What?

Fuck.

Dammit all to hell.

Son of a bitch.

FUCK!

I just got taken on a roller coaster ride, and ended up with the mental equivalent of vomit all over myself. Why is it that I'm always disappointed at the end of the football season? Why does a game I love so much have to kick me in the balls every single year? Let me give you a rundown of the past few seasons.

2001-2: After years of lounging around in mediocrity, the Raiders are finally in the playoffs and looking to go all the way, only to be knocked out in New England on a bullshit "tuck-rule" call that is, was, and will always be a goddamn fumble.

2002-3: This time, there are no Patriots to fuck things up, but Tampa Bay and Coach Gruden manage to fuck it up anyway, and take a Super Bowl victory away from my team.

2003-4: With no shot at the Raiders making the playoffs, I jump on the Colts bandwagon (they're my Dad's team). But they meet those bastard Patriots in the Conference Championship game and go home losers.

2004-5: Once again, the Raiders miss the playoffs by a mile, and the Colts are riding high with a record setting Peyton Manning, an incredible offense, but no defense to speak of. They meet the Patriots again, this time in a Divisional game, and go home losers for the second time in as many years.

2005-6: The "What the hell's wrong with the Raiders" question can wait until later. The Colts got off to a stellar 13-0 start, and their defense was one of the main reasons. They ended up with a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs, only to...lose a heartbreaker to the Pittsburg Steelers, who are the number 6 seed. That's not supposed to happen, goddammit. I thought all the talk about Peyton Manning not being able to win a big game was bullshit until now. I think he's a fantastic regular season QB, probably the best in the league. But come playoff time, he can't get it done. The circumstances were pretty much perfect, and now he has to sit at home until next season.

P.S. Turns out I was 2-2 for my picks this weekend. After the Colts travesty, I didn't even bother watching the Panthers-Bears game, but the Panthers won by 8 or something. Picks for next weekend? Not that I really care, but I'll take the Broncos over the Steelers, and the Panthers over the Seahawks. If Shawn Alexander plays, the Seahawks may win, but if he doesn't, the 'Hawks are done.