I think the Super Bowl was one of those games that could have gone either way. And unfortunately it didn’t go the way I had hoped. The Patriots have been on the other side of the score in previous games. Even this perfect regular season, there were a few games that they won by 3 points. Those are the games that can go either way and lend to the saying, “on any given Sunday…” This time the Patriots were unlucky and the Giants got lucky. I won’t take away Eli’s and other Giants players’ outstanding games. But anyone watching the game can’t deny that the football gods smiled on Eli as he kept the Giants alive when he escaped getting sacked and got off a 32 yard throw to Tyree, who held on to it using his hands and helmet as he got tackled. Amazing.
What I am most sad about is that the Patriots didn’t get the 19-0. They had the perfect season but not the Super Bowl ring to go along with it. My husband is most disappointed that they didn’t win the Super Bowl. But for me to have witnessed history at a time in my life when I really am excited about football and the Patriots would have been truly amazing. We watched every single Patriots game. We would often have to go to the local sports bar and sit as the lone Patriots fans in a room full of Steelers, Cowboys, and non-Patriots fans. I loved talking about football and would do so with anyone that would listen. My parents started following the Patriots because we were so excited about them.
Let’s not forget that the Patriots did go 18-0. No other team has done that. It’s probably hard to imagine what that really means unless you are there. As a soccer player, it’s often hard to keep my consistency and excitement for the game going from week to week, let alone that of my teammates. But football is so much more physically and mentally demanding. So whether you are a Patriots fan or not, you can’t deny this accomplishment and its magnitude. It will be a long 8 months before football starts up again. I can’t believe I just said that.
Update: Someone else said it much better than I did:
"Sports is one of the few areas of endeavor in which perfection can be measured. But achieving perfection is rare because it requires good fortune as well as skill and execution."
Update 2: Thank goodness for elections. Nothing like another competition to help ease the pain from the previous one.
5 comments:
But it was just a game - and a very exciting one. It's like a movie - some of the best have sad/bittersweet endings. Sports has more of those, because it's realer - and because everybody's win is someone else's defeat. But you can still appreciate the game and the players and the fans and the excitement of it all.
And there's always next year for 19-0.
Yes Andy, and it will be the Cowboys going for it!
Not if Jessica Simpson has anything to do with it.
"And there's always next year for 19-0"
That was my exact thought after the '85 Bears won the Super Bowl.
A couple of years ago, I would have volunteered to take one for the team and keep her entertained. I used to be selfless like that.
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