Something Special...

Sappy? Yes. True? Yes. What is going on here for this our season is nothing short of spectacular. Wait. Yes it is. It is short of spectacular. How is that you say? How could this season have been predicted? How could our successes to date be so significant? Well, I am here to say that we, at least the "we" that pollute this space thought this might just happen...

It started back in February when we were just getting ready for the draft that would happen many months later. Normally a time that I reserve for not talking about the football, but if you go back, there was quite a bit of discussion leading up to the draft, after the draft, and pretty much during the entire no football whatsoever blackout period that I personally instituted some seasons ago. There was excitement here. There was football going on here and it's safe to say that this group wouldn't shut the fuck up about it. It was then that I knew that we had something special building here.

We've talked about it to death. There's a latin or some such foreign tongue that has a word for that but I think that's been used to the point of nausea so bite me vocab sticklers. We slaughtered this team with our words. It got to the point where the only conversation we'd have would go like this:

"We're gonna be good right?"
"Well, yeah."
"So, the defense is there right?"
"Yeah, we have about 9000 beasts out there craving intestines, yeah we're good."
"And well, the offense will be there right?"
"Well, yeah. We still have Best Ever, Antonio First Down, the receivers are a year longer into development, and there's two guys coming in that are like 19 feet tall and fast."
"Well, what about the Quarterback?"
"Oh, that. The Quarterback is good. He's been sitting and learning for two years. He owns all of the college records in the ACC. If he isn't completely retarded and promises not fuck it up, we'll be fine."
"That's probably true."
"Damn right."

This conversation with those in the know is the only conversation we had during this offseason. That's just how it went. There was an inherent confidence around here I had never been a part of. As has been well documented, I am not the most flag toting fan around these parts. In fact, the word naysayer has been thrown around rather loosley at times, although deserved. But, this season has been different. The events to date have been different. And that atmosphere has disappeared.

I haven't in the past really enjoyed the footballing. I tend to have a bit of a reckless demeanor when watching this footballing team in the past. I have bitten my fingers bloody, sworn at inanimate objects and innocent bystanders after time outs were wasted. I've punched steel reinforced doors and literally suffered chest pains as my heart accelerated to unsafe speeds. But this year, this year is different. There has been this calm. This never before present calm with this team in 2006. In Cincinnatti, calm. Nothing was shattered in the living room. No one bore the brunt of a verbal slaying. Just calm. We've got this.... We've got this.

I thought that might have been an illusion. A one time thing. Then Denver happened. And still, nothing. No panic. No desperation. Nothing disheartening. Even when Darrent Williams returned Seventeen's error for 6, nothing. In fact, this was the most popular conversation of the night:

"You nervous yet?"
"Nope."

That was it. Not leading up to the game. Not during the horrible second quarter that we have managed to perfect this season. Nothing. This was doable. This wasn't going to happen again. And then the tide changed. And it didn't feel like the tide had changed to me. We just did what it is now that we do. LTD went apeshit, hurling his rushing prowess across Mile High. Silencing that crowd was an unfuckinbelievable feeling. One that has been missing for quite a while. But, as amazing as it was, it came to no surprise to those of us around here. This is the team we have been waiting for and expecting to show up for some time now.

People will talk about the trades. Mikey Vick for LTD and our former Squadleader. Save a shattered wing at the hands of the Donks in the finale things might be different here. But, sad as it was, it happened and opened the door for this. Or, the Whiny Manning lacking a desire to play here, further kicking down that door for Seventeen, and the Monster Who Needs a New Pharmacist. Not to mention the add of ol' 93. This was going to happen. It should not have been a surprise.

Now we're on top. What to do now that we are here is a whole 'nother story. But we're here. And I see no signs of it slowing down. I've actually broken another of my rules this season. I have made wagers on our footballing team. Not the monetary sort, but the humiliating sort. The kind you make with Buck Toothed Coloradoans (sp?) after some tequila. Three in fact, I didn't start slow with one, but three. And here we are, one down, soon to be paid off with a sore foam fingered covered arm praising all that is Bolt for a day. And halfway to victory on the remaining two. And still, the confidence does not stray. This one's ours. This one is finally ours.