Super Bowl XLII, Part I - Losing - The Great Equalizer

Yes, America, the hyped NFL dream team known as the 2007-08 New England Patriots did not win the Super Bowl yesterday. Those of us, like Yours Truly, who are longtime devotees of the Pats are going to have a week of emotional and psychological hangover after watching the Patriots offense largest ever meeting his defensive game the now Super Bowl champion New York Giants . The great, sad poetry here, of course, that the Giants were the version of this 2001-02 season of the New England Patriots, big loser of that faces the heavily favored St. Louis Rams QB Kurt Warner director. The terrible truth is that what goes around comes around often - and so it went for this season more heroic, exemplary football team: a team that went undefeated in all his battles except the final one.As a story, the fall of the AFC Champions widely considered to rival NFC in rethinking was epic - Icarus was falling to earth after flying too close to the Sun, has been the Achilles heel 'pierced by the arrow of third-rate warrior whose arm was guided by God assisted luck.As the season progressed, the hype surrounding the Patriots by a relentless wind and maybe haunted pool of experts in sports has made it increasingly difficult for the team to keep our feet on the ground and head (s) from the clouds. By the time they arrived in Glendale, Arizona, their final battle of the season, seemed dangerously close to buying into the hype (see related post "Messin 'With Karma: the red flags of fate), but as a real, land ., work in progress all too human - remain the 2007-08 Patriots, and always will be, an important were brave, driven - meaning evolving, new team whose members were largely in the process of learning to work together. , the group largely concentrated class of boys who took their season one game at a time and that he knew that a playoff spot, let alone a trip to the Super Bowl, which is never a sure thing.The delusional expectations placed on a team sports media eager for a divine event filled with what, in hindsight, may have been ultimately unbearable burden to challenge the story on the shoulders of mere mortals.Resentful former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk - that was part of the team that lost the Super Bowl Patriots 2001-02 to that team and is a regular talking head for the NFL Network - predictably argued that because the Patriots lost the Super Bowl (three points, a spread that usually has worked in their favor), are "to" great team, but not necessarily the "greatest." Okay, Marshall, you and proud 1972 Dolphins Mercury Morris can gloat as the great defeat., in fact, many members of the Patriots bandwagon, when they were winning, as former coach Jim Mora (Sr.), are now rejecting the achievements of the team as secondary to their Super Bowl loss.But the truth of the matter is this: the Patriots this year set a new standard for how play the game of football itself and throughout the NFL. the New York Giants may have been the fastest of study only in terms of absorption and application of this rule to search shared by all 31 other teams to unseat the master of the game New England Patriots were getting. The Patriots have nothing to be ashamed of. They were beaten fairly because their offensive line could not resist the Giants' pass rush and their aging defenders could not move fast enough to pressure Eli Manning . Giants receivers Patriots burned the most mobile, but physically unimposing, secondary. bet my subscriptions 2008-09 Patriots (If I could get them) that there will be personnel changes in more than positions.Randy Moss told the press that he thought that the Giants had played with "more intensive" that his team yesterday. Tom Brady was gentle and humble in defeat, knowing the Giants had won their victory. Somewhere in his heart, remembering that Brady must have been 2001-02 season and how he earned his first Super Bowl ring - with the Patriots losing team led by a 'young unproven quarterback who had been pulled out from the bench after starter Drew Bledsoe, the Patriots lost the game went down.The most important of the year after winning. "other" But the whole there is a silver lining in that humbling reality: the pressure is off I am back among the companions of brotherhood among the top contenders in the model - Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts are n. more isolated from one entity relative perfection. are special, yes, but not as special as they would have been to 19-0.This simply means the Patriots have more work to do. They will fight to regain their confidence in the face of crushing humiliation, and a guide on how to do that they need only look at what teams looked like the Giants and others have experienced in recent years (see related post "What Pats can learn from this one" ). If the Patriots learn what they need to learn from this result breaks my heart - both in terms of physical play and their mental game - you can still have a chance to redeem himself with another Super Bowl ring before the decade through.They can also get a bit 'of their underdog status back -. Which, if you ask the New York Giants, can