Strictly football related:
This year I give an 8 out of 10. This year of football has been an absolute joy. I'd never say we're going to win the whole thing, but I personally go in to every game with not a worry in my heart, to be honest. I know we can win any game, regardless of who we play. I've never had that feeling being a fan of this team. It's not simply the players, the play on the field, or the coach. It's the way Keim has built this team and the trust I now have in Michael Bidwill. We now have a consistent competitive product. As an aside, I've been telling my wife for years that nice guys finish last, that bringing in or drafting character guys doesn't work in competitive sports, not if you want to win. It brings me so much pride in our team and upper management to be wrong.
I give a 9 out of 10 to the '08 team. It's only higher than this year because for me it was an absolute shock. When they brought Warner in in '05, I swear to you, I laughed. Boomer Esiason and Dave Krieg all over again. His last year for the Giants was a turnover fiesta. He looked old and confused. To take this team to the SB in '08 was a total shock for me, so I rate it higher than this year until we actually make noise in the playoffs.
I give a straight up 10 out of 10 to the '88 season, when we finally got a professional football team. I've never been that happy about any sporting event. It really was a dream come true. The Cardinals were already one of my favorite teams, and to get them, I just cheered and cheered and beamed with pride for what seems like years, perhaps to this day. I adopted them in my heart, gave up all other teams, and every game I went to at SDS was a sense of pride. Stadium 3/4 empty, horrible teams, warm beer, hot seats, I didn't even care, I thought we were the ****. To see what we've become is extraordinary.
Personally:
I'm extremely thankful for my wife, 10 out 10 easily. It really struck me this year on my 46th birthday in November and continues into the holidays. 18 years now she's stuck with me through thick and thin. I started thinking where I'd be without her. Probably in a gutter, in jail, or dead. I'm a historic screw up. She minimizes the damage I do to myself and others. I'm not a card guy, but the card she gave me for Christmas this year was so minimal, had no writing at all, but she wrote a very long letter in it that literally brought me to tears. I have it hanging in my home office. Sometimes people come along in our lives who effect us forever, and too often we don't recognize them when they're around. She's the best. There's nothing like a good woman (or partner, if that's how you roll) to make a man(imal) reflect upon himself and realize how good he has it. I'm very grateful to have her in my life.