I posted a comment over on the Ed Zone regarding the Pats-Colts game Sunday that was so long, I might as well post it here:
While I don’t like Manning (in that way you tend not to like people who are talented and aren’t at all humble about it and are overhyped and willing to shill for any product in existence so they’re constantly in your face), I’m happy for the people of Indianapolis. I mean, Boston has reveled in four major sports championships since February 2002, while Indianapolis has arguably felt the pain of pre-2004 Red Sox fans more than once in the same time frame. Obviously I would have preferred a Pats win, but, eh, this just doesn’t hurt as much as it might have.
And let’s face it—the Pats were not playing with a full deck. As my dad said when I talked to him today, he or I could have caught that pass Caldwell dropped in the fourth quarter when no one was anywhere near him. That’s the difference having a WR like Marvin Harrison (or even Terrell Owens) makes. I know Caldwell did really well this season and I respect him, but I can’t help but wonder how the game might have gone if we’d had a Harrison or a Chad Johnson. Or, y’know, Dieon Branch.
I think in the end, the Pats and Colts were two very evenly matched teams, but the player match-ups gave the Colts an edge that even Belichick and Brady’s famous strategery couldn’t overcome.
I agree with you that it is nice to see the people of Indianapolis – and Payton, Tony Dungee, et al enjoy a sip from the glorious fountain we have been priviledged to chug from over the past half-decade or so. Having won 3 in this decade – I didn?t feel the sting like I used to (say ?97 against the Pack). Even the last few Red Sox Playoff busts haven?t hurt that much – as I have the memories of 2004 still replaying themselves in vibrant HD inside mi cabeza.
Also agree with the Caldwell dis. I have this little rule – a professional football player should never play football the way I do (i.e. balls through the hands, balls off the head, balls off the groin, etc.) Replay only hurts it more. The ball goes straight through his hands both times. Whether he took his eyes off the ball – who knows – but one thing?s for sure, his eyes were bugging out of his head after both miscues.
In the end, I got to enjoy as many Patriots games as possible in a season (minus one) and I?ll still be watching that one – so I got full mileage out of the football season. And I got some damn fine exciting playoff games to watch. Not a bad haul.
Honestly, given the condition of the Pats this season, I think they should be commended for getting as far as they did. How many teams get to the AFC championship game in an honest-to-goodness rebuilding year?
Are we supposed to mirror the comment trail from there, here?
“I started writing a way-too-long comment, so I think I?ll take a page out of Jason?s book and put it up as a post on my also lagging blog?”