Monday, February 04, 2008

How 'bout them Patriots?

O.k., so, I don't admit this very often, but a part of me likes the Patriots. I was rooting for them yesterday, but it seems to me that the Giants, "out-patrioted," the Patriots.

I remember the Superbowl following the 2001 season where the Pats faced the Rams. The Rams were heavy favorites, and rightly so. They were of course, the "fastest show on turf." I was rooting for the Rams pretty hard that year, and thought that the "lucky team" from New England had no shot. I remember the introductions very vividly that year, the Rams all being introduced individually, which was perfectly normal. What wasn't so normal though was the Patriots introductions. "The New England Patriots have requested to be introduced as a team." After which they all ran on the field together. I remember an announcer, or maybe someone where I was watching the game saying, "uh oh."

They then did what the Patriots do. They kept it close by playing great defense, til the 4th quarter in which Tom Brady marched down the field to win a close game at the end.

I remember being impressed by that, both Tom Brady's cool-headedness and the introduction thing.

Ever since then, I have admired the Patriots attitude of "no one is bigger than the team attitude. You want more money, or want to hold out? Alright, you can go find it somewhere else." In an era of Keyshawn Johnson's, that is such a breath of fresh air. Randy Moss this year took a major paycut to play for this team. They told him, this is what we have for you, we would love to have you, but this is all we are going to do. They told that to the best wide receiver in the game!

Anyway. I watched the highlights of the Giants stepping off the plane all dressed in matching black suits and sunglasses, and thought to myself... "Uh oh." And then the Giants did what the Patriots usually do. Kept it close into the fourth quarter, and then won it at the end.

Hats off to the New York Giants.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding me? Randy Moss is the best wide receiver in the game? The only reason Moss took less money is...he's chasing a ring. Will your opinion of the patriots change when you find out they cheated to win versus the Rams? Bill Belichick is a jerk, and I think it's wearing off on the rest of the team. I wish they would have played Brady's quotes immediately after the game. "We're only going to score 17 points?" "OK. Is Plax playing defense? "I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for more points." Getting knocked to the ground all game long couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Soebs, I thought you had better judgement.

P.s. You still owe me a pizza!

soebeck said...

Are you kidding me??? Randy Moss is the best receiver in the game. Period. Followed by TO. I am sorry, but no one else is that level. No one. I don't want to hear about Reggie Wayne, not even close. Bill you are a Colts fan, tell me who has jaded judgement there? Me? A Buccaneers fan? Or you, whom the Pats have been a proverbial thorn in your side? Hmmm...

Question, since Peyton's little brother won a superbowl in a much shorter period than it took the elder Manning, is he a better QB? I mean seriously.

And about Jerks, I have heard from a former NFL player of whom I am friends with, that Billicheck is not the the biggest jerk in the league. Your hero Peyton is.

"I know but he makes funny commercials..."

Ooooohhhh... you got me there.

Anonymous said...

It takes more than skill level to be the best. Randy Moss laid down on the Raiders because he was unhappy with the situation. Do you think he quit passing his paychecks? He MAY be the most talented...but not the best. I think Eli may be better than Peyton, only time will tell. Peyton is not my hero, my father is. But, I'm pretty sure Peyton wouldn't go trotting off the field while the defense still had a play to run. Belichick is classless. What a baby!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant cashing his paychecks.

soebeck said...

I do admit that was not the classiest move! And I was just throwing that hero thing in for effect. I had no idea who your hero was, my apologies. Just trying to make a point. :)

Anonymous said...

Soebs. Aren't you jumping on the Patriots band wagon a little late or have you been in the closet the whole time? The Patriot? What next the Yankees? And just because Randy Moss says he is the greatest doesn't make it so. Any wide receiver is good when they are gigantor tall. He's a thug and he took a pay cut because he thought he was guaranteed a ring with a team known for their ego which was built on their patented cheating system. How do you think they beat the Rams which was called the Greatest Show on Turf.

And Tom Brady? While I do think he is talented, I think any quarterback can put up the numbers when he knows the defense plays via video.

I think any team that already had a book deal and copyrighted the term 19-0 BEFORE the Super Bowl started needs a dose of reality and they got it from another Manning. How sweet.

Bill said...

That last one wasn't me, but I agree. I wasn't upset about the hero thing, I just wanted to set the record straight.

Anonymous said...

Randy Moss and Peyton are not the biggest jerks....
that title belongs to SoeBeck

soebeck said...

Who are you anonymous? Identify yourself!

Anonymous said...

Why do I have to identify myself? You want to look me up and rough me up a bit? Can't handle someone bringing down the saintly Patriots?

Anonymous said...

I know where you live Soe Beck. I'm not going to let you rough someone up just because they don't agree with you.

Anonymous said...

Besides aren't you supposed to be working? What do they pay for anyway?

Anonymous said...

Who is this Soe Beck person? That doesn't sound like a real name. Is he an alien? He has to be to like the Patriots.

scott said...

"Any wide receiver is good when they are gigantor tall."

I take offense to that remark.

Anonymous said...

I didn't say any white wide receiver.

Anonymous said...

I don't know who this anonymous person is but he is a jerk. Everyone knows that Soe Beck is a harmless lovable fuzz ball.

Anonymous said...

I definitely cannot stand Bill Belichick or the Patriots and that is the only reason I was a Giants fan on Sunday night. But Randy Moss taking a pay cut to get a ring is just confirming what's really important to him. That's something that hasn't been uncommon whatsoever in past years. Thus, I have to just think that he doesn't care about getting a ton of money if he's on a winning team. Now, that could be because he's already been on the awful teams, got paid, and now he doesn't need the money. Nevertheless, his biggest desire right now is a ring and money is as important.
Is Randy Moss the best receiver in the NFL? I don't know how we can refute it after the numbers he put up this year. Who cares how tall somebody is. There are other people in the NFL that are that tall, and you don't see them catching an NFL record number of touchdown passes. Sure some of his touchdown catches were cheap throws from the 2 yard line on a fade to the corner of the end-zone against a CB who was half a foot shorter than him or a slant from the goal line, but that's just as much the defenses fault for not covering him when they know Brady has thrown to him so many times as it is the Patriots fault for throwing to him. I'd throw it to Moss on the goal-line too if it almost always guaranteed me a touchdown.

soebeck said...

Blue M&M's, you are a genius for agreeing with me!