tolerate football but wish there were less of it, and women who wish football as a sport would collectively tear an ACL.

Most women fall into category two. This would piss off all three.

Valentine's Day is her day. Don't tread on it. Don't get me wrong, no one wants more weeks of football more than I do.

But for that once-every-seven-years, Perfect Storm/Armageddon/Apocalypto/Mel Gibson/George Clooney/Ben Affleck/wrapped-into-one scenario, do us all a favor:

Play the Super Bowl on Saturday.

Friday, February 4, 2011

The Final FVG Pick...Ever!

Every now and then, my dad sends me fan mail. My guess is he usually solicits it, but for some reason this one -- from an old high school friend -- struck me as genuine:

"Matt's blog is superb - really loved the columns I read....up until the sports parts."

OK, I get it. People aren't digging my handicapping advice. Maybe that's because my win-loss percentage is slightly under 50%, or what would happen if you sat at a roulette table for four hours and kept betting 'EVEN'. And at least that wouldn't require any reading.

So for next season, I'll be retiring my Weekend Picks, and replacing them with something more Football/Girlfriend relevant (not sure what yet). Like any savvy marketer, I have respond to what works and what doesn't.

But it's not next year yet. And since I'm still wavering on who I like for the Super Bowl, I decided to leave the final FVG pick EVER...to Lindsey:

ME: Who do you like in the Super Bowl? Steelers or Packers?
LINDS: I don't know.
ME: Just say one of the teams.
LINDS: Steelers.
ME: Why?
LINDS: Because the Packers always win.
ME: But the Steelers have won more Super Bowls than any other team.
LINDS: Whatever. Did you use my toothbrush again?

So there you have it, folks: FVG likes the Steelers (+3) vs. the Packers in Super Bowl XLV (Sun, 6:20 ET).

Enjoy!

Last Week: 1-1
Season: 48-49-4