Johnette Howard and Christine Brennan

Hi, Johnette--

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Greetings from Jacksonville. Last September, I remember listening to a TV sportscaster talking about the first week of NFL games, and the guy casually mentioned the Titans, and I said to myself: "Titans. Who are the Titans?" Not a good thing for a sportswriter to admit, but it's true. (I probably was spending too much time getting ready for "Skate America.")

Anyway, it quickly dawned on me that the new Titans were the old Houston Oilers. And, on Sunday, I was at the old Gator Bowl to cover the AFC championship game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the first time I'd seen either team in person, being away from the NFL as I have for a decade, and I fell in love with Tennessee's reckless style of play; kind of like kids playing in the backyard. Laterals, fumbles, quarterback scrambles, made-up plays. I actually laughed out loud a couple of times.

So Tennessee wins and now goes to the Super Bowl to play the St. Louis Rams. Isn't that bizarre? I wonder how TV ratings will be, since we're not exactly talking major markets here. On the other hand, if a couple of high schools were playing and they called it the Super Bowl and had the advertisers jump on board, people would watch, I imagine.

On the ride to the stadium, we were listening to a local radio station's pre-game show, and a reporter on the field was talking about how Brandi Chastain was on the sidelines, doing some TV commentary for someone. Never found out who. I thought of you and our coverage of the soccer last summer and the news conference about the new coach the other day.

What struck me was how the radio reporter mentioned Chastain by name only, and then made a joke about one of the Jaguars' players perhaps taking off his shirt if he scored a touchdown in the game. It's amazing, isn't it, how she really has become a part of the culture, by name only, with no other identification necessary? A women's soccer player. Who woulda thought? (Like a Tennessee-St. Louis Super Bowl.)

I've got an early flight back to D.C. Will talk to you later. Take care.

Chris

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