The Fall wishlist - the Pro edition

When I moved to the US in the Fall of '93, it took me all of a fortnight to get fully immersed into American Football, or just "football" as they call it. I chose my teams rather arbitrarily, but have stuck with them through thick and thin (mainly thin, I'm afraid) ever since.

Since I left the US in early '04, I've not been able to follow the game with quite the same intensity as before, owing to the fact that kick-off time in the US usually coincides with bedtime in Asia. However, I still follow the results, and still root for my teams.

As my teams often have rotten seasons, I find it is also important to have two more categories of teams: the nice teams, i.e., teams you don't mind winning, and the stinkers, i.e., the teams you really want to lose games, have their players suffer from severe dandruff and and the coaches/owners of which teams you would like to see slip on a banana skin and plunge headfirst down a flight of stairs. (Childish, yes. But most sports are a bit childish.)

With the start of the 2008 American football season rapidly approaching, everyone and his uncle has a Football Preview of one sort or the other. I am handicapped because all my opinions are based on prejudice and what I read on espn.com.

So, rather than present to what I think will happen, I present to you what I hope will happen in the First Shankar GPS Football Wishlist - Pro Edition.



THINGS THAT WILL MAKE A STUPENDOUS SEASON:

1. The Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl.

2. The New England Patriots lose the Super Bowl or AFC Championship Game (heck, any game), preferably on an interception returned for a touchdown with 2 seconds remaining in the 4th quarter.



THINGS THAT WILL MAKE A PERFECTLY ADEQUATE SEASON:

1. The Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl.

2. The New York Jets win the Super Bowl.

3. The New York Giants miss the playoffs.

4. The Washington Redskins miss the playoffs.

5. The Philadelphia Eagles miss the playoffs.



As you can tell, dear reader (if there are any of you left at this point), a lot of mature thought and scientific analysis has gone into the production of this list.