Where were the Patriots?

The Patriots apparently failed to show up on Sunday dropping to 1-1. You might wonder why I seem to root for all the New England teams way out here in New Mexico. You might not wonder. If not, you can stop reading...

Both my parents and the largest part of my extended family is geographically disbursed over Maine. My father went active duty in the Army after graduating from University of Maine ('70, Baseball CF) "Fill the steins to dear old Maine..." He ended up in Air Defense at Fort Bliss, Texas where I was born. My mother also graduated from Maine ('69, Cheerleader) and spent her life as a dedicated kindergarden teacher where ever the Army happened to send us.

Dad eventually became Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Air Defense Battalion (redesignated 5-52, 11th ADA) which "made history the night of January 18, 1991, when Alpha Battery, 2-7 ADA, protecting forces in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, recorded the first intercept of a ballistic missile in combat." [a Patriot Battalion, coincidence?] Unfortunately for him, he wasn't commanding the 2-7 during the war as he was having triple bypass at BAMC (now SAMMC) in Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Later he commanded 1st Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery (6th ADA).

So being born and largely raised in El Paso (with minor sorties in Germany, New Hampshire and Alabama), I never really left the Southwest and made it my home. However, my sporting loyalties lie in New England and always will.

I know my Dad was a Patriot, now if only we could find some to actually play football...