I pretty much right with you. I was a few years after it first came out. Also, given I live in California, I either had to get it or go to a bar. Since I'm an accountant, I crunched the numbers and it was far cheaper for me to get Direct TV and the ticket than go to bars to watch. I also factored in the cost of cable, and comparatively speaking, the cost is virtually the same. However, the customer service at DTV is superior to any cable company I've ever dealt with. Plus, every year, I bitch and moan to a rep and they severely discount my NFL ticket.
I think DTV is the way to go hands down.