There are many reasons I’m not as connected to football as I used to be. But watching this Super Bowl game with Seattle and New England got me missing one of those reasons: my dad. He’s long since passed, but sports and football were often an anchor to our regular chats. He died before most of the bullshit in this country manifested to another level. Do I want to know what he would think of all that? Yes and no. But I do know we would have talked through this game, probably gone back and forth on the halftime show, I’d respectfully be happy the Patriots lost. I’m reminded I don’t get the chance to feel pain or joy, it’s more of a sadness I keep at the back at all times. There is no next conversation, and I will always miss that with you, dad.