This is the Worst Loss I've Ever Experienced as a Fan

[fgssand]

It's not easy winning Superbowls and these past two "eat me alive" season enders certainly confirm that statement.

It will be all the sweeter when we do win the next one - and we will, hopefully next year.

For some unknown reason we just lost our way down here in AZ......we weren't humble, we didn't play 60 minutes and the team (just we're out hustled by the Giants), coaches (were so out coached in every phase) & organization (trademarking 19-0 slogans - allowing parade details to go public - come on ). They just lost their way. I don't know why and I don't care.

Worst loss ever, it's close but not the worst for me, having three Lombardi's help to ease the pain. The pain was worse for me after the Packer Superbowl, after the Bears Superbowl, the 1976 robbery against Oakland they all stung more along with 1986 Red Sox / Mets game and Bucky freaking Dent.

Our flight home to Foxboro was canceled this morning and we are forced to spend another night down here - we just want to come home.

But, ya know what - I am a life long Pats fan and I LOVE this team. We had a great time and look forward to doing this a few more times. I have been to FIVE superbowls now since Kraft bought this team - FIVE - I never thought I would see one.

Thank you Patriots.......now go to work Scott Pioli, get BB the players needed to turn this "D" back into a championship defense.

 

[WIPatriots]

If you are a football fan, this is the worst football loss for any NFL team, ever.

If you are a baseball fan, the Bosox have let you down so many times you cannot pick one particular game.

 

[patriotspride]

If you are a football fan, this is the worst football loss for any NFL team, ever.

If you are a baseball fan, the Bosox have let you down so many times you cannot pick one particular game.

i smell troll

 

[WIPatriots]

i smell troll

Yeah, a troll who's been to see the Pats in two Super Bowls. A troll who grew up watching Grogan throw the ball on 4th and 1. A troll who is going out of his mind trying to wrap my mind around the fact that we had the greatest season in the history of football squashed before our very eyes.

I'm glad we won so many games -- hell of alot better than going 8-8. But I am in pain right now.

We choked the big one. It happens. But I won't deny that fact.

 

[patriotspride]

Yeah, a troll who's been to see the Pats in two Super Bowls. A troll who grew up watching Grogan throw the ball on 4th and 1. A troll who is going out of his mind trying to wrap my mind around the fact that we had the greatest season in the history of football squashed before our very eyes.

I'm glad we won so many games -- hell of alot better than going 8-8. But I am in pain right now.

We choked the big one. It happens. But I won't deny that fact.

point taken i wasnt sure .we are all depressed .i know i am .the redsox havent let anybody down in a long time .2 rings in four is outstanding .

 

[WIPatriots]

We were spoiled rotten this year.

I need a few weeks to recharge. I live in WI, just received my Patriot's Weekly from last week (before the SB). I tossed it into the trash. I cannot watch ESPN, I cannot listen to the radio (even though WI fans are not as vicious in their glee.)

Then I read that Hillary Clinton is rubbing it in our faces. Like I needed that!!!

http://baystateliberal.blogspot.com/2008/02/life-imitates-sports.html

I may have to post this as its own link.

i smell troll

point taken i wasnt sure .we are all depressed .i know i am

 

[QuinielaBox]

OK here is my top 5 - I am primarly a Celtics fan.

1) The death of Len Bias in 1986
2) Billy Buckners Error
3) Canadians beating the Bruins in 1971
4) Reggie Lewis' passing in 1993
5) Yesterdays game

 

[SDMan]

Well, it's as bad as it can get in professional football. But it's the price that comes with constantly playing at this level and getting to this stage. It sucks, but I'd rather have three SB wins and 4 AFC championships alongside this terrible loss. than no championships and no terrible loss.

As a Charger fan I totally agree. I'd rather be in Patriot fan's shoes right about now. LOL.

pao

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

I cant put into words how Im feeling.. when your sunday's revolve around Pats football, this is just plain stunning... It is the worst loss Ive experienced as a pats fan.. I didnt think the indy loss could get any worse.. it has

 

[Siddiqi]

I'm relatively young, 23 years old, but I've learned to cope with these sorts of things. I was upset for about 10 minutes after the game and during the last Giants drive because my dad kept saying that the patriots have this game all wrapped up, but once it was over, I knew that there was nothing I could do. I'm one of those rare Yanks/Patriots/Knicks fan, so I've gotten used to my teams flaming out in the postseason. For some reason, 2004 ALCS and the 2006 AFCG killed me a lot more than this one, I don't know why.

