what sports teams boost your ego?

Yay! We're great! Go Gators! We're better than everyone else... So there!

Now, the truth is... I never watched a Gator game in my life. I couldn't tell you the name of the quarterback or the coach. I've never even been to Gainesville.

However, I live in "Gator Nation," and I'm excited, and I feel a sense of pride, and I'm going to celebrate. It boosts my self-esteem, my pride, my ego.

But I have a lot to make up for anyway.

I grew up in Syracuse, NY, and the Orangemen were OK, but we didn't hold out much hope of winning a championship. The basketball team had a knack for leading in points most of the game and then blowing it in the last few minutes.

I then went to Houghton College. They had a great soccer team. But who cares.

I went to Bethany Bible college. Sports? What's that?

I went to Gordon-Conwell Seminary. I heard a rumor that there were sports leagues available, but never knew anyone who was in one, and never heard about a game.

Then I moved to Boston.

The Patriots were an OK team, but not championship status. We had been to the Super Bowl twice in 30 years, and lost both times. And then Coach Parcells abandoned us, and our star quarterback, Bledsoe, got injured.

The Red Sox were great entertainment, but could never go all the way. Usually stopped by the Yankees. And we had the dreaded "curse" put on us by Babe Ruth.

So, I kinda got used to being a "loser." I would see cities celebrate on TV and realized that I would never be a part of that. It must be something about me.

When did the tides of fortune turn for me?

• Well, in February 2002 The Patriots surprised everyone by winning Super Bowl 36, with rookie Tom Brady as quarterback. Must be a fluke. And it will probably be my one life-time experience of the thrill of victory.
• Then in April 2003, Jim Boehoem led the Syracuse Orangemen to defeat the University of Kansas in the NCAA basketball championship. Did lightning strike me twice??
• In February 2004 Tom Brady and The Patriots did it again, beating the Carolina Panthers to win Super Bowl 38. Later in 2004 they completed a record-smashing 21-game winning streak. Maybe not a fluke after all.
• In October 2004 The Red Sox "reversed the curse" by beating the Saint Louis Cardinals to win the World Series. Unbelievable... And the way they did it was history-making. In the American League championship they were up against their nemesis, the NY Yankees. After losing the first 3 games and being behind in the 9th inning of the 4th. They ended up winning the 4th. And the 5th. And the 6th. And the 7th! Sweet.
• In February 2005 the Patriots decided to win a 3rd Super Bowl against the Indian Colts in my new home town, Jacksonville, FL. Maybe there is something about me after all?
• And then comes the Gators! In 2006 they win the ncaa championship for basketaball AND football. Never been done before.
• In 2007 the Gators win the football championship again! Never been done before.
• The Red Sox proved that "reversing the curse" was not just a fluke by winning the World Series again in October of 2007, 3 years after the first time!

I am taking personal credit for all these wins. Aren't I something??

I must confess it is getting kind of routine. Who's next? The Jacksonville Jaguars? Even after all the aforementioned positive experiences, I'm not getting my hopes up!