I wrote the following blog post on the plane ride home from Indianapolis, after last year’s Super Bowl.
Since I’m a Patriots fan you’d think I’d be disappointed by the outcome. That’s true, I am. I love this team and this organization, and I wanted them to run away with the game.
But I knew, no matter what happened, I’d go home feeling good about myself.
I grew up going to Patriots games with my father in the 70s and 80s, and as bad as most of those old teams were, I fell in love with football. Though I played lots of competitive, organized sports as a kid, it so happens that I didn’t play organized football. But I was always close to the game. I loved studying the intricacies of the pro game, especially, and I liked trying to execute the pro strategies in the countless pickup games I played with my friends.
Just as I grew up going to Pats games with my father, my son Dew has grown up going to the games with me (and his grandfather).  Drew played lots of pick-up football as a kid, too, and at one point his friends started to encourage him to go out for the school team. Now a junior, he’s a committed athlete, playing his heart out for his high school team.
When I saw the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl this year I knew who I wanted to go with.
At the same time, I have my commitment to being smart about spending. By habit I asked myself if it was worth the great expense, taking a trip that was not part of my plan even a month ago.
But this weekend in Indianapolis, Drew and I rooted hard for our team. We wanted them to pull out the big victory, like they’ve done in the past. And while they came close, we walked out of that stadium disappointed they didn’t prevail.
But as fans and as family we don’t really lose.
At the game we were around so many other fathers and sons, and brothers, and families. Many of these people chose to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip with one another. Whether their team won or lost, like Drew and me, they’d go home with their memories of having gone to the big game together. It’s important to have a budget in life, but it’s also important to enjoy your time with your loved ones. As a financial advisor, I can say there are some things you cannot put a price on.
 
PS The Photo in this blog is DREW’s 55 yard Touchdown run vs Gloucester October 8, 2012 in a 22-12 victory!