Your 2014 AFC Finalist Indianapolis Colts!

[Off The Grid]

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

Maybe a good Don Adams (as Maxwell smart) saying "Missed it by that much" would work too.

 

[RunAmok]

Looks like a blue ribbon for the best hog at the state fair. Hmmm, wonder if they entered Luck?

 

[RobertWeathers]

16-0 banner says hi.

I go back and forth on this.

As a parent of younger children who have received trophies for perfect attendance or participating in a sport, it does annoy me that we are essentially saying you still get something even though you finished second, third, last or not being the best. However, in those situations if a trophy keeps the tears away or brings a smile to their face, so be it.

For the little kids, my rationale is that they will be in REAL competitive sports and life (or me) will eventually teach them that losing sucks soon enough and only by working hard and being a team player puts you in a position to win. The important thing is as parents is to make sure that they understand that they finished second (and why) and never to be content with it. Sometimes if 2nd place is your best then that should be recognized and sometimes celebrated.....but never be satisfied with it.

When I look at that 2007 banner, I have 2 memories and emotions...One- Pain. Two- Great memories and moments of that season. I have fond memories of 1985, 1996 and other Patriots teams but that season was just, well..special. The 07 team didn't leave anything on the field. BB pushed that team like no other team he coached. They just didn't make enough plays but there is a lot to appreciate and recognize.

Did Kraft really need to put a banner up there to dignify the 2007 season? I guess not. You can argue Miami and 17-0 or 49ers and Bears also were 18-1 but won SBs. However it does offer a reasonable perspective on how truly special that team was and what they accomplished was something no other team in NFL history had done and came ridiculously close to 19-0.

I guess you can consider the 16-0 banner the equivalent to a 2nd place trophy for U-8 soccer Bob Kraft handed out to the team and fans. Recognize that team because they deserve it, keep the tears away but don't be satisfied with their achievement.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Tying it all together: Half the Clots fans who think a "Participant" banner is success also think "18-1" is an epic fail.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

What's great is having wild-card banners. Pretty soon it'll be "Participant/AFC South/Most Games Quite Competitive"

 

[JoeSixPat]

I go back and forth on this.

As a parent of younger children who have received trophies for perfect attendance or participating in a sport, it does annoy me that we are essentially saying you still get something even though you finished second, third, last or not being the best. However, in those situations if a trophy keeps the tears away or brings a smile to their face, so be it.

For the little kids, my rationale is that they will be in REAL competitive sports and life (or me) will eventually teach them that losing sucks soon enough and only by working hard and being a team player puts you in a position to win. The important thing is as parents is to make sure that they understand that they finished second (and why) and never to be content with it. Sometimes if 2nd place is your best then that should be recognized and sometimes celebrated.....but never be satisfied with it.

When I look at that 2007 banner, I have 2 memories and emotions...One- Pain. Two- Great memories and moments of that season. I have fond memories of 1985, 1996 and other Patriots teams but that season was just, well..special. The 07 team didn't leave anything on the field. BB pushed that team like no other team he coached. They just didn't make enough plays but there is a lot to appreciate and recognize.

Did Kraft really need to put a banner up there to dignify the 2007 season? I guess not. You can argue Miami and 17-0 or 49ers and Bears also were 18-1 but won SBs. However it does offer a reasonable perspective on how truly special that team was and what they accomplished was something no other team in NFL history had done and came ridiculously close to 19-0.

I guess you can consider the 16-0 banner the equivalent to the 2nd place trophy for U-8 soccer Bob Kraft handed out to the team and fans. Recognize that team because they deserve it, keep the tears away but don't be satisfied with their achievement.

I don't overthink it

The 2007 Patriots did something no team ever did

If not for the distraction of a faux Spygate scandal Super Bowl week I expect they'd have a Perfect Season banner...

But then again, it might have been the original faux Spygate scandal that pissed off the team enough to go 18-0 in the first place.

16-0 IS an impressive and nearly impossible feat - obviously - and it's worth acknowleding a HELL of a lot more than "Conference Finalist)

So I'm just appreciating the accomplishment and the banner and leaving it at that

 

[brap999]

I can only hope that this year they will put up a '2015 NFL Regular Season Participant' banner.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Pats should change last year's banner...

2014
Super Bowl Champions
No Matter Who
You Cry To​

 

[PatSunday]

I apologize in advance for the size of my sig image.

 

[Sticky Caulk]

I don't overthink it

The 2007 Patriots did something no team ever did

If not for the distraction of a faux Spygate scandal Super Bowl week I expect they'd have a Perfect Season banner...

But then again, it might have been the original faux Spygate scandal that pissed off the team enough to go 18-0 in the first place.

16-0 IS an impressive and nearly impossible feat - obviously - and it's worth acknowleding a HELL of a lot more than "Conference Finalist)

So I'm just appreciating the accomplishment and the banner and leaving it at that

Adding to that, 16-0 was a Super Bowl team, where 'Conference Finalist' means absolutely nothing. I don't see any problem with an AFC/NFC champions banner, but going beyond that is trying too hard to be relevant.

I think more people should enjoy the 16-0 season and stop looking at it as some massive failure anyway. The team had three trophies, and came close on the fourth. Still better than the other franchises that try to laugh off what this franchise has done.