Bebop13
Practice Squad
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2006
- Messages
- 149
- Reaction score
- 0
Circa January 1985, Scotland
The last few hours of my birthday ebbed away in a mix of excitement & nerves, I was 10yrs old & the biggest present was yet to come, the chance to stay up late even with school the next day along side my Dad who had chosen tonight as my introduction to this new (in my neck of the woods) sport called Gridiron, plus every kids dream, the added incentive of a WHOLE tin of budweiser to myself & a couple of hotdogs to boot!
Pocket money was on the line as Dad announced he was backing Joe & the 49ers, no big deal I thought, Dolphins were my favourite creatures at the time so these guys were perfect for me, & so it seemed early into the game when this young upstart Dan Marino was the star of the greatest show on earth....
Well, you guys know the rest of that story.....
But, undaunted by the result that evening my interest & love of the Dolphins & the game continued to grow, through the happy times of Channel 4 coverage to the barren times when I found myself huddled under the covers late on Sunday night listening to the treasured sounds of the Armed Forces Radio Network bouncing back from Frankfurt Germany, how they managed to make the reception drop out juuuuusst before every crucial play of the evening I will never know! Way back then was when I realised one thing, I had to be there, to see this team & that one man, throw just one pass....
Years later I finally had the chance to visit the hallowed grounds of Joe Robbie Stadium whilst working in New York City, 1999, it must have been destiny because not even Hurricane Floyd* could stop our plane landing in Orlando, Disneyland was closed for repairs but pretty soon I was on a bus on my way to Miami to see Dan & the Dolphins play the Cards.
Strangely enough I can only really remember fragments of that day, sharing a bus stop with a sweet old african american lassie who kept missing her bus to make sure I got on safely because it was 'no place for a boy like you to be alone in.' Buying my precious blue Dolphins 'slouch' fit cap at a stall outside the stadium, which I later left behind on a bus in Sydney city Australia, christ I chased that bus almost 3/4 of a mile right down George St to the QVC where I finally caught up with it just before it set out on its return journey, my precious was safe! And of course there was seeing Dan.
I do also remember sitting in Hooters waiting for my bus back to Orlando to hook up with my friend for our flight home, talking to one of the lassies behind the bar who was from NY. It was one of the girls birthday & she wanted me to come join them so they could show me South Beach, party central et al. Of course I don't really like talking about this part of the story
because being a true Scotsman & having paid for a return bus & plane ticket I apologised sincerely & headed for the bus!
I will never, ever forgive myself......
Circa 2006
Here we are, another year, another season & also now a place to call home, I appreciate this might be a bit long winded for an introduction but it's so good finally to find a place where I can share my thoughts & learn more amongst like minded brothers & also bag rival AFC East scum to my hearts content! Thank you for having me & here's to a 12-4 AFC East topping season though realistically on present form amongst all the clubs, I reckon a humble 10-6 might just be enough......
Bebop13 :dolphins:
* on a final note I would like to take the time to say that although it may seem by wild turkey fuelled drunken ramblings that I have glossed over the events of the days leading up to & after that day in Miami I respect the fact that around about 40 lives were lost that year & countless more affected indirectly in Florida due to Hurricane Floyd. Being now part of such a huge family there is a great chance that some of you out there were in some way part of these events that transpired that year & I wish to offer my respect & best wishes to you all......
Bebop13.
The last few hours of my birthday ebbed away in a mix of excitement & nerves, I was 10yrs old & the biggest present was yet to come, the chance to stay up late even with school the next day along side my Dad who had chosen tonight as my introduction to this new (in my neck of the woods) sport called Gridiron, plus every kids dream, the added incentive of a WHOLE tin of budweiser to myself & a couple of hotdogs to boot!
Pocket money was on the line as Dad announced he was backing Joe & the 49ers, no big deal I thought, Dolphins were my favourite creatures at the time so these guys were perfect for me, & so it seemed early into the game when this young upstart Dan Marino was the star of the greatest show on earth....
Well, you guys know the rest of that story.....
But, undaunted by the result that evening my interest & love of the Dolphins & the game continued to grow, through the happy times of Channel 4 coverage to the barren times when I found myself huddled under the covers late on Sunday night listening to the treasured sounds of the Armed Forces Radio Network bouncing back from Frankfurt Germany, how they managed to make the reception drop out juuuuusst before every crucial play of the evening I will never know! Way back then was when I realised one thing, I had to be there, to see this team & that one man, throw just one pass....
Years later I finally had the chance to visit the hallowed grounds of Joe Robbie Stadium whilst working in New York City, 1999, it must have been destiny because not even Hurricane Floyd* could stop our plane landing in Orlando, Disneyland was closed for repairs but pretty soon I was on a bus on my way to Miami to see Dan & the Dolphins play the Cards.
Strangely enough I can only really remember fragments of that day, sharing a bus stop with a sweet old african american lassie who kept missing her bus to make sure I got on safely because it was 'no place for a boy like you to be alone in.' Buying my precious blue Dolphins 'slouch' fit cap at a stall outside the stadium, which I later left behind on a bus in Sydney city Australia, christ I chased that bus almost 3/4 of a mile right down George St to the QVC where I finally caught up with it just before it set out on its return journey, my precious was safe! And of course there was seeing Dan.
I do also remember sitting in Hooters waiting for my bus back to Orlando to hook up with my friend for our flight home, talking to one of the lassies behind the bar who was from NY. It was one of the girls birthday & she wanted me to come join them so they could show me South Beach, party central et al. Of course I don't really like talking about this part of the story
because being a true Scotsman & having paid for a return bus & plane ticket I apologised sincerely & headed for the bus!
I will never, ever forgive myself......
Circa 2006
Here we are, another year, another season & also now a place to call home, I appreciate this might be a bit long winded for an introduction but it's so good finally to find a place where I can share my thoughts & learn more amongst like minded brothers & also bag rival AFC East scum to my hearts content! Thank you for having me & here's to a 12-4 AFC East topping season though realistically on present form amongst all the clubs, I reckon a humble 10-6 might just be enough......
Bebop13 :dolphins:
* on a final note I would like to take the time to say that although it may seem by wild turkey fuelled drunken ramblings that I have glossed over the events of the days leading up to & after that day in Miami I respect the fact that around about 40 lives were lost that year & countless more affected indirectly in Florida due to Hurricane Floyd. Being now part of such a huge family there is a great chance that some of you out there were in some way part of these events that transpired that year & I wish to offer my respect & best wishes to you all......
Bebop13.
