Thursday, January 31, 2008

Some sobriety before the Superbowl - A recollection of the Pat's last loss

Superbowl 1969. I am the guy who did not watch the Colts versus the Jets, because there was no way the Jets could win. Understand I was watching AFL football - it was exciting - way before NFL. Came in when Joe Willy was enthusing after the triumph. So I missed the greatest 'upset'. So I don't count chickens....

Let's go back to Jan 21, 2006. Colts defeat Patriots, 38-34The New England Patriots’ season came to end. It had been exciting, and was looking to us like a Super Bowl was in reach. The day after their AFC Championship Game loss to the Indianapolis Colts, we are looking at regular life again, and significantly down-sized Super Bowl parties.

The Colts and Peyton Manning were better – enough so to win. They showed a much improved defense, but the game toward the end became a typical Colts-Patriots affair – where the teams trade hectic drives until the clock runs out. In the first half we got touchdowns on such drives, and the Colts got field goals; that was to be somewhat reversed in the second half.

Manning was very much on target; although under a fair amount of pressure. Dallas Clark did what Marvin Harris did to the Pats in the regular season game. Stabbed us repeatedly with vaulting catches followed by speedy gallops.. I remember at the time of the regular season game [saw the game from a bar at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas where a playoff atmosphere hovered and I sat next to a cold calculating Colt follower] thinking maybe Patriot Coach Bellicheck was saving some tricks for their eventual playoff get together - not showing his hand. Wistful and wrong was I.

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