That was then: Celebrating what was

InstaFace

The Ultimate One
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2006 and 2010 bug you guys more than 2007? I find that almost incomprehensible. By some metrics, I realize the 2010 team may have even been better than 2007, but they lost three times. 2007 was going for immortality. I'd probably trade 2003 and 2016 for 2007.

(that this is an argument in itself is something of a Celebration of What Is)
 

tims4wins

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I'd trade 2 titles for 2007. I'd even trade 2014 and 2016 as awesome as they have been. I'm holding onto 2003 though since I was there :)
 

BigSoxFan

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2006 sucked because a title was there for the taking and it ended our ownership of Manning but that team wasn't that good. 2010 sucked more for me because losing in Gillette to Rex Ryan and the Jets in the playoffs is as bad as it gets and that team was really good. They were straight up clowning teams 2007 style down the stretch.
 

InstaFace

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You'll get no argument from me that 2010 was a better team than 2006. To me, breaking Marty Schottenheimer's heart in the divisional round is one of the greatest miracle games of the Belichick tenure, possibly top 5. That 2006 team had no business even being in the AFCCG, nevermind winning it. But 2010 wasn't "right there for the taking", they lost in the quarterfinals, and even if granted a replay against RexBall, they had two very uncertain games after that.

And neither team got as close as 2007, nor would it have meant as much for them to win it as it would have meant for Randy Moss, Junior Seau, and the legends of everyone involved. How great would it have been to never have to hear about the 1972 dolphins ever again? I'm at peace with 2011, very much at peace with 2013 and 2015, but for me, 2007 is Macho Grande.
 

BigSoxFan

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You'll get no argument from me that 2010 was a better team than 2006. To me, breaking Marty Schottenheimer's heart in the divisional round is one of the greatest miracle games of the Belichick tenure, possibly top 5. That 2006 team had no business even being in the AFCCG, nevermind winning it. But 2010 wasn't "right there for the taking", they lost in the quarterfinals, and even if granted a replay against RexBall, they had two very uncertain games after that.

And neither team got as close as 2007, nor would it have meant as much for them to win it as it would have meant for Randy Moss, Junior Seau, and the legends of everyone involved. How great would it have been to never have to hear about the 1972 dolphins ever again? I'm at peace with 2011, very much at peace with 2013 and 2015, but for me, 2007 is Macho Grande.
I said 2006 was "right there for the taking", not 2010. 2007 will always be the worst loss and, quite frankly, not sure anything will ever approach it.
 

snowmanny

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Dec 8, 2005
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2007 was frustrating, but the fact is that team peaked early. I felt they played their worst game of the year (before the SB) in the AFCCG. The Giants defense played great, the Giants offense got lucky and whatever.

The 2006 team shouldn't have been in the AFCCG, sure, but they had that game won except for crap plays and crap calls and Peyton never should have won that title.

I wouldn't trade any combination of two titles -including the next one - for any one title ever.
 

Hoya81

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Feb 3, 2010
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I didn't mean to indicate that 2010 was a worse loss than 2007, it's clearly the worst for all the reasons posted above.

However, and I'm probably alone in this opinion, I was really more shocked at the loss to the NYJ because I thought they had no chance whatsoever after 45-3.
Week 17 in '07 and Brady's ankle allowed some doubt to creep in that the Giants could make a game of it.
 

tims4wins

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Plus the piss poor performance two weeks earlier in the AFCCG.

The 2010 Pats were straight rolling. And I maintain to this day they would have creamed the Jets if Crumpler just held on to the TD.
 

BigSoxFan

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Plus the piss poor performance two weeks earlier in the AFCCG.

The 2010 Pats were straight rolling. And I maintain to this day they would have creamed the Jets if Crumpler just held on to the TD.
It's completely irrational since we got thoroughly outplayed afterwards but I'm right there with you.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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You can rip 2016 from my cold dead hands. I'm not trading that for anything, even 2007, let alone adding in another one.
Short of an actual 19-0 season, last year was the best possible salve for 2007.

"Yeah they lost in 2007, but motherfucker, in 2016 they lost Brady for 4 games and their #1 pick for totally bullshit reasons, and came back from the biggest super bowl deficit ever to win it all. It was the biggest "fuck you" in sports history."
 

