Panni e Circi

So football started officially in the AFC East today. Verdict? Jets won, Patriots won, Dolphins won, Bills lost. Why is this important? Well, on Thursday nite, 09/12, the battle for the division is set to begin.

The 1-0 Jets go into Foxboro with their rookie quarterback to face the 1-0 Patriots with their seasoned veteran. It is guaranteed to be the matchup of the week. The winner claims first place by their lonesome until Sunday with the best record in football, and possibly the best record until at least the following Sunday, ie the 22nd, in the division, depending on what the Miami Dolphins do next week.

Bragging rights are inherent in sports rivalries, especially like the one that exists between these two teams. Obviously, the players don't care, nor do the coaches, but between the fans of the teams, well, that's a different matter.

This rivalry has existed since the Patriots were from Boston and the Jets were known as the Titans. This would be since 1961, for those true fans who would know the history.

Yes, friends, there are other rivalries which exist, but the rivalry between the Jets and the Patriots are just another in a series of rivalries between New York and Boston. There are the following for the the not-so-sports-savvy: Yankees-Red Sox, Bruins-Rangers, Knicks-Celtics, and for good measure, Mets beating the Red Sox in the 1986 World Series.

I have good friends in the Boston area who will read this and at first blush, be mad as hell. But actually, it really doesn't matter until around 11:30 pm on Thursday night, does it? Then, the bragging, insults and general genuine hatred for the fans of the winner will be evidenced by the tweets, emails, texts and other means of modern communication.

The loser's fans need to remember that there are 14 more games after Thursday, and as the saying goes, "any given Sunday." Remember that we play each other again at Met Life and revenge will be in the air for this week's loser.

So, good luck to all of us, because after all, the outcome doesn't affect world peace. It's just a game, similar to those played 2,000 years ago between the favorite gladiators of the masses in the Coliseum, when the fans were provided bread and circuses.

Enjoy, and have a cold one for me.