On Sunday, January 19 football bibbers filled the Cactus Canteen and Sports Bar, owned by Gary and Peggy Stevens, but operated by four-legged party animals Zach and Ziva, and Operation Tailgate-Tail Wag commenced. Units 42 through 45 formed the Preserve Foodball Conference (PFC) and gathered to watch the National Football Conference (NFC) championship game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. The record for both teams was 13-3, and the “Sip, sip, hoorays” were also evenly distributed, although things became a little animated when Zach and Ziva, in a great deal of canine confusion, yelped “Ref, Ref” as they tried to identify and root for the underdogs.
The $15 cover charge got each chow hound a mound of carb overload including chips and dips, turkey and strip steak sliders, beans, and salads, followed by sugar-coated carbs and a stadium cake baked by Donna Silverman. This fantastical fantasy foodball spread kicked this beerball bash right off the grid. Unfortunately, our host, still not-quite-grown-up kid Gary, having just had his tonsils out, was restricted to his usual three solid liquid meals a day. Well, someone had to drink one for the team. Bags were not checked at the entrance gate, and it’s entirely plausible that containers of liquid cheering enhancers were brought in. The dynamic dog dual Zach and Ziva tended bar, and when they cautioned patrons about getting a little too beerified, were reminded, that in dog beers, most fans had only had two. They provided excellent and friendly service, and despite how much they wanted to toss around a fully inflated pigskin ball, stayed obediently at their post.
Just sayin’ that some in attendance might have been fantasizing about a little football pooling going on. Just wondering what the odds are that maybe someone won the first, second and fourth quarters and bagged enough money to cover the liquid assets tab on his upcoming cruise. Perhaps he won so much that he needed an armed escort home. Just speculating that the chance of the third quarter payout going to a lovely, lucky lady sports enthusiast was sky high. We don’t know what the chances of a pool going on at a Preserve fantasy football-foodball function are, but we’re willing to bet that the laws of statistics would show that the probability is darned near 99 percent. Just sayin’.
The winning formula for the non-contested Preserve Foodball Conference was: food, fun, friends and fantasy. Cheers and beers to the offensive team Joan Martin, John Zipp, and Donna and Paul Silverman, who huddled to make this great game plan. Extra point kicks to linebackers Gary Simpson and Donney Ramsey for delivering patio heaters and setting up bleachers. Good times and wines to Gary and Peggy Stevens who provided the parking lot, stadium, and ginormous TV screens in each suite. Doggie bags of foodball leftovers to the bartenders for passing out beer goggles near closing time, inspiring fantasies about the elderly pom-pom girls. It was a job well done by the sib schnauzers, and at the end of a long and beerific night, Zach and Ziva were ready for some Zzz’s.
