2005- Pats lose in a divisional playoff game. Our hated rivals, the Steelers win the Super Bowl.
2006- The disastrous AFCCG and our biggest rivals, the Colts, winning the Super Bowl.
2007- That doesn't need to be explained.
2008- Pats missing the playoffs. Most likely one of our rivals is going to win the Super Bowl. It will probably be the Chargers seeing how the Steelers have already have won one in the past four years.
I don't know whether this applies to you or not, but after Tommy went down it became clear that there were a lot of folks on this Board whose experience of the NFL was more or less limited to the 2001--2004 Seasons. Some of the anti-Cassel posts and threads out here over the course of his first few games were so bad as to become an embarrassment to the Board, which Ian addressed accordingly. So, my point is that there are a lot of folks out here who have no idea how hard it is to succeed at the highest level in the NFL, especially in the Post Cap era.
What the Patriots have accomplished by going to five of seven AFCCG's and four of seven SB's, winning three of them, is beyond remarkable.
"Bad" would have been coasting after SB XXXIX and not contending again these last four years, though we had the personnel to do so.
"Bad" would have been the Krafts deciding to hoard their Cap money rather than investing each year in the best possible team.
"Bad" would have been being unable to resign TB and losing BB to big bucks at some struggling franchise.
"Bad" would have been plugging the gap left by Brady's injury with a pathetically bad backup instead of with a guy who is clearly a high quality NFL starter--and maybe even a great one, though he has yet to earn that accolade.
While they have been disappointing without a doubt, there has been little "bad" about the last four years if we know anything about the league. Climbing the mountain to the Conference Championship and Super Bowl is extremely difficult and we have done it consistently and well.
So, let's have a little perspective here. The Pats have done and are continuing to do what no team in the Post Cap era has even come close to doing. We'll be contending again next year and I like our chances; the Pats are never better than when they have a chip on their shoulder and going 11--5 and missing the Playoffs will give them a huge attitude next year.
Am I disappointed? Would I be happier if we had four or five Lombardi's now instead of "only" three? Am I still unable to watch a tape of last year's SB? Do I find it maddening that we didn't make the Playoffs this year? Of course I am. But do I think any of this has been "bad?" No way.
