Patriots Vs Patriots

Wow, that was some Super Bowl.  The Atlanta fans were devastated that their team could be so close to a win yet lose. Sound familiar?

And the Patriots!  Probably the most disliked team in America due to their reputation as cheaters plus the fact that fans are just plain tired of them, their dominance.

I couldn't help but compare the game and it's out come to our current political situation. Yet it is very different. Let's equate the Falcons with the Democrats for a moment.  So sure of that win yet the ensuing loss.

Then the Patriots as Republicans.  Nobody really wanted them to win.  The difference here between sport and politics is that many expected they would win even if they didn't want them to. Yet they did.

The huge difference between sport and politics was in the aftermath.  There was no violence.  No protests.  No looking for safe places to cry their eyes out.  Just the morose acceptance of a game not so well played in the end and a wait for another year, another season and hopefully a job better done.

The media too was far different.  Around here the sports columnists were mostly for Atlanta yet you would never have known it from the coverage this morning.  It was high praise for Tom Brady, coach Belichick and the entire Patriots team.  As Tom Brady was Tom Terrific you could say the Patriots were Team Terrific. No one was trying to take that away from them or boycott anything New England or Boston!

I saw a few nasty comments on Facebook this morning from those who truly hate the Patriots, but not much, at least among my circle.  They were more excited about the snow that fell in the mountains. The game is over.  The Patriots won.  Next year.  End of story.

I guess the moral of the story is the so called American patriots who won't except the election nor any of the new Presidents appointees should look to football fans.  Games over.  Move on.

Of Facebook, Fans And Winning

Playoff Sunday in Seattle and San Francisco was certainly a surprise.  When a trash talking player gets more press than post game disturbances, it's a refreshing change of pace.  Dare I hope fans are finding visits to the emergency room or the pokey just aren't worth it and doesn't help the home team one bit?

Maybe.  Probably not.  Let's see what happens after the Super Bowl.  That being said, it's nice to see an intense rivalry like Seattle and San Fransisco have an upside.  And leave it to those  who spend more time on Facebook than in the stadium to bring it about!

Pranks between these rivals have been pretty tame and pretty funny.  An example is when the Seahawk fans bought a personalized brick for the new Niner stadium.  Then to fly a 'go Seahawks' banner above Candlestick. In response Niners fans decided to raise money to taunt the Hawks on their own reader board with a sign bearing the image of San Francisco's Super Bowl fruitfulness. Again, pretty funny.

What makes it really great, however, is that the folks who pulled this together decided they'd  donate any funds over and above the cost of the sign to Seattle Children's Hospital.  How cool is that?  They had decided since that's where the prank was played, that's where excess funds should go.

Not to be outdone, Seahawk fans decided to return the favor and began "Hawk Fans for UCSF Children's Hospital" which has wound up pulling in fans from both teams.

As fans know the Seahawks won in a game that wasn't decided until the very end.  It's the way championship games are supposed to be even though the loss probably hurts less of it's a blowout.  But the Hawks weren't the only winners.  Sick kids in both cities won and perhaps will grow up to understand the real meaning of sportsmanship, be it a player, coach or fan.

Forget the trash talk from an over wrought player.  Remember these great fans. The Hawks may have their 12th man, but the kids have a whole lot more. They've got the fans of two great teams!