Along with many members, watching the Superbowl is a tradition which cannot be tampa’d with (you see what I have already done there). I remember the old days. The only game we’d get all year would be the Superbowl and it would be shown about 3am, between teams we’d never heard of, with rules that made no sense. I do remember Bradshaw. Liked him. And they looked a bit like giant bumblebees, which appealed to a kid – not that I would have ever told Joe Greene that. I'm sure I ale=ready hated Dallas back then but I'm not too sure about that. 

These days, things are so much better and I can watch as much as I want. 

But Superbowl Monday cannot be interfered with, for any reason. And these days, with a cigar and a drink. 

Like many Aussies, happy to watch any sport (even occasionally tennis – though I once would never miss any game – Borg v McEnroe through till about 5am year after year, it seemed). But that is sport and not things like horse racing or car racing which are, and there can be no debate on this, pastimes and not sport. That said, I have been asked a number of times why on earth I watch Gridiron (in Australia, that is what it was always known as) and how can you follow it. Granted, plenty of intricacies and rules are a smidge beyond but one does one’s best. 

My serious interest began when I went to London to study. I stayed at London House, a brilliant place, which was accommodation for overseas graduate students, which included many Americans. In those days, the BBC would have an hour’s highlights every week. We’d gather in the bar, run by one of my American mates, and watch. He was a fanatical Broncos fan, but that was a problem as whenever the Broncos started losing, he’d simply shut the bar and go to bed. 

I didn’t follow any particular team at the time, but I did love that 1985 Bears defence. What a team. With most sports I've played and watched, I've always gravitated to defence. Which is strange given that when I played rugby, I couldn’t tackle for peanuts. Goalie at hockey, wicketkeeper with cricket. Last line of defence, as it were. 

But the 85 Bears, the 2000 Ravens, the Steel Curtain (as I said in a post, if I was a QB, I don't think any player would have given me nightmares like Joe Greene, and it is also why my favourite Skin of all time is Darrell Green). So the Bucs winning with that fabulous defence made me very happy. Plus, I always enjoy seeing a side that thinks they only need to turn up to win, get their arse handed to them. It was no surprise Todd Bowles was on that 87 Skins team. And if I may, I would have bucked tradition and called him up for the MVP. What a brilliant job.

Also fond of a great O line. Think the Hogs! And that great O line from the 92 Skins. They allowed only 9 sacks (and two of those were on a back-up when they tried tricks). So 7 sacks in a 16 game season. Good luck ever seeing that again. 

A great defence is also why I finally have some optimism for Washington, first time in a long time. Chase Young. If he stays fit, he'll be an all-time superstar. Sweat, Allen, Payne, Ioannidis. But a long way to go. We need to build the backfield and need a couple of great LBs. Love to see Foster finally overcome the injuries but that might be a longshot. Collins at safety is a huge plus. If I am the Washington front office, and Tampa can't fit David under the cap, he is my first target (would love White but that ain't happening). My biggest concern is that some muppet in the office decides to trade one or two of these guys for a mediocre QB. That and how the hell we keep them all under the cap for the next 4-5 years. 

But back to how I found the Skins. Have told this elsewhere but basically, after I left London, I spent a year travelling through Africa and Asia, much of it on the back of an old Bedford truck. I knew that the Broncos had made the Superbowl that particular year, but did not even know who they were playing – there were no mobile phones or internet – and so when we emerged from the jungle in the Cameroons, I went around to the US Embassy to find out what happened. The guard at the gate, a Marine, took one look at me and gave me marching orders. In fairness, I looked exactly like someone who had just walked out of a jungle after a month (and before that, a month in the Sahara). He clearly thought I was up to no good, a threat to national security, and he was not going to let me in to check newspapers. I was told to turn tail and never return. It took about twenty minutes for me to convince him that telling me a football score would not mean revealing State secrets or the collapse of Western civilisation. 

He told me that Washington Redskins had beaten the Denver Broncos. I felt sorry for my friend but by one of those weird quirks of fate, 12 months later, I found myself in Washington DC, working for a law firm. I had never set foot in the States before this, but when I touched down, friends collected me from the airport and took me straight to a sports bar in Georgetown to watch the ‘Skins playing that day. I have been an obsessed fan ever since. I even managed to watch replays of that win against Denver and loved the game, to the extreme annoyance of my friend. Will we ever see a quarter like that second quarter and Doug Williams? Or someone play a single game in their life, bar about three carries, and have a record performance like Timmy Smith, running 200 plus yards. 

I have been a fan ever since, even though that was a time when the Skins were regularly winning Superbowls and I foolishly assumed that would always be so. It has not proved to be, but we live in hope.  

So, this morning, I pulled out a Romeo & Julieta ‘Churchill’. The poor thing was a solo stick in a lonely humidor and it looked like the proverbial beaten red-headed stepchild. The foot was very ratty, torn and tattered, but otherwise, it appeared in good condition. And as it was provided for Kenfessions, who was I to complain. As it turned out, very much the old story of a book and its cover. The R&J Churchill is almost always a stunning cigar and this was stellar even by those standards. Throw in a cracking game, it was a Monday well spent and now writing this, I can even justify a Monday off as ‘work’. 

These were originally made solely for the great British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, during World War II, and bore a band designating just that, although that size was also made on occasion for the French Prime Minister, Georges Clemenceau earlier that century (those, named ‘Clemenceau’, were finally discontinued in 1989). Sir Winston was provided with an unlimited supply and he visited the factory in 1947. At that time, they were given the name ‘Churchill’ and put into commercial production. Other factories have since made cigars of that size, of course. 

Today’s was, as mentioned, a fabulous cigar, despite the ratty foot. Powerful from the outset, but always balanced, ripe with a hint of stonefruit. Dense, thick, velvety smoke. Soon moved into a sweet core with notes of caramel and even a little cream. A gentle coffee character. Just lovely throughout. The gorgeous start stayed with it right to the finish and it took a good two hours to smoke. Towards the end, more and more cream came in. Never let up. Seamless, complex and, other than perhaps a fraction hot towards the finish (something likely in any young cigar), superb. 96. 

The drink and match? Well, this was one of those occasions when combining the cigar with something other than a drink was more important. Namely, the Game!! But Four Pillars always do a terrific gin (bar the Sticky Carpet) and this, their Negroni Gin, worked well. As for the Mt Franklin Sparkling Water with a Hint of Mango, well perhaps they placed a mango in the same room as the tap, because if there were any traces of mango, I could not tell. But who cares. 

Next year, another R&J Churchill for the big game? And if the Washington Football Team is playing, perhaps a Pol Roger Sir Winston to match? They are overdue. 

KBG