The Other Side of Sports

First, an admission: this post really doesn't have much value, other than allowing me to channel some of my excitement for tomorrow's game.  If you're looking for a discussion about the on-field events...I would suggest heading to the other posts (all of which are excellent, as per usual).

Tomorrow's game will be special, and not just because Denver has a very real shot of going up 2-0, and taking a two-game lead over San Diego in the division (only a 1-game lead over the winner of KC-oakland...but that doesn't really matter).  Tomorrow, I get to attend the game with the following people:

• My Wife.  It will be our first Bronco game together (her first ever!); we attended a Chiefs-Patriots game a few years ago at Arrowhead while visiting some friends (sidenote: i wore my away Ed McCaffery jersey to that one).  She was a big Avalanche fan when we met, and she's become an incredible football fan; she even beats me at fantasy football.  Plus, she's the one who pointed me to the Brazilian twins in the Good Luck Bikini thread...she's an incredible woman, and I can't wait to share this with her!
• My Dad.  My football fan-dom is directly attributed to him.  He's always been a friend and a role-model, and this will be his first NFL game...ever.  A real father-son moment.
  
• My cousin, a Navy vet who worked on the last operational F-14 Tomcat unit.  His girlfriend is currently in the process of shipping out to Afghanistan, so it's awesome that the pregame will include a salute to the armed forces.

Like I said...this is just an emotional outburst, but it gets me thinking: how many other such stories are out there?  Jonahsilas is in town for his bachelor weekend (which sounds like an awesome time!)...there must be hundreds or thousands of such stories, all bringing an insane energy to a relatively small spot of land during a 3.5 hour stretch of time.  It connects one special moment (me with my family) to all the other special moments, all with the energy generated from pride in our team, and pride in our city and state.  I don't know where this is going...but it feels special.

Go Broncos, and I hope everyone on MHR enjoys the ride tomorrow!