49er's Chandler slept in my bed

On Jan. 5, 2003 the San Francisco 49ers ended what could have been a New York Giants' run to the Super Bowl and I only had myself to blame. The 49ers overcame a 24 point third quarter deficit to beat the Giants 39-38. I could have prevented it.

You're probably thinking this kid is nuts. He thinks that if he had prayed a little harder Jeff Garcia never would have connected with Tai Streets for the game winning touchdown. Actually, my logic is quite a bit more reality based.

During week four of the NFL season, 49ers kicker Jeff Chandler slept at my house in Medford. Unfortunately, I was at home in New York having my car inspected. A few months later, Chandler ended up scoring five points _ enough to change the course of history _ in the 49ers' win over the Giants.

What's that, you think I've gone crazy? There is no way that Chandler slept in my house in Medford, right? Well, guess what _ not only did Chandler sleep in my apartment, he actually passed out there.

So how did Chandler _ a real NFL player _ come to spend his bye week in a rundown apartment in the ghetto of Medford with a bunch of college kids who play Madden in their free time? It's very simple actually, Chandler is the ex-boyfriend of my housemate Matt's cousin Kerry. The two dated throughout college while Chandler was kicking for Florida and Kerry was attending Miami.

Kerry planned to come to Boston on the weekend of Sept. 29 and unbeknownst to any of us, so did Chandler.

Yes, I surely wanted to meet Kerry; however, I was in a very precarious situation. My car needed to be inspected and my parents explained to me that I if I did not come home during week four of the NFL season to get it inspected, then it would no longer be mine. Let's just say I didn't need much more convincing.

Imagine my surprise that weekend when I got a call from my housemates in Medford telling me that Jeff Chandler had slept in my bed. At that particular instance, I was simply upset that I didn't get to shmooze with an NFL player. Only in the first round of the playoffs did I realize that going home that fateful weekend, cost me more than a brush with fame.

While I spent week four hanging out with my family and doting on my car, Chandler spent the weekend trying to hang out with his college girlfriend and buying my friends drinks.

In retrospect _ following the Giants epic meltdown in the Wild Card game _ I realized that I could have changed everything. It did not have to end this way for my beloved Giants. If I had only been in Boston partying with Chandler and the gang during week four, things could have been different _ oh so different.

It pains me to say this because evidently Chandler is a really nice guy. He took my friends out all around Boston and not only paid for all their drinks, but also provided them with free entertainment as well _ he left his credit card at one of the bars and had to retrieve it the next day. According to eye witnesses, he nearly stumbled out of our apartment when he mistook the front door for the door to my bedroom.

Regardless of Chandler's pleasant, comical disposition, if I had been bar hopping with Chandler and my friends and had known that he would end up helping the 49ers beat the Giants in the playoffs, I surely would have done something to stop it _ or him rather.

Perhaps, after a few drinks _ purchased by Chandler of course _ I could have bumped into his knee causing season-ending ligament damage. Or maybe I could have brought my digital camera and taken a few embarrassing shots which I could have used to blackmail him.

Who knows? Such tactics might not have been necessary. I might have been able to simply reason with him. "Jeff, I'll be your best friend if you throw any game you play against the Giants." He probably would have responded, "Sure Dan, anything for you _ I owe you big time for your hospitality this weekend. I mean hell, I did sleep in your bed."

Sadly, I never had to the opportunity to sit down with Chandler man to man, mano a mano. Instead, all I have is the knowledge that Jeff Chandler passed out on my bed and then 15 weeks later helped the 49ers slay my Giants. How ungrateful can somebody be? He could have at least had the common decency to sit out the playoff game.

I suppose the only satisfaction that I can take from the whole Jeff Chandler sleeping in my bed and then going out to beat my Giants is this _ I have a chronic bed wetting problem.