fair catch fryar

Nothing has to be redeemed per-say, but if this team doesn't win at least one more Super Bowl before #12 hangs up his cleats then I think any of the players and fans for that matter will never be able to let go of the uneasy feelings of "shoulda, coulda, woulda".

Metaphors

The feelings after the SB 42 loss are just part of being a sports fan. If you support a team long enough, you are bound to get your heart ripped out on occasion. The Rams had a dying Pats team on the ropes near the end. The Panthers took a late lead and seemed to have all kinds of momentum. How do you think Cardinals' fans feel about last year?

That sick feeling in your stomach just makes the next huge victory just that...huge. The potential for a crushing loss is what makes big wins so sweet. The 2001 season was magical because of all the frustration that came before it. The 2003 season followed the heartache of Favre gacking up the final game of the 2002 season to knock the Pats out of the playoffs on a tie-breaker (at least that could never happen again ).

The 2004 season seemed almost routine by comparison. Loved every minute of it, but I felt 100% confident the Pats would take the title again.

Remember that there have been 24 seasons since 1985. The Pats have been in 25% of the Super Bowls and participated in 50% of the playoffs (despite nearly a decade long absence) during this time. That is a pretty solid generation of football filled with amazing highs and crushing lows...which have to be taken together to get the full context of that period.

I'll always remember the 2007 team regardless of what the Pats do this year. This year has the potential to be extra special because of what the 2007/2008 teams went through.

And I'm just thankful the Vikings don't play an AFC playoff-contending team in Week 17 this year...

Deus Irae

We'll always have Paris

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Yehoodi

I think a lot of the older fans don't mind being greedy. I don't at all. . .

You weren't around when the Pats where the best thing going to make a loss out of a win, back in the 70's when we lost our rights to MNF, the '76 playoff loss, the countless games that we had to listen on the radio cause it was blackout as the stadium was not sold out, the '86 loss to the Bears, on and on

We were many times at the celler in the division and had a few good season here and there and had tragic playoff lossess. Factor in the Red Sox and briuns failures from '72 to '01 you get the picture.

when some one brings water to a dying man in the desert don't blame the guy if he wants to get up, cheer and enjoy the water . . .

Yehoodi

feel the same way about SB42. For me yes it would redeem '06 and '07, both terrible looses, then to see the '08 campaign slowing make you realize we are not going to win in '08.

for me, after having won 3 SBs in this decade and have dominted Pitt, we are the team of the decade. the only thing left as a fan is to be the best team of all time, and in that endeavor we, in my opinion, are chasing the 60's Packers. I want two more SBs, or perhaps one 19-0, and we would be past the pack. At this point I do want another SB, but as a fan I see us chasing history and I want what ever it takes to get to #1 all time . . .

A SB would help soften the blown and 19-0 for me would eliminated the hurt of the loss . . .

PatsFanSince74

well, i guess i qualify as an "old fan." I saw my first pats game in 1974, my first NFL game in 1960. More than anything else, seeing them through the dark days makes me grateful for what they've accomplished--beyond my wildest dreams. no, i'm not "greedy" for more. don't get me wrong; i'd love to see Brady and Belichick bring another Lombardi to Foxboro, but they have already more than delivered as far as I'm concerned.

And, the most important point for me is that I believe that the Krafts are building a franchise that will still be delivering excellence long after BB and TB have retired and we're visiting their busts in Canton. Being greedy in the short term almost implies that it's somehow gonna be "over" when those two guys are gone.

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PatsDparty

There's a difference between cheering the water and expecting Niagra Falls to come rushing through the desert

It just gets nauseating to constantly read fans worrying about team of the decade "honors" and hoping for an undefeated season.

Box_O_Rocks

This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

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TrueBeliever

For the record, I've only been a Patriots fan since 1995 myself, so I'm largely in the same boat you are. The worst I've seen the Pats do in a season is 5-11 (in 2000). But I look at the Pats - like I do at all the clubs - from a historical perspective. When I first started sporting Pats gear, it was akin to being a Bengals fan.

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lurker1965

Yes.

It does.