PedroKsBambino

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You can rip 2016 from my cold dead hands. I'm not trading that for anything, even 2007, let alone adding in another one.
This is where I am. That game, the way it happened at the end of the season/offseason which preceded it was just amazing. And part of what I enjoyed is that at all points in time NO ONE was with us---it was months of "Pats fans vs the world" and in the end, after all the trolling from everyone we all knew during the Super Bowl 1st half, we triumphed and (at least in my case) a bunch of pats-hating friends gave it up for the effort in that comeback.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Yep. I had multiple friends that are fans of rivals - notably Jets, Giants and Steelers - texting me shit throughout the first half that without even prodding of me firing back basically sending 'ok we submit, TB is the best and your team is amazing, I'm jealous' type messages. The way everything mentioned played into it, I'll just have to suffer thru a bunch of grumpy old Dolphins popping champagne every year. And I'll do it gladly. Outside of 04 Sox and the 01 Pat's that was by far my favorite. Far more of an 'eff you' than 19-0 would have been, imo.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Yup, I wouldn't change anything right now. The end of 2007 hurt a lot, but 16-0 happened and I have no issues putting that directly behind the 5 Lombardis as one of the accomplishments during this Dynasty that contributes to the GOAT argument. Coming back from that, getting close again a few times, finally getting it done against the Seahawks in absolutely spectacular fashion, having Spygate up the level of jealousy and hatred to unprecedented levels, and then doing it again, this time by completing the greatest comeback in NFL history. It's perfect, and they aren't done yet.
 

Valek123

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"Yeah they lost in 2007, but motherfucker, in 2016 they lost Brady for 4 games and their #1 pick for totally bullshit reasons, and came back from the biggest super bowl deficit ever to win it all. It was the biggest "fuck you" in sports history."
This is a post that makes me wish the social media components allowing liking posts was allowed. It is totally my feelings, I can watch 2007 games now without even being upset. Last year cleared all baggage and it's just awesome. Haters don't even bother me anymore at all, I actually find myself laughing at people when they go down that path. It was #1 for me.
 

TheoShmeo

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Every title is like a child. There's a whole glorious narrative around each one. Like some others, I would never trade one, never mind two, for a near miss season of any kind.

That said, the Pats and 2007 are not like the Red Sox for me where the most dispiriting loss -- 2003 (even worse than 75, 78 and 86, partially because I was at the Can with my family and was largely self-inflicted) -- was erased the very next season to the very same team, and an even more humiliating manner. I can honestly say that part of me is glad that the Grady Boner happened because (a) it got rid of that moron and (b) critically, it made 2004 sweeter; hell, it partially defined 2004.

The 2007 ending, by contrast, still sucks massively given the one-two-three gut punch of (1) the loss being to a mediocre team with a horseshoe up his ass QB, (2) it combining with 2011 to give NY sports fans something to unfurl at will -- "whatevah, the Pats never beat us" and (3) of course, the end of perfection and the chance for so many beloved Pats to get their only ring.

And all that being said, no one will or should cry for Pats fans. The five titles since the 2001 season are unspeakably awesome. And so is the fact that our team has been a title contender and part of the conversation in every season since 2001 except, ironically, the very next season. Sure, they missed the playoffs in 2008 but 11 wins meant they were being discussed until the very end and the Jets played like the Jets. The sustained relevance, and being able to root for a team that has a legitimate shot year after year, is the ultimate celebration in my book.
 

tims4wins

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Nitpick on 2002 - the Pats weren't eliminated until AFTER they played their last game. They needed Favre's Packers to beat the Jets in the 4pm slot but they lost, IIRC. They tied at 9-7 with the Jets and lost the tiebreak. The saving graces here were 1) they still showed some magic in that week 17 comeback against Miami; and 2) the Jets beat Manning 41-0 the next week. LOL.
 

BigSoxFan

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Nitpick on 2002 - the Pats weren't eliminated until AFTER they played their last game. They needed Favre's Packers to beat the Jets in the 4pm slot but they lost, IIRC. They tied at 9-7 with the Jets and lost the tiebreak. The saving graces here were 1) they still showed some magic in that week 17 comeback against Miami; and 2) the Jets beat Manning 41-0 the next week. LOL.
Didn't a similar situation happen in 2008 in that they took care of business but didn't get the help they needed?
 

tims4wins

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Didn't a similar situation happen in 2008 in that they took care of business but didn't get the help they needed?
Yes. Ironically it was Favre again. The 10-5 Dolphins played at the 9-6 Jets; a Jets win would have mean the division title for the Pats. And the Jets lost.

