The best worst-sports week of my life
Luke was born Monday October 15th 2012. Nothing else mattered for that week in the hospital other than tending to his and Heather's needs, and somehow trying to fit in some eating and sleeping somewhere. There are a few things that really stand out about that week that I'll never forget: the struggles and stress of getting Luke to eat, the excitement of leaving the hospital to return home, the joy of Luke eating from the breast for the first time the night we got home, and ... just how bad of a sports week it was for me, personally.
Being a sports nut, it was impossible for me to ignore what was happening in the sporting world. Other than hockey, there was a lot going on. I wish I could have tied Luke's birth to a run of great results from fantasy football, NFL, EPL, and Canadian men's soccer, but instead it's quite the opposite:
-Fantasy Football, Oct 15 - I have Philip Rivers in the Monday night matchup against Denver, playing against a guy with Deymarius Thomas, a Bronco receiver. I'm down 15.54 points to start the game. Rivers throws for 119 yards, two TDs and a pick in the first half, while Thomas has 8 yards on one catch. The gap closes to 5.58 points and I figure I've got a shot when I check the halftime score.
Result: Only after the game finished did I find out that Rivers throws 3 interceptions and fumbles twice in the second half, while Thomas catches a 29 yard TD. SD scores no more points after leading 24-0 at halftime and Denver wins 35-24. Rivers finishes with 5.64 points and I lose the week. I hate Philip Rivers.
-Canada Men's World Cup Soccer Qualifier, Oct 18 - Canada played it's last game in the group phase away to Honduras, needing a draw or a win to progress to the Hex, which they hadn't done in a long time. Had Canada won against Honduras at home, everything else being the same, Canada would already have been through. To get a result out of this game needed a prayer to begin with, but there was more attention and hope in the media and fans for this qualifying run than ever before, so I was somewhat hopeful.
Result: I thought there must have been a mistake when I saw the final score: Honduras 8 : 1 Canada. It was an utter embarrassment. Canada out of another World Cup.
-English Premier League Soccer, Oct 20 - Luke and I watch the big matchup of Chelsea at Tottenham (OK, Luke slept, but he was there beside me). Tottenham down in the table at this point, Chelsea at or near the top, great chance for Spurs to gain some ground. Tottenham go down 1-0 in the first half, but come back to score two in the second to go up 2-1.
Result: Chelsea score 3 in the last 30 minutes to win 4-2.
-CFL, Oct 20 - I have the Rider game on PVR. Big game at home against the Alouettes. The wind plays a big part in the game and the Riders don't do anything in the 3rd quarter against it, while Montreal scores two TDs on two runs from Calvillo. Yes, runs, that was not a typo. But we have the wind in the fourth and we come back down 6 points late.
Result: The PVR recording stops and I don't tape the program following it, so I miss the finale, which involved two promising but fruitless drives. Riders lose 34-28.
-Fantasy Football, Oct 16-22 - I have 3 of my best players on byes. I'm projected to lose big to Porterhouse.
Result: I do lose big to Porterhouse. Not a shock, but a kick to the groin. I've now dropped 3 straight after opening the season up with a 4-0 run.
-NFL, Oct 21 - The Colts have a home game against the Browns. This can't continue, right?
Result: Finally the streak is broken and the Colts win 17-13.
Had the Colts not won, this streak would have continued until Oct 28 due to:
-Oct 25: Spurs draw Maribor (Slovenia) in the Europa league 1-1.
-Oct 23-29: I get pounded in Fantasy Football.
-Oct 27: Riders lose at home to Toronto (The haven't won a game in Luke's existence yet).
-Oct 28: Colts beat Titans (then won two more) and Spurs beat Southampton (then lost 3 straight in prem and got knocked out of League Cup to Norwich).
