Winning $200 Sucks

I love to gamble. Don't do it very often now that we have kids. But the adrenaline of doubling down on a 50 dollar black jack bet or going all in on a big hold em pot feel big. Win or lose, it's quite a rush to test the limits of conservative thinking.

So last night I won $200 bucks on a Super Bowl grid bet. 100 squares. $5 a square. Person who gets the numbers that match the final score gets $200 bucks. I had 3 for the Cardinals and 7 for the Steelers. In order for that to happen, the Cardinals needed a safety and a touchdown. They got it. The Steelers needed to score a touchdown on a final drive. And they did it...right after I called Richard to say how cool it was that Larry Fitzgerald had a 65 yard TD catch to go ahead.

I would give that money and more back in a heartbeat if I could take that winning drive back. Winning money NEVER equals winning a game.

But, now that I think about it, winning a game should never be compared with just having a great life. After all, it's really JUST a game.

So with that being said, while it sucks to lose money, it sometimes sucks to win money. And while it sucks to lose a game, it really sucks to lose your family.

With all this talk about financial bailouts, a struggling economy, losing everything in 401k's, I think it's a perfect time to remind people that optimism about what you do with your family, how you spend time in church, how you're staying healthy or what you're doing to make a difference in your community , IS the game you want to win.

I feel much better about winning the money now.

Richard, I love you man. We'll get em next time. And I owe you dinner for the 3-7 square.

P.S. I apologize in advance for the next time I yell at my Jayhawks.