Fuck Brett Favre.

Edit: no AFC East team has won more games in a regular season than the Pats since 2000. The 2002 Jets won 10 games to the Pats 9 if you include playoffs.
 

54thMA

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Aug 15, 2012
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The Patriots haven't played a single snap of football as an eliminated team in the past 16 years.
That's unbelievable.

I find it pretty comical that as Patriots fans, we can argue over which loss was the worst for each of us, 2006 AFCCG, 2007SB, 2010 first round, 2011SB or 2015 AFCCG, how many fans of other teams can even have this discussion?

Considering where this team has been in my lifetime as a fan, it's incredible to see how far they have come and the best part is they're still not done.

For me, 2007 is always going to bother me, that's just the way I'm wired, but last year for me anyway was by far the sweetest, mainly due to all that came before it.

IF they go 19-0 this year, it will be like the 2004 Red Sox washing away the bitter taste of 1986 forever and I'll finally be over 2007 as a Patriots fan.
 

TheoShmeo

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The over/under on times I've watched either the full SB 51 game recording or a highlight version is 100. That's not entirely reflective of my obsession level in that many viewings have been while working out.

One recent thought is that as much as I appreciate Julian's effort, concentration and desire, his crazy catch is pretty low on my list of key favorite plays. Why? It was fluky and a bit lucky, just like the pass that beat the Pats in Arizona and the pass that almost beat them in Arizona. I tend to appreciate plays where they execute the plan. Plus, there were so many crazy good plays in that game.

Anyway, that I get to choose to put Edelman's catch lower down on my list, and that there are so many others to pick, strikes me as one of the many, many things to celebrate.
 

Dick Drago

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Yeah, I can't believe how many times I've watched. The passes in OT to Amendola, Hogan, and Edelman just amaze me every time I watch them.
 

tims4wins

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The Amendola catch on the play after the Edelman miracle catch was actually a very difficult catch and one I appreciate more and more every time I watch it. Dola comes down with the 2011 Welker drop.
 

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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Until I got my "3 Games to Glory V" DVD, I watched this youtube over and over and over. But only from 8:30 in the 3rd quarter (about 1:38:31) until the end.

DAMN you...

(signed, work waiting to be done this aft!)

PS - was going to skip OT. Glad I stuck around!
 
Not sure where else to put this...

DeMarcus Ware did "The Five Toughest Players I Ever Faced" on the Players Tribune. Brady made his list:

Tom Brady
Tom always knows where the blitz is coming from. You can’t trick him. We’d get to the line and I’d be coming on a blitz, and before the snap he’d yell, “Blue 32 … Blue 32 … Ware! Ware! Ware!” And he’d point right at me. I’d be like, How does he know I’m coming?

The keys to Tom’s game are recognizing the blitz and getting the ball out of his hands quickly. You rarely see him hold onto the ball.

The way to beat Tom Brady is to hit him. As many times as you can, hit him. And even then, it might not be enough. In the AFC Championship Game a couple of years ago, we sacked Tom four times and we hit him 20 times.

Twenty times.

The thing was, every time we hit him, he got back up. We hit Tom more times than any quarterback had been hit in any game that season, and he still had his team a two-point conversion away from tying the game late in the fourth quarter. The dude is relentless.

Everybody knows what Tom Brady can do with the football. He has great arm strength. He’s accurate. He throws a great deep ball.

But he can also take a hit.

Like, 20 of them.
 

Bowhemian

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If you guys don't think there's a real chance that the Patriots have a Sumo Wrestler on the OL or DL next year then you just haven't been paying attention.

See: Neal, Stephen
Been there, done that. Wilfork, Washington, etc.
I would rather a sumo guy on DL, but that's just me.
 

reggiecleveland

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I can't imagine how much money that little video made UnderArmor. I am part of a Japanese exchange so I have a lot of contacts in Japan, and almost all the people under age 40 have that video on their facebook page. Masterfully done by TB and UA. American football star realises he is no match for strong sumo wrestler, but makes extreme effort despite great odds. Lots of "heart of champion" and "respectful gentleman" comments.