Lest We Forget The Crash Heard 'Round The 'Burgh...

Everywhere I looked today I was reminded of that day exactly one year ago when our emotional high from winning Super Bowl XL took a severe turn for the worse.

Unfortunately, I remember it like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the couch of a beautiful house in Ocean City, MD about to start the festivities (hey, I was on vacation), when an ESPN news flash delivered the alarming news.

What followed was a lot of pacing and "what the...I mean, was he...how could he...he wasn't wearing...you gotta be [fill in the blank] kidding me," along with some long, pensive silences, and just a few tears. Ok, no tears but it might have come to that, I'm serious...

One year and one seemingly cursed season later, Big Ben seems to be completely over the whole ordeal physically. Mentally, who knows? But hopefully this whole experience has at least taught him that life is precious. Although he hasn't exactly vowed to start wearing a helmet, hopefully he will at least be more careful about when, where and how he rides that steel pony.

Ben, you're an idiot, but you're our idiot. Cheers buddy, here's to being alive and kickin some ass in 2007!

Sincerely, Your Friend,
Cotter