be the gift that keeps on giving [EXTRACT] Yes, America has advertised the Dream Team 2007-08 NFL New England Patriots as you do not win the Super Bowl is known today. are those that many of us, like Yours Truly, the long supporter of the Pats will be a week hangover emotional and psychological after seeing the greatest patriots offense never found their defensive play in Super Bowl champion New York Giants hour. High, poetry is sad, of course, that the giants were in this version of the 2001-02 season of the New England Patriots, big loser in that year brought to a vision of the heavily favored St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner. The Awful Truth is that what goes around must come around often - and so it went for this season, more heroic, exemplary football team: a team that went undefeated in all his battles with the exception of the last one.As a story appropriate for the AFC Champions NFC rivals largely retrospective as an idea was epic - was Icarus falls to earth after flying too close to the sun, was the Achilles heel 'of the arrow of a third class of warriors whose arm was pierced by God-supported luck.As off season, the relentless hype on the Patriots from a pool of breath and probably holds the most experienced racing difficult for the team to land on his feet and head (s) to keep out of the clouds. Up arrived in Glendale, Arizona, their last battle of the season, seemed dangerously close to buying this ad campaign (see post Related: "Messin 'With Karma: the red flags of destiny). But as a genuine, down to earth, too human work in progress - work in importance as an emerging, largely new team, whose members are in the process of learning together -. 2007-08 Patriots are, and always will be, you were a remarkable courage, guided group focused and most noble of guys who have got their season one game at a time, and knew full well that a playoff spot, not to talk about a trip to the Super Bowl has never been a sure thing.The delusional expectations of the team on a full sports media eager for a divine event, which in retrospect, may ultimately be an intolerable burden to challenge in the history of bare shoulders Former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk mortals.Resentful - that was the team that lost the Super Bowl with this team 2001-02 Patriots and is a regular talking head for the NFL Network - claimed that predict, as the Patriots lost the Super Bowl (three points, a spread that has usually worked in their favor), they are "a" great team, but not necessarily as "the greatest". Okay, Marshall is proud and dolphins in 1972 as Mercury Morris can be grazed on the big defeat. In fact, many members of the Patriots train jumped up when they win, as the former coach Jim Mora (Sr.), are now rejected the results of the secondary team for their Super Bowl loss.But the truth of the matter is this: Patriots this year set a new standard for how to play the game of football, for himself and the entire NFL. The New York Giants can only was the quickest study on the absorption and application of this standard to try all the other 31 teams in order to dominate the game, the New England Patriots were stopped for ever. The Patriots have nothing to be ashamed of. were beaten fair and square, because their offensive line could not stand up to the pass rush of the Giants' and their aging defenders could not move fast enough to keep the pressure Eli Manning. The receivers Giants Patriots burned most mobile, but physically unimposing, secondary. I would bet my subscriptions 2008-09 Patriots (if I could do it) that there are personnel changes, with more than one of those positions.Randy Moss told the press that he thought the Giants had played with "more intensity "as his team yesterday. Tom Brady was friendly and humble in defeat, knowing the Giants had deserved the victory. They were somewhere in his heart, must Brady recalled that the 2001-02 season and how he earned his first Super Bowl ring - a team with a losing Patriots quarterback tested young, who had already pulled out from the bench after direct start Drew Bledsoe Patriots down.The lost the biggest game of the year after winning. all. "Other Ones" But there's an upside to this humiliating reality. the pressure is off now I'm back in the fraternity of other top contender NFL - Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts are no longer isolated to a company by its perfection. There are special, yes, but not so specific as they would have been to 19-0.This, simply means that the Patriots have more to do. You have to fight for their faith in the face of overwhelming humiliation and again for information on how to do it, they need only look at what teams like the Giants and others have decreased in recent years (see related post: "What can you learn from this Pats "). If the Patriots get what they need to learn from this heartbreaking results - both in terms of physical play and mental game - you can still have a chance to redeem himself with another Super Bowl ring before the decade is through. They may also have some 'of their underdog status back - if you must ask the New York Giants, the gift can be kept.