Gravely disappointed

The thing is, it hasn’t felt like the same team since week 9. The first 8 games, we won by 17 points or more every week. It was a joyful romp. I knew that I had never seen such a dominant football team, and never would again. And while we ended the season without a loss, 4 of the 8 games in the second half of the season were won by 3 or 4 points. There were still some lopsided games (including a masterful performance against Pittsburgh), but it was clear that 19-0 was hardly inevitable. It could happen, and with even a very small change or two last night it might have, but that impossible destiny would have to be earned and was not entirely in our hands.

I’m baffled and traumatized. I was a Buffalo fan for the four years they were my local team, and all four years they went to the Super Bowl and lost. Then I moved to New England and watched the Patriots lose the Super Bowl. I should find this all familiar emotional territory. But those teams weren’t anything like this team, and those seasons weren’t anything like this season.

Partly I knew that this may be my final season watching football, and it would have been an extraordinary conclusion to a well-nursed habit. After many years watching football alone or with strangers, I’ve had a wonderful companion for watching games with since the 2000 season. And I could not ask for a better team during that time or any time than the New England Patriots. They have had many moments of brilliant play and brilliant coaching, enduring stretches of proving the value of teamwork and hard work and follow-through, and a consistent image of caring about each other and caring about good sportsmanship. And they have had an amazing run, which has no reason to end now. The Giants won the Super Bowl, and they have earned the trophy and the parade. But if any year will see the losing team in the Super Bowl remembered better than the winning team, this was such a year.

Sic transit gloria mundi. This was such a season.