Sunday, February 03, 2008

Well, That Sucked

The thing about sports is that it isn't ultimately about what you hope or what you dream. In a world in which we devote way too much effort to building self esteem and not enough to building character sports are the one arena in which losses and wins are tallied, ruthlessly, cruelly even.


The Giants beat the Patriots. They came in with a great defensive scheme and executed that scheme. The Pats went ahead near the end and could not hold on to that lead. It is as simple as that.


Tonight's loss was easily the most painful I have felt as a sports fan since that hideous October night in 2003 involving Grady Little and a cast of too many. But that's what being a sports fan is about. I'm a grown man, and I'm feeling tremendous hurt over a football game played in Arizona by a bunch of men I'll never know. It's a silly emotional investment to make I suppose. But I've made it. And so the next couple of weeks will drag along, I'll feel an emptiness, and before long Valentine's day will be here and pitchers and catchers will report to spring training for the Red Sox. It's small solace right now, but that pain is ok. I'll survive.

6 comments:

Name: Matthew Guenette said...

Strangely, I don't feel that bad. Like you said, I'm a grown man (with a pregnant wife) and a real life here in Madison.

What I will remember from this game is the surprise of seeing the Pats outplayed AND outcoached. That doesn't happen often. So all the credit goes to the Giants. When the better team wins, you tip your hat...

Anonymous said...

What a great game! What a great season for the Pats!!

Even though it was a heartbreaking loss for you Pats fans (and an amazing victory for the Giants fans), nothing can take away from the Pats amazing season. The Pats were clearly the best team in the NFL this year. While I can't say they were the best ever (since I didn't get to see the pre-70's games) they have to be considered among the best ever. For objectivity purposes, this is coming from someone who is a friend of DCat's, but a Belichick hater (I'm a Cleveland native). This season just lends more credence to the argument that the Pats over the last 6 years is approaching/equals the dynasties of the Steelers in the 70's (as much as I hate them), the 49'ers of the 80's, Cowboys of the early 90's and so on.

Bring on Spring Training!!!!

- Donnie Baseball

dcat said...

Matt --
I know I shouldn't let the performance of my sports teams have this sort of effect on my life, but they do. This one's going to hurt for a while.

Don --
I know they had a great season, and I imagine that will eventually outweigh this empty feeling, but without winning it all i wonder how history will look at these guys.

dcat

Rich said...

Larry Bird once recalled being on the team bus after the Celtics had beaten the Lakers, leaving the Forum and spotting Magic Johnson with the saddest look on his face and says that he remembers smiling and thinking, "Suffer. Suffer."

Hang your head high, boys. I was not one of the many haters rooting against the Pats just for the sake of doing so and a big part of me wanted more than anything for the plug on Mercury Morris's 15 minutes to be pulled and the Pats to finish off a stellar season. It has to be an empty feeling, but for the overwhelming majority of an entire season, the Pats played on a level that no one even came close to. They were a joy to watch and will have their place in history as one of the greatest teams ever, irrespective of the result of the final game. As the famous and former coach of the UVM Catamounts said as an ESPN analyst after watching UVM fall to Albany in last year's America East championship game, "Sometimes it feels good to hurt this bad."

Anonymous said...

Dcat, even you (a diehard Pats fan) may find some humor in this. You may have seen it, but if not please take a look. Good for a chuckle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3VGZL5Q8lk

Eli

dcat said...

Eli --
I have to admit -- I'm just not ready yet. But I'll check it out in a week or two when . . . we can focus on the league-leading Celtics!!!

dcat