Sunday, January 20, 2008

Rooting for the Favorite

The Engineer does not know who Bill Belichick is. He does not know what that name means to Cleveland sports. All he knows is that the New England Patriots had no losses prior to today's conference championship football games.

I asked the Engineer who he wanted to win the games. He chose New England and Green Bay. When I asked him who he wanted to win the Super Bowl if those two teams played, he chose Green Bay. (Must be something with the green.) He is asleep now, but will be disappointed tomorrow morning to hear that Green Bay lost. My guess is that he will pick New England.

I, on the other hand, really don't care who wins. Like most of the playoff games this year, it's a case of which team I disliked less. (Sounds like how some people approach voting in elections, doesn't it?) Whereas the Engineer is compelled to root for one team every game, I can watch a game without needing to root for one of them.

This is how I will be watching the Super Bowl. Generally, I don't like New York sports teams. Then again, I've had my fill of Boston teams winning all the marbles, too. The Belichick angle does not bother me, although I know it bothers a lot of other Clevelanders. The guy is an emotionless, abrasive, arrogant genius. We see what he might have been able to do in Cleveland if we weren't so star-crossed with our quarterback at the time, Bernie Kosar. I still can't root for the Patriots, though, but I'm tired of seeing the Manning quarterbacks in Super Bowls.

What is a football fan to do? I will watch the game considering the historical implications on the sport itself. The Patriots are in their fourth Super Bowl in seven years, and could still have an undefeated season. The Giants could, ironically, play the giant killer. They've seen this script before, and didn't like the way it ended during the last game of the regular season. And how's this for drama: New England and New York, playing the final game of the post-season after New York tried to end New England's undefeated year during the last week of the regular season. Poetic.

And if the game is anything like the regular season ender between the two of them, it should be a very good game.

4 comments:

Scott said...

I like Bellicheck and the Pats for the very reason that they do seem to be unemotional and mechanic.

They do the fundamentals. The steely eyes inside Brady's helmet are always focused on right here, right now, the task at hand. The whole team seems to play that way. I enjoy that.

And hey, it helps not to think of them as "Boston." Go with the "New England" thing and think of Maine or something.

As for Bellicheck, I'm happy to see him succeed. He's football's mad scientist. I like his ecclecticism...his wierdness.

Not that I follow pro sports! Gah! But come on...18-0 looking to go 19-0? That's like a freak show! I can't tear my eyes away!

;-)

Marie N. said...

Do you mean to imply that the game is the important part of the Superbowl?

Rick said...

Scott, the quest for perfection is intriguing. That's really the only reason I will be watching.

Marie, yes the game is the important part, even if you only watch for the commercials. :-)

GDAEman said...

I thought it was about the commercials.

I was pulling for Green Bay, the only municipally owned team (who play in frigg'n cold weather like real men).

Now, gotta go with the streakers... Pats.