Unfinished Business

So Tom Brady has pivoted and now wants to return for a twenty-third season.

Normally, I'd celebrate the accomplishments of such a late-round pick quite enthusiastically, but in his case there's a old expression that comes to mind, something about fish and houseguests beginning to smell after three days.

Tom? How are we ever to miss you if you won't go away?

 

Thank U, Next

In February of 2002, I was happy for the New England Patriots. After three tough losses in title games, watching Adam Vinatieri's field goal sail through the uprights as time expired in Super Bowl XXXVI felt like a welcome blast of karma.

Who didn't love the story of a long-suffering team helmed by a sixth-round quarterback finally getting to the top of the mountain?

Ditto two years later, when Vinatieri capped a fourth quarter shoot-out with another last-second field goal, giving the Pats their second championship.

But then they became a dynasty. And their quarterback married one of the world's most-beautiful women. And their grizzled coach began to believe his press clippings. The whole thing took on an air of entitled arrogance.

Then there were the 'gates'. Spygate. Deflategate. Antonio Brown-gate. And filming the opposition's sideline action from the press box. It was distinctly unsavory. And despite winning their division in 2018, the Pats somehow landed a first-half schedule loaded with softies this season.

And when they raced off to an 8 – 0 start and outscored their opponents by a margin of 250 to 61, the media tripped all over themselves anointing their defense “historically great”.

Ugh-huh.

The truth revealed itself in the second half of the season, when the Pats took on NFL-level competition. They stumbled to the finish line with a 4 – 4 record, outscoring the likes of the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, rejuvenated Philadelphia Eagles and emergent Buffalo Bills by a scant six points.

Yeah.

Beating up on cellar-dwellers and struggling against contenders is the first sign of a young team beginning to feel its oats, or a former powerhouse in decline. The New England Patriots belong decidedly to the latter.

Last night's loss to the surging Tennessee Titans was only additional proof.

After years of going without high draft picks and riding the once-ageless arm of Tom Brady, it appears the dynasty has begun a long, slow descent.

Gravity doesn't take personal days. Not that I'm complaining.

The Super Bowl

I admire what Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have achieved in Boston. Really.

My hometown Bears can't string together three consecutive winning seasons, much less seventeen. Ditto my once favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys.

And this without the benefit of high draft picks. Belichick has consistently rebuilt through the dicey free-agency game, and if you think that's easy take another look at the Bears.

And the five Super Bowl trophies? They exist in an entirely different dimension. One the vast majority of NFL franchises have no idea even exists.

So yeah. I respect the hell out of 'em.

But at the same time, I'm tired of 'em.

It was sixteen years ago that the Patriots won their first Super Bowl. It was nice seeing the mostly downtrodden franchise get their time at the top of the mountain. They deserved it.

But if people were tired of the Bulls after a mere seven years (my co-workers in Albuquerque, New Mexico complained that NBC stood for nothing but Chicago), you can imagine the fatigue football fans feel towards the Patriots.

In sports, churn is a good thing. It keeps fan interest up, not to mention hope. We all love seeing a fresh, new champion.

Brady and company are the guests who request a drink re-fill even as the hosts are clearing away the dishes and the silverware and suppressing a yawn.

Guys? It's really time to go.

Which is why I'm rooting for the once mortal enemies of the Dallas Cowboys. Philadelphia hung together and persevered despite the loss of their all-world quarterback and haven't won a championship since 1960.

It's time.