One thing though, for all the guys saying we'll never come close to 19-0 ever again, how do you know? No one thought that the Patriots would only score 14 points or that the Sox could rally back 3-0 with Rivera on the mound in 9th inning, heck no one thought that we would beat the Rams. Stranger things have happened in this world and in my brief lifetime I've come to learn there is only the improbable, not the impossible.

 

[#12]

It's not easy winning Superbowls and these past two "eat me alive" season enders certainly confirm that statement.
It will be all the sweeter when we do win the next one - and we will, hopefully next year.

Exactly! We can't change the past, it is what it is. Sucks what happened, but we need to look forward. We are not saying goodbye to the Patriots. I understand everyone's hurt, I definitely am but I know the heart of this team and the talent they have. They will be back!

 

[Crazyeechrispats1]

Yeah it was absolutely terrible yes my co workers tried to pick on me about it, but you know what I was getting bored with the winning maybe i'm the minority but I like being the under dog.
Heres to squeezing into the play off's at 8 and 8 and going on to winning the superbowl by a last second field goal.
PS. I want to see a young hungry defense next year I want fast athletic linebackers.
I want Matt Light moved to right tackle or traded.
I want nick Kazcur deported back to canada.
I want to see the team play with heart and grit when it all matters the most.
I want to see Mcdaniels stay on and in 5 years become the head coach when BB becomes the ernie adams of the patriots.
I can't wait to see the team rebound and possibly rebuild this is what great teams do.
Let's see how BB and co respond.

 

[aluminum seats]

Well, one day later makes me feel slightly less suicidal. Slightly. Being in NY, I still have to work hard to avoid any mention of a parade and all the rest of it.

The thing that probably gets me the most now is just the thought that over the years whenever this game is referred to in some kind of retrospective or whatever it will be that little knife in the gut.....particularly when they show "that play" which after agonizing over a hundred moments yesterday is the one that will linger--that shot of Harrison almost ripping the ball away. It'll be this horrible painful thing as opposed to one of those things you make a point of watching. For years, my brother and Dad or me would lunge for the remote whenever a Game 6 clip loomed on the TV. Just too painful. This is like that.

Going forward, recovery will only come from the feeling that the Pats remain in the best possible hands. A little bit from a Bill Simmons column a couple years ago about coaches sticks with me, that the incredible grind of the job is such where once a coach hits a certain age it's hard to keep up. I think he said it in reference to Parcells, who, with the Cowboys, suddenly just didn't have it anymore. I'm not saying that about Belichick, but it is true that nobody can do it on their own--Dan Pees is a solid coordinator, but it's hard to shake the idea that Belichick needed an offensive coordinator yesterday who could really act as an assistant head coach, take the reins, and say--this isn't working, let's try this. Hopefully he can learn, grow, and mature.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

I said earlier that this wasn't the worst loss I've experienced and I'm still holding true to that. I started looking at the bigger picture, too...

We've been absolutely, positively blessed having the Brady/Belichick Pats this decade. If you told me ten years ago that the Pats would have three titles under their belt and going for a fourth AND an undefeated record, I would have snickered while rolling my eyes. With all of the success comes a raising of the bar. After three titles, the team is no longer measured against mere Super Bowl winners, but rather the Steelers, 49ers and Cowboys dynasties. We now WANT Brady to have that fourth title to match Montana. Heck, we want him to win five so he can make the strongest argument of all for who is better.

It hurt when the Pats lost SB20 an SB31, but we got over those quickly, mostly because the Pats were underdogs and weren't supposed to win. This loss hurts because they were favored, because they were going for that 4th title by which the Steelers and 49ers dynasties are measured, because they were going for 19-0...

Wait!

They were going for a 4th title this decade? They were going for 19-0?

Holy moly!

No really...holy freaking moly!

I can't believe we root for a team that was not just going for a title, but history as well.

Well now I'm lowering the bar. While history would be nice, I'm done rooting for it. I'd like to see more titles and if they mean history comes along for the ride, then so be it. But I'm no longer going to get worked up over missing out on my team making history. There are fans of 31 other teams that right now just would savor a lone title. I'm back to joining their ranks, just like I was ten years ago. When the Brady/BB Pats ride off into the sunset several years from now, I refuse to be the spoiled fan that laments missed opportunities at history. I intend to appreciate the VAST accomplishments they did, even if it means topping out at the three titles we've already witnessed.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Lansdowne]

I thought I was finally at peace with the Super Bowl loss.

Then FOX aired the Eli Manning/Disneyland commercial today, and my eyes almost welled up. That caught me totally off-guard, and my reaction was discouraging.

