18-1, 5 reasons to be proud

I didn't want to just ignore the fact that our boys in blue, our beloved New England Patriots, were beaten in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Ignoring it makes it seem like there's something to be ashamed of, and I'm not ashamed of my guys -- I'm proud of the season they had, the camraderie they shared, and the poise with which they faced what had to have been the dissappointment of their lifetimes.

First, I must give props to the New York Giants. They bested the best. My gosh, never have I seen a team fight harder, make more impossible plays, or put their heart so thoroughly into a game. Their defense was absolutely on fire, and little Eli Manning, who until this moment seem to stand perpetually in the shadow of his older brother's accomplishments, finally came into his own. Way to go, fellas, well done.

I read an upsetting article yesterday, entitled "5 Places For Patriots Fans to Place Blame" or some such nonsense. (I'm not linking to it, because I thought it stunk and I don't want anyone else reading that sort of drivel!). The gist of the article was that there was a hundred reasons to blame the loss on, but here's the top 5.

I've been a Pats fan my entire life. Born and raised in Massachusetts, it was inevitable. (Unlike here in Connecticut, where allegiences seem divided between NE, the Jets, and the Giants -- which never made any sense to me, incidentally -- I mean, they are the NEW ENGLAND Patriots. CT is part of New England. Should be a no-brainer as to who the "home team" is.... But I digress.) And I choose not to wallow in self-pity and dissappointment, but rather to embrace all that there is to be proud of our team. Maybe there ARE a hundred places we could lay the blame for this one loss. But there are least a THOUSAND reasons to be proud of what our Pats have accomplished. Here are my top 5:

1. 18-1. For some reason, the Giants and their fans seem to think that throwing this stat around is somehow insulting to us Pats fans. But think about it -- 18 - 1. No other team in football history has ever had such a record! WHAT exactly is there to be ashamed of about that?

2. Taking the high road. With all the mud-slinging that every other team in the league seemed to want to do against the Pats all season long, for all the outlandish predictions and degredations, the Pats players never responded in kind. They praised their opponents when they deserved it, and kept their mouths shut when they didn't. My heart swelled with pride as I watched the clips of post-game interviews with Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Tedy Bruschi. They each gave a heart-felt congratulations to the Giants, acknowledged their accomplishement, and spoke towards the future of their own organization. There was no sour-grapes, no mud-slinging, no accusations of it being anything but a fair, hard-fought win. That's MY team!

3. Focus on the game. Despite a lot of distractions being thrown at them from all angles on and off the field, the team held their focus on playing the game of football all season long. I don't care what you want to say about management or the coaching staff (and I have my opinions on that, but that's a whole 'nother topic), what the game of football comes down to is the play on the field -- the players' ability to focus on the task at hand and work the situations to the best of their ability. Even the most empassioned of their critics can't ding the Patriots for their ability to focus.

4. Teamwork. There are no stars on the Patriots team. Or there are 11 stars (whichever 11 happen to be on the field at the time) -- whichever way you look at it, it tells the story that the Pats wanted told. They are team first, individuals second. Everything they put forth on the field and in the locker room is to benefit the team. Yes, individual records were set. But that's not what made those individual players the happiest -- it was how those records benefited the team as a whole that made them proud.

5. Tom Brady. Ok, ok, I know I just said no stars, teamwork, blah blah blah. But let's face it, without Tom Brady at the helm, there's not much to talk about. He defines the team, he sets the example, he is everything a leader is supposed to be. And he's ridiculously talented. And easy to look at. He's pretty much the perfect football player. And apparently a really nice guy. He's my kids' hero, and I'm thrilled with that. And for as much as he's done this season, his records, his acclaim, the one thing I am most impressed with is how he could take the pounding he took on Sunday evening, and still get up every single time he was knocked down, and step right back into the game and his leadership role, in the biggest game of his life, as though nothing had happened, as though this was just any other play. This is the stuff legends are made of, and I am awed and inspired to watch him. He not only defines football for me, he defines why people like me are as passionate about football as we are.

And I guess that's all I've got to say on the topic. We now enter the football-less portion of the year. The part where I get desperate enough to watch golf, and even take a breif interest in baseball. (Sorry, there's just no getting me interested in basketball....) That's what I'm sad about -- that I don't have the game to look forward to each weekend. Not the loss. Not when I have an entire year of exciting wins, professional poise, pinpoint focus, inspiring teamwork, and Tom Brady, waiting to start anew in the fall.