My Dad taught us kids growing up that a gift should represent yourself. When you give it to someone, you are offering them a piece of yourself that you think will resonate with their own enthusiasms and pursuits.
He loves reading, music, and movies so, for his 60th birthday, we asked his friends and family to bring a book, CD, or DVD that they like very much. This allowed him to read, view, or listen to something that gave him a window into their lives and enabled him to get to know them better.
Where's the excitement in opening a gift when it's something that was on your list or you've been begging for for the last nine months? You might as well just have someone drive you to the store and have them buy it for you. Why go through all the trouble in wrapping it when they won't be real surprised anyway when they open it since they've been expecting it?
The real thrill and charge in opening a gift is when you have no expectations.
Every Sunday during the NFL season, each of the games are like presents offered to us by the National Football League. Before kickoff, we have no expectations due to the unpredictable and eccentric nature of this institution. As time passes, the mystery of the game is unwrapped, and we find ourselves either dozing off much like after receiving another tie that lights up from Aunt Ruby or having chill bumps, tears, and heart failure when we get the keys to Grandpa's '57 Ford pickup he's been promising.
Regardless, being an NFL enthusiast requires you to not make lists each week because you are more than likely not going to get anything on there in the form that you think you're going to get it. You will find yourself witnessing or learning something that you would have never expected and that can only lead to appreciating the NFL more than ever.
Let's take a look at what was under the tree in Week 15:
- A blizzard in Cleveland produced the first 8-0 score in the NFL since 1929 when the Chicago Cardinals defeated the Minneapolis Red Jackets. Cleveland is now tied with Pittsburgh for the AFC North lead...Yes, that Cleveland.
- Matt Moore is a 23-year-old undrafted rookie who was signed by Dallas this past off-season. He entered training camp as the #3 QB. He was then cut and picked up by Carolina who gave him his first start last Sunday and watched him lead the Panthers to a rare home win vs. NFC West champion Seattle. Moore starts Saturday night vs. Dallas.
- Speaking of Dallas, their offense was throttled by Philly at Texas Stadium. For the first time since 2004, Dallas did not score a TD as things did not go the Cowboys' way. Makes you wonder if winning the home-field advantage is necessarily an advantage for Big D who is undefeated on the road this year.
- Miami won a game. They beat Baltimore in OT on a 64-yard TD pass from Cleo Lemon to Greg Camarillo. Players dog-piled each other. Fans fainted. Babies were thrown in the air. You would have thought Miami had just won the AFC title.
- Tom Brady threw 0 TD's and completed 14 passes vs. the hapless Jets through very blistery conditions at New England. I would have never thought that weather would be the one entity to slow down Brady and Co...oh, and they're still undefeated. Amazing!
- It took 32 years ---498 games to be exact--- for a Tampa Bay Buccaneer to return a kickoff for a TD. Michael Spurlock scorched Atlanta (not hard to do) for 90 yards and the score.
- The Steelers had not lost at home all season and had the league's 2nd best rush defense as they welcomed Jacksonville to Heinz Field. J-town exploded for 224 total rushing yards and beat Pitt 29-22.
- The predictable implosion of the Detroit Lions continued after a 51-14 thrashing at the hands of the San Diego Chargers giving them their sixth straight loss. Matt Millen should do himself a favor and watch the rest of the games from his living room.
- There is not another team out there right now with more heart than the Washington Redksins. Their 22-10 vs. the Giants in NY in bad weather led by a carrier back-up QB in Todd Collins speaks volumes of their passion and focus in the midst of tragedy. It also says a ton for their coach Joe Gibbs who has this team thinking playoffs.
- Brett Favre became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards. Surprised?
HERE'S A LOOK AT THE KEY GAMES FOR WEEK 16:
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