So maybe it's that I've been avoiding TV/radio/sports sites like the plague that has been the reason why I felt I was over the loss. This is clearly going to take longer than I hoped. At least I'm able to sleep now, but I think it's due to exhaustion. This SB has been etched into my mind and soul and it's taking it's toll on me.

Some will fool themselves into thinking, "It wasn't meant to be", but I say "It wasn't meant to be like this", and I am taking that to the grave. With, you know, more memories of SB titles hopefully.

The only thing that brings me peace is knowing that I wouldn't trade being a Pats fan for anything. For better or worse, this team is held to a different standard than the other 31 teams in the league.

 

[QuiGon]

In football, nothing even comes close. Baseball, the leader in the clubhouse was 1986/Buckner, which 2003 came close to. But those losses lost a lot of their sting when the Sox won the World Series. This is so incredibly painful because of the all the negative energy towards the Pats, the grind of the perfect season which became so exausting, and how close they came here. It's hard to even think about next year. The thing is, nothing can erase this unless there was ANOTHER run at a perfect season, which at this point is the last thing I'd want. Awful awful awful.

The worst loss I've ever experienced was the 2003 ALCS - this game was a close second. Having the 3 trophies already in the case (not to mention a great shot at more in the future) keeps this loss just a bit below that one.

 

[Lansdowne]

The worst loss I've ever experienced was the 2003 ALCS - this game was a close second. Having the 3 trophies already in the case (not to mention a great shot at more in the future) keeps this loss just a bit below that one.

I have SB 42 as 1a and 2003 ALCS as 1b.

My case for Super Bowl 42:

- The wound is still fresh, whereas the 2003 ALCS is now just a scar, albeit a large one for me.

- In the ALCS, the Red Sox were still considered the good guys and the Yankees the bad guys. The Yankees were universally reviled, so by proxy a lot of neutral fans would lean toward the Sox. The way in which they lost was so devastating, there were Yankees fans that consoled Red Sox fans after the game. Well, at least those with a heart did.

- Compare that to this year's Super Bowl. This time, our team were the bad guys and New York had the good guys (at least to everyone outside of New England). When the Giants won, there was unified jubilation amongst Pats haters everywhere, and very little, if any, sympathy for our team and fans afterward.

- 19-0 at stake. A chance to shut up the cranky old farts from our division rivals, the Dolphins, once and for all. To be in the discussion not just of greatest dynasties of all-time, but greatest single-season team of all-time. A perfect opportunity squandered, in a game that didn't play anything like the previous 18. All the mediots, all the ignorant haters, all get to gloat at our expense, and it stings. Whether their gloating has merit or not is irrelevant, as this loss has enabled that gloating/mocking. I just wanted all those ***holes to shut up, and now they'll be louder than ever. This pains me especially as a person who considers himself to be a pacifist.

- Gives those f*cking New Yorkers back some of that swagger we took away in 2004. 18-1 is the new 1918, and I've already begun to see it on some forums.

My case for 2003 ALCS:

- After enduring all the Babe Ruth references, and reruns of painful memories of years past, another was added to the fray. The haunting 8th inning, and the inexplicable HR by Aaron Boone. Losing a chance at the World Series, to the Yankees of all teams, in that fashion, was demoralizing. As a Red Sox fan, you had to feel like it would be impossible to get over the hurdle after that. Like if there was a rule against the Red Sox getting past the Yankees, or getting that WS title.

- At least with the Patriots, there are the 3 previous Super Bowl titles, and still a realistic shot at a 4th in the horizon. With the Red Sox, it was 85 years and counting. That offense was sick and it felt like it'd be too much to expect that kind of performance again.

- Chased Roger Clemens out in what was supposed to be his final game of his career. What better way to send him packing! He was let off the hook and it just didn't feel right at all.

Both this SB and the '03 ALCS hurt in their own unique ways. I can't properly argue '78 (wasn't even alive yet) or '86 (too young).

 

[Xzibit96]

As a Broncos fan, I want to congratulate your team and you fans for a tremendous season that was entertaining to many of us outside of your fanbase. I also look forward to our matchup next season and the seasons after as young Jay matures. As a University of Arizona graduate I watched the game in my Bruschi jersey and my heart sank too. (In addition, when my family moved to this country 35 years ago from India they settled in Boston, Nashua and Newport, so I do have NE roots also).

