Everyone remembers their first time.  My first time was almost eight years ago.  It was the NFL’s 2000 season, Week 14.  I remember it like it was yesterday.

I used to date a Jacksonville Jaguars fanatic.  On Sundays, this girl would transform into a teal-wearing super fan.  I feared for anyone’s health who would dare talk bad about Mark Brunell in her presence.  One weekend, we decided to make the three hour drive up to Jacksonville to take in a live game.

It just so happened that I had a group of buddies heading out to Vegas on that same weekend.  One of them asked me if I wanted him to bet any games for me while he was there.  After some deliberation, I took the plunge.  I gave him $50, and he agreed to call me before the games started for further instructions.

Now keep in mind that back then, $50 was like $1,000 to me.  I was pretty busted, and my bill money was going towards beer.  Up until that point, I had played fantasy football for over 10 years.  I knew the season-long gamble rush that it had provided.  I had never bet so much on a single game with immediate results before.  I was looking forward to it.

We arrived in Jacksonville early on Saturday and got the prerequisite downtown partying out of the way.  Then Sunday morning arrived.  The Jags game was a 4:00 p.m.  I grabbed a paper and began to scour through the early games.  We headed out around 11 that morning to find a sports bar.  By noon, I had already absorbed a couple bottles of liquid courage.  I had chosen my game, and awaited my phone call.

Kickoff drew near and my phone remained dormant.  I was wondering if my sports betting virginity was going to be brushed off like my sexual virginity had been so many times before it.  Then, he called me.  Score!

The Oakland Raiders were 3-point favorites over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  I instructed him to put my entire $50 on Pittsburgh.  It was then that my friend informed me that another buddy that was there with him was doing a really big bet.  For this story, we’ll just call him “Pete.”  This was Pete’s first time at a sportsbook, and he wanted to pop his cherry with a bang.  He was risking $1,100 to win $1,000 on the St. Louis Rams.  They were 7½-point favorites playing the lowly Carolina Panthers.  Once again, to any of my broke band of friends, a grand then was like the equivalent of 10 grand.  Pete had lost his mind.

My hero for a day

Then the games began.  Wouldn’t you know it…my measly $50 wager made that game take on a new life.  Dropped passes and penalties had never hurt so badly.  Field goals and even extra points had never meant so much.  While I wished temporary ill will towards Rich Gannon and Tyrone Wheatley, I found myself rooting for Kordell Stewart of all people, like never before.  Sometime in the fourth quarter, Slash pulled it out for me, scoring on a long TD run and giving the Steelers a 21-20 outright win.

As much as I wanted to enjoy my moment, I was always drawn to that Rams game.  I asked them to put it on the TV next to my game so I could keep an eye on it.  These were the defending Super Bowl champs, playing a bad Panthers team.  The Greatest Show on Turf, which was known for putting up a kajillion points on a regular basis, led by Kurt Warner.  Their offense was so good, that it was the norm for their fourth and fifth receivers to crack fantasy starting lineups.  I think you already know how this story ended for Pete.

Warner threw for just 189 yards with four picks, and was sacked seven times.  The Rams fumbled four times, losing three of them and were flagged for nine penalties.  Carolina won 16-3 behind three Joe Nedney field goals.  Pete couldn’t have picked a worse game to unload on.  I heard it ruined the rest of his trip.

'Pete' is still bitter

To this day you can still get a reaction when you mention this game to him.  In case you weren’t sure, it’s not a good one.  I do know that he just won $200 on Arizona this past weekend, so maybe he’s made his peace with Kurt Warner?  Naaahhhh…

That afternoon we went to the Jags' game.  They were playing the Browns who were starting Spurgeon Wynn at quarterback.  In a truly comical performance, Wynn threw for seventeen yards.  The score was 48-0 Jacksonville.  I pulled out my paper and saw that they were only favored by 14½.  I knew I was hooked.

Of course I’ve had many games that I wish I could wipe away from my memory since then.  But I’ll never forget my first.  And neither will Pete.