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| I can't remember the last time anybody made Miami a "lock of the week". |
Its football season and in a world where the internet wasn't available to most and it couldn't hasn't helped fantasy football's popularity spread like wildfire yet, those looking to spice up their football viewing experience could turn only to one thing: good ol' fashioned gambling.
Homer tries his luck at it, but isn't having much success listening to on-air analysts or call-in gambling lines that speak at a snail's pace. Meanwhile, Lisa, desperate to garner some attention from her father, takes up a suggestion from Marge to take an interest in Homer's thing: watching football. While not exactly pleased at first, a desperate Homer asks Lisa who she would pick to win the Miami/Cincinnati game. Randomly picking Miami, Homer quickly puts in $50 for it with his bookie, Moe, and it turns out Miami won. With a common interest now established (rooting for Miami), the two bond and agree to do it again next week.
Sundays become "Daddy-Daughter Days", but are mostly spent with Lisa picking games or spreads for Homer to bet on, and it somehow is always right. While guessing or reading body language at first, Lisa studies more into football and spreads, and becomes an expert on the thing. With all the winnings Homer is getting, he spends it on fancy dinners and gifts for the family.
Alas, football season is only five scant months long (lets not count the preseason, okay), and so Homer agrees to go bowling with Barney the Sunday after the Super Bowl, because nobody is desperate enough to bet on the Pro Bowl. When Lisa suggests an activity for the first Daddy-Daughter Day after the Super Bowl, Homer lets her know his intentions, and that she only has to wait seven months for the next football season. Realizing that Homer didn't really care and has just been using her to help him win bets for football games, Lisa (again) hates Homer and runs off, giving away the possessions she earned from Homer's "dirty money".
On the day of the Super Bowl (specifically Super Bowl XXVI between Washington and Buffalo, though later reruns changed this to stay up to date), Homer tries to make up with Lisa, but blows it by asking her if Washington will beat the spread. Lisa, disgruntled once more: makes a bold set of declarations: she believes Washington will win, however she might be saying that out of her newfound hatred of Homer in hopes that Homer will actually lose, and if that's the case then Buffalo should be the pick. To simplify: Lisa still loves Homer if Washington wins, but Lisa hates Homer if Buffalo wins.
Distraught over this, Homer is unable to enjoy the pregame shows or the game itself, especially since Buffalo gets the halftime lead. One crummy halftime show and the all-important Duff Bowl later, Washington begins to mount a comeback, and wins with a last second touchdown! (In reality, Washington just blew Buffalo out of the water, but this episode aired before that game, pretty bold pick to make!) Happy to learn that Lisa still loves him, Homer decides to spend the following Daddy-Daughter Day with Lisa on a mountain climb.
Quick Review
I liked this episode, quite a lot actually. The mini-subplot where Marge takes Bart clothes shopping is pretty great, and the core episode has a lot going for it as well. I will admit that, as someone who enjoys football but isn't much of a gambler (because I'm terrible at it), there are a lot of references to both football and gambling (i.e. the spread) that I got and enjoyed that some people, some people who don't enjoy football, wouldn't get, lessening their enjoyment. Not for me, though, this was a great episode.
Final Score: 9.0
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