Winning Streak

Bros, time out from tennis, we need to talk about football of the American variety for a second.

I have a lot of theories, most of which I have posted on the internet, for you to enjoy. And so far 1502 of you across 5 different continents have, so they must be either correct or so ridiculous that you can't help but buy into it. Either case I want to talk about winning streaks for a minute because I have 1 going now for more then 16 years, or, 2/3 of my life.

When I use the term "winning streak", I must clarify that a winning streak means 3 triumphs in succession.

This particular one started when I was a young 7 year old living in the south of Texas. The Cowboys, at the time, were right up there with the Roman Legion for baddest mofos ever.

They were going up against a city, which at this point, I can call my little brother, where football is concerned. The underdog wannabes lining up against America's team were the Steelers of Pittsburgh in Super Bowl 30. I do not call them wannabes out of disrespect; that's about as anti-bro as it gets. I merely mean, the Steelers were walking into the Arizona trying to best a team that had won 2 out of the last 3 super bowls with a running back who ran for a league record for rushing touchdowns.

Any who, to make a long story short, the cowboys scampered off to 27-17 win and Super Bowl immortality. On that faithful January evening, a first grader in Texas whose classmates so callously referred to as "El Gringo" began a winning streak that has stood through 3 presidencies and still rages harder then Lindsay Lohan.

Tennis Bro 1, City of Pittsburgh 0

Flash Forward 15 years to Super Bowl 45. My actual favorite team after a family tour of duty in Green Bay during the Favre era, is the Packers. Those little engines that could, behind a Samuel L. Jackson-type of badass named Aaron Rodgers faced those same Steelers in Dallas.

After what was perhaps the most frustrating football game I have sat through and 1 too many fried pickles; made by the culinary genius of myself #cheftennisbro, I watched my Packers triumph over the Steelers 31-25. The trophy going back to Titletown was a lot like Federer regaining Wimbledon glory this last summer.

And I win again.

Tennis Bro 2, City of Pittsburgh 0

NOW ON TO YESTERDAY

Something about me you may not know, I went to the University of Mississippi. Our Ole Miss Rebels football program historically, is a lot like West Ham United Football Club. With a few exceptions, we mostly hover around the bottom of mediocre bell curve and are made famous by a movie about our team.

The Rebels played against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham.

SIDENOTE: BBVA does NOT make compasses, much to my surprise and albeit disappointment.

Legendary Legion field was covered in a sea of red as the Ole Miss faithful traveled 50,000 strong. 2 teams both 6-6 squared off in what actually a pretty slow game. The Rebels could have scored 50 points if they didn't shoot themselves in the foot so many times with mental mistakes. As for the Panthers, they did not want to be there; this actually being made public by players when learning they'd be Birmingham bound for the 3rd year in a row.

Ole Miss triumphed 38-17 with Pitt's last TD coming in what was essentially mop up time for the Ole Miss second string. It felt pretty awesome to watch my team win, but even better was realizing that again, I took down the City of Pittsburgh in football.

Tennis Bro 3, City of Pittsburgh 0.

So I totally own Pittsburgh in American football. One thing, however, that gives me tennis elbow, is knowing that Pittsburgh hockey prince Sydney Crosby is somewhere smiling that the NHL season will finally happen. I have not forgotten how much I hate Sydney Crosby for what he did.

Let me be clear about my take on the Olympics, everything everyone does there is awesome. Unless you are a hockey player on the opposing team scoring a game winning goal against the Americans in a medal round match, ya dig?

That's all bros. Next time I beat the city of Pittsburgh in football, I will update all of you across the globe.

Follow me on twitter @thetennisbro

Suck one Crosby

Gin Gin

Billy Stein ~ The Tennis Bro