Why Do You Play The Game?

I'm no football expert, but being married to MBB for over 15 years, I have become quite enamored of the game. I really enjoy watching it, though I will never reach the level of emotion that MBB has for his preferred team. It is lots of fun to root for teams you like, and root against teams you dislike. For those who don't follow the game that doesn't make a lot of sense. Why would you dislike a team? Two words: Dallas Cowboys.

Anyway, I was out most of the day, but when I returned home, I had a few minutes and the ability to access a few late games (not on tv, it's a long story). Having sat in traffic, driven home with fighting kids who finally fell asleep, then putting those kids into bed after waking them up when we got home I felt I could use a few minutes to decompress. what better way to do that, then watch a few minutes of late game football in a tight Steelers Colts game. So I watched the last few minutes, knowing the inevitable would occur after Roethlisberger was picked off, and of course Peyton Manning and the Colts being who they are capitalized and won the game. OK, boom they switch the feed to the end of the San Diego / Kansas City game. Wow, 51 seconds left, each team has one time out and the score is San Diego 20, Kansas City 13. OK, this looks like it could be exciting. Granted, the Chiefs (KC)have a record of 1 win and 7 losses, but still it's fun when games come down to the wire! So After surviving a challenge ona pass completion on a 4th and 8 from the 29 yard line, the hapless Chiefs find themselves with an 11 yard pick up at the SD 18 (that's 18 yards to go to the touchdown, for those unaware). The Quarterback throws, and the pass is incomplete, and lucky break for the Chiefs they get an iffy pass interference call, which now puts them on the one yard line. ONE! Yard! LINE! Kansas City being Kansas City, they finally get the touchdown on 3rd down. YAAAAY! This is so exciting. So what does Herm do? Almost immediately? HE puts up TWO fingers.

For our readers who don't understand, a touchdown is worth six points, so the score is now KC 19 SD 20. There are two choices for the "extra points" after a touchdown. A team can kick what is almost always a guaranteed one point field goal, or they can try to get the ball in the endzone again, and it's worth two points.

So Herm Edwards, former coach of the Jets, and now Head Coach of these Kansas City Chiefs decides to go for a two point play with 29 seconds remaining. He forgoes the almost definite tie, and instead opts for a play whose percentages of success are low even on very good teams. They don't get the points, they lose the game by one.

I know, they're a team with a losing record and aren't going anywhere post seasonally, but C'MON! Herm, what is it you say?


Maybe he had dinner reservations.