I compare this loss to the loss that the 'GOAT' Roger Federer was handed at the Australian Open two weeks ago after which many called the 'end of the reign'. There really is more of an upside to this loss, as this could be the real gut check for your team. In my opinion only, the greats use will use a crushing defeat to climb a mountain higher than they have climbed before to succeed through adversity. Federer and the Patriots have much in common, especially an unparralled grace, and have both set standards that were considered unattainable in this era.

I am positive that your team will be back in resounding fashion next year.:rocker:

 

[ATippett56]

This is by far the worst loss ever experienced by this Patriots fan. I seriously doubt that any NFL franchise will come this close ever again to a perfect season.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I have SB 42 as 1a and 2003 ALCS as 1b.

My case for Super Bowl 42:

- The wound is still fresh, whereas the 2003 ALCS is now just a scar, albeit a large one for me.

- In the ALCS, the Red Sox were still considered the good guys and the Yankees the bad guys. The Yankees were universally reviled, so by proxy a lot of neutral fans would lean toward the Sox. The way in which they lost was so devastating, there were Yankees fans that consoled Red Sox fans after the game. Well, at least those with a heart did.

- Compare that to this year's Super Bowl. This time, our team were the bad guys and New York had the good guys (at least to everyone outside of New England). When the Giants won, there was unified jubilation amongst Pats haters everywhere, and very little, if any, sympathy for our team and fans afterward.

- 19-0 at stake. A chance to shut up the cranky old farts from our division rivals, the Dolphins, once and for all. To be in the discussion not just of greatest dynasties of all-time, but greatest single-season team of all-time. A perfect opportunity squandered, in a game that didn't play anything like the previous 18. All the mediots, all the ignorant haters, all get to gloat at our expense, and it stings. Whether their gloating has merit or not is irrelevant, as this loss has enabled that gloating/mocking. I just wanted all those ***holes to shut up, and now they'll be louder than ever. This pains me especially as a person who considers himself to be a pacifist.

- Gives those f*cking New Yorkers back some of that swagger we took away in 2004. 18-1 is the new 1918, and I've already begun to see it on some forums.

My case for 2003 ALCS:

- After enduring all the Babe Ruth references, and reruns of painful memories of years past, another was added to the fray. The haunting 8th inning, and the inexplicable HR by Aaron Boone. Losing a chance at the World Series, to the Yankees of all teams, in that fashion, was demoralizing. As a Red Sox fan, you had to feel like it would be impossible to get over the hurdle after that. Like if there was a rule against the Red Sox getting past the Yankees, or getting that WS title.

- At least with the Patriots, there are the 3 previous Super Bowl titles, and still a realistic shot at a 4th in the horizon. With the Red Sox, it was 85 years and counting. That offense was sick and it felt like it'd be too much to expect that kind of performance again.

- Chased Roger Clemens out in what was supposed to be his final game of his career. What better way to send him packing! He was let off the hook and it just didn't feel right at all.

Both this SB and the '03 ALCS hurt in their own unique ways. I can't properly argue '78 (wasn't even alive yet) or '86 (too young).

Yeah, but notice how well the 2004 WS took care of 2003 rather nicely? I'm just really hoping that the Pats can grab another one next year, and this year is just remembered as that fluky super bowl that they lost between wins.

If I tell myself that enough, I can kinda ignore the voice of reason in my head that keeps saying that you can't just squander Super Bowl opportunities- you just don't get that many of them.

I think that, for me, beyond the fact that we could have had 19-0, the worst part is that I really can't rationalize this loss. When we lost to the Broncos, it was a fluke pick-six, it was substantially weaker than the last 2 teams anyways, and some odd reffing. When we lost to the Colts, the injuries were clearly the cause. As a result, I was able to maintain the way I look at Belichick and Brady, which is basically as a couple of superheroes.

That's over, though. I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain it to people who didn't experience something like it (most of the posters here obviously did), but, in 2003 and 2004, Belichick and Brady were untouchable. By virtue of them being on our side, I never doubted that we would win. When we won the 2003 and 2004 SBs by a combined 6 points, I honestly wasn't nearly as worried as, in hindsight, I probably should have been. I knew that they'd pull through. It was a really, really fun place to be in; all of the good parts of being a fan, without any of the ****ty parts. After the last 3 years, though, that's definitely gone, and even winning next year's SB wouldn't bring it back. Don't get me wrong, I definitely think this team has the ability to win another couple of SBs, but I'll never think it's a sure thing.

Going back to the baseball comparison, this is the first time that I've ever felt bad for Yankees fans. Jeter was their Brady, Torre was their Belichick, and right now was their 2004.