Such is the fate of a warrior. One of the one hand lies the greatest glory...immortal, transcendental, heavenly. One the other hand lies the deepest despair...utterly devastating, heart breaking, soul wrenching.
In order to taste the glory, the warrior must be prepared to embrace either outcome. For he who cannot bear the pain of defeat, does not deserve the glory that victory brings.
Our 53 warriors, their generals, and their staff were well aware of this when they strode into the arena at Glendale. But it was too much, even for the vaunted Patriots. The demons of spygate, the curses of the entire football nation, the taunts of the media whores, the meddling of fork-tongued politicians, the treachery of opportunists with silver in their eyes, the incompetence or outright dishonesty of the officials who chose to look the other way. In the end, the Gods chose not to bestow the greatest victory upon the greatest army.
There are many others, who have tasted the bitter pill of glory so mercilessly snatched. The Vikings, who have always failed within inches of the prize. The Bills, who fell four times in a row. The wretched Jets, who have wallowed in misery for forty years. And many other nations, too lowly to have even stepped foot inside the greatest arena.
Sports fans are akin to the warrior's family. The fans do not step into battle. But their minds, hearts, and spirits are right there with the warrior, every single time. They share their triumphs and failures alike. They pray his safety, they revels in his achievements, shed tears on his losses. But most of all, what the true fans share with the true warrior...is the eternally relentless pursuit of glory. As the warrior proudly rises up, dusts up his coat of arms, pays no concern to his wounds or battles past, and marches back into the battlefield with renewed vigor and ambition...so marches with him the support, hopes, and prayers of his fans.
Such is the fate of the warrior.
