The difference between a good comeback and a complete collapse is really just a matter of sides.

Who doesn’t love a good comeback?

Um … I guess Detroit Lions fans don’t.

Up 17 at the half, Lions’ fans were looking at hotel reservations in Las Vegas and perhaps many had already purchased airline tickets.

Nope.

It was not meant to be.

Or how about Superbowl LI.

The Atlanta Falcons were up 28-3 very late in the 3rd and had to have been feeling pretty confident.

I’m sure t-shirts were being printed.

But Tom Brady and the New England Patriots scored 19 points in the 4^th Quarter to tie it before winning in OT with a touchdown.

To me, that’s the most prolific comeback in sports history.

It might not be the largest deficit ever to come back from, but because it happened on sport’s biggest stage, it arguably makes it the biggest comeback.

Me?  I love a good comeback.

I remember a long lone time ago when Lisa was pregnant with Kate, that I went to bed with MY Redskins down big time with very little time to go to the Dallas Cowboys.

As I went to bed, Lisa stirred and she asked about the game.

I told her it was a horrible game, ‘Skins down big with about 2 minutes to play.

About 3 in the morning, unable to sleep, Lisa saw that the Redskins had come back and won.

I had awoken and she asked me, “I thought you said the Redskins lost?” 

“They did”, I said.

“No they didn’t.  They came back I guess”.

“WHAT !!!”, I replied.

So I got on ESPN and both to my surprise and shock, Mark Brunell had thrown not one, but two 80 yard touchdown passes to Santana Moss in the final 2 minutes and had come back to beat the Dallas Cowboys.

And I had missed it.

Stupid sleep !!! 

Makes you miss so many things.

But then, this morning, I started thinking about what other things are coming back

Some comebacks don’t happen as quickly as football games.

Some comebacks might be years, even decades, in the making.

There are many other things that have either comeback already or are on their way back.

Bell-bottoms

Those tight at the top and loose at the bottom pants are in the midst of a comeback.

But they needed something, because the term “Bell Bottoms” just wasn’t cutting it – so they got rebranded as “Boot-Cut”

               *Side Note 1 – it is widely thought that the “bell bottom” pants made their appearance in the 19^th century by American and British sailors, making it easier to grab a man that had fallen overboard.  Or for those same sailors to be able to remove their pants easier once they were wet.

Me, I didn’t wear them then, and I’m not about to wear them now.

But it’s not just bell-bottoms that have made comebacks.

Vinyl has made a resurgence.

Gone are cassette tapes.

Gone are 8 tracks

               *Side Note 2 – were 8-tracks really “there” to begin with?  I think not.

CDs are even becoming obsolete.

But listening to music on vinyl is becoming popular again.

And oh how I love my record collection.

Current albums are now being released on vinyl once again.

Polaroid cameras have also made a comeback.

With modern technology that kids have at their disposal, to think that the polaroid camera can make a comeback boggles the mind.

Remember the flash, then the noise of the picture coming out and then shaking the photo back and forth?

To me, nothing has made a bigger comeback than the tater-tot.

               *Side Note 3 – The name “Tater Tot” is a registered trademark of Ore-Ida.

Once relegated only to school lunch cafeterias, the tot has seen a huge resurgence. 

Gone are the undercooked soggy pieces of minced potatoes. 

Gone are the burnt and dried up potato mini-stumps. 

Tater Tots are now main stream and not just for kids anymore.

While mainly offered as a side dish in restaurants as a French fry alternative, it has begun popping up in many restaurants as the only potato side dish offered.

And loaded tots (Cheese, green onions and bacons bits)?  – SLAP ME ON THE ASS FANTASTIC !!!

Best Tater tots out there are from Andy’s Lunchbox, only available in Hollywood Studios in Disney World in Toy Story Land.

Best local place for tots is The Cottage Café in Bethany Beach, DE.

Now, I don’t boycott fries, but if tots are on the menu, then I opt for the tots.

I’m sure there are many other things that haven’t come back yet – but they will.

Who knows – maybe the phone book will make a come back.

You never know.

• Ramblings