PromisedLand

So this is the mourning after (and yes, the double entendre is intentional). I, like so many others here, have spent a mostly sleepless night trying to come to a sense of acceptance about what happened. But, while I do feel a lot better than I did last night, I am still finding this one very tough to swallow.

Sure, I know we have been the luckiest fans in the world over the last few years, and I certainly know we have no divine right to win. I even understand that fans of other teams are people who live and die by their team too, and I'm enough of a man to be happy for them. Still, there is something gnawing at me, and I think I know what it is....

It's the sense that we had IT in our hand, and then we lost IT.

We had Immortality in the bag, and then Fate snatched it away.

We were up 21-3 and driving to another score, a score which would have given us an almost insurmountable lead and would have mostly likely sapped all the remaining fight out of the reeling Colts. We had just made another first down deep inside Colts territory, but it was overturned on a questionable offensive pass interference call against Troy Brown. Winston Churchill's said about the Battle of El Alamein, "Before Alemein we never had a victory. After Alemein we never had a defeat". It was almost like that, only in reverse.

There was clearly something wrong with our defense in the second half, one of the top defenses in the league over the regular season. First line guys were sitting on the bench getting stretched out for cramps, and others were clearly suffering from the flu which had been reportedly hit the team during the week. It was almost as though Forces Greater than Man were arrayed against us. Our formerly solid defensive wall turned into a wall of mush as the Colts scored almost every time they had the ball. And yet, thanks to heroics by the offense, we were still leading as time ticked away in the 4th quarter. But more inexplicable missteps were about to befall us - Reche Caldwell dropped an easy touchdown pass in the end zone (on a drive where we later scored anyway) and then dropped an equally easy pass where he stood, alone, uncovered and undetected by the Colts defense, for at least 10 seconds before the snap of the ball. That play could have ended the game. If only Caldwell had caught the ball, he could have waltzed into the end zone.

And there were so many other "if onlys" as time was winding down. 12 men in the huddle? When was the last time you saw that from a Belichick-coached team? Brady FAILING to pull off the miracle with a minute left and two timeouts? Come on, didn't we all think he was going to do it once again? Didn't we all think it was all part of the cosmic script for this team?

So I guess that's what's bothering me. I know we have no right to expect to win the Super Bowl every year - the odds of winning only once are 1 in 32 - and we have won not once, but THREE times in the past few years. I know we have no divine right to win and that other teams have just as much right as we do. I'm happy for the Colts and their fans, really I am. But it is just the sense that we had IT - a chance to be the odds-on favorite to win our 4th Super Bowl in 6 years, which would have

• equalled the 70's Steelers as the best dynasty ever,
• brought Tom Brady even with his boyhood hero Joe Montana the only quarterbacks ever to win 4 Super Bowls, and
• made Bill Belichick the only head coach besides Chuck Noll with 4 Super Bowl wins.

In other words, Immortality, and a place on the highest shrine on the Mount Olympus of football dieties.

We had IT, until Fate cruelly pried it from our hands. And that's why it hurts so much.

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BlitzFritz

Yeah i agree. I'm feelin ya dog

I also now see how much LUCK plays into winning at the top level. Many small plays could make the difference.

I also see that maybe I need to spend a little less time on the Pats and a bit more on my family and children

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"If you counted out the Patriots, you just don't get it." Adam Schein, September 2008

“We are building a big, strong, fast, smart, tough and disciplined football team that. consistently competes for championships.” Guess who.

richpats

You said it- I never realize how much I get into the Pats during the season (especially the playoffs) until it's all over and I don't have another game to look forward to. Even SB victories are bittersweet (more sweet though!).

A loss like this does put a lot into perspective - my g/f has been dealing with my "football season" alter ego for months and she's due for a vacation from that guy

Plus I have more time to worry about school, work, home, family, etc. I guess I get carried away - I LOVE THE PATS!!!

PromisedLand

I hear ya, but I can't turn it off just like that. I need to mourn. You don't feel a loss if you never had something to begin with - I felt we had it, that's why I feel such a loss. I'll get over it, but it hasn't even been 24 hours.

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BelichickFan

Damn right, I have nothing to watch on NFLN tonight . . . 4 hours of homework for the kids . . . ha ha ha . . . lot's of quality time with Daddy

Seriously I am SO depressed.

PatsFanInVa

Yeah, been a little down too. We are spoiled. I can't call the season over... I have to start obsessing over draft tidbits and dribs and drabs of news about Tedy's retirement decision. Plus there's the Colts/Bears party to get through (and then the offseason can REALLY begin! whoopee.)

It's been a pretty good year, all in all. I suspect 07 will be a step forward rather than back. But as we all learned between Sunday morning and Sunday night, the future is unwritten.

And you couldn't enjoy the wins any other way!

PFnV

sarge

Man, you guys have read my mind.

I feel like I just need to step away and spend more time with the family.

I'm pretty bummed.

But I also feel guilty that I am bummed. It's almost like considering all the recent success the team has had, I have no right to be bummed out, and I ought to be greatfull for the good times.

And let's face it, how many times have Colts fans gone through what we just did last night.

Maybe it's there turn to enjoy the SB.

Like the other poster said, we have no divine right to the SB every season.

Anyway, I think I am going to have to step away for a bit and get over the loss.

I just don't understand how something that...
A. I have absolutely no control over
B. Has absolutely no effect over my life in anyway
can get me so down.

Brownfan80

Amazing post Promisedland, and it truly does encapsulate how many of us probably feel today. I know it summed up my feelings pretty much to a T.


Just... empty today.

richpats

I get ya- the Pats winning makes me proud and I hold my head high, and it's nice to have bragging rights too. I didn't get much sleep either last night. At the end of the day, I just remember that I'm not a fan to simply watch them win, I'm a fan to cheer them on, win or lose. The worst part about it is that there can be no cheering for another 8 months.

BTW, I walked out of Dolphin Stadium 6 weeks ago wondering if we could win a playoff game this year- my expectations have been exceeded. The SD game was one of the greatest triumphs in Patriots history. Unfortunately it contributed to an uneven performance yesterday. Life goes on.

PromisedLand

It does, and you speak much truth. A lot of it is about it ending so unexpectedly after we came to expect we would win. Before we expected that the end would have been easier to accept.

And the end is, like NEM said another thread, so empty. It is a total void. It's really like a sudden, unexpected death.

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