It’s hard not to appreciate the New England Patriots Super Bowl victory, even if you’re a hardcore Yankee fan from New York. As the Patriots marched their way to victory, I smiled, amidst the repeated cheers of, “Yankees suck!” It just didn’t bother me as much, somehow. This victory was a long time coming to the Patriots and to the great city of Boston. Granted, I still don’t entirely understand the mention of a baseball team at a football game, or a BU hockey game, for that matter. For one, you can’t compare two teams from different sports; secondly, the Yanks haven’t taken the field since the World Series last November, but that doesn’t matter to Boston fans. Regardless of what their record is or who’s playing them, the Yankees will always “suck” to Boston fans and Bostonians will forever take tremendous pleasure in seeing the Yankees go down. That has been a tough lesson to learn, but I’ve accepted it–Yankee fans and Bostonians simply cannot and will not see eye to eye anytime in the near future.
Anyhow, I must say was an honor to be in Boston to witness the Patriots’ improbable triumph. I am proud of what the Patriots accomplished on the field as a significant underdog, who truly believed that they were better than the rest of the NFL and listened to no one who felt otherwise. I am impressed with the people of New England who supported and believed in their team and came out in large numbers to honor them. The Patriots deserve every bit of the accolades they have received from their hometown and from all of America. On paper, the Rams were more talented, but the Patriots, with injured key players, sub-par wide receivers and a tenacious team leader named Tom Brady who last year was a fourth-string quarterback were able to pull off an astonishing upset. With their determined players, the Patriots managed to outplay the Rams for much of the game and went on to win their first ever Super Bowl in dramatic fashion, thanks largely to Adam Vinatieri’s long-range, game winning field goal. Brady bravely lead his team, showing phenomenal tenacity and maturity, just as he had done all season, giving them the spark they needed to win 9 games in a row after a mediocre start. The Patriots defense played tough, smash-mouth football, and repeatedly stifled the Rams’ potent offense as their own offense steadily got the job done with short passes, a few interceptions and fumble recoveries, and ultimately, a clutch kick.
At the beginning of the season, the odds of the Patriots bringing the championship to New England were listed as 75-1; they were a long shot to say the least. Thanks to the Patriots for beating the odds and making this a Super Bowl to remember for all of the right reasons, and, on a personal note, for finally giving their loyal fans something to cheer about besides a Yankee loss.
Denise Regan, SAR ’02