I wonder if you try and hedge this, maybe at an arms length with a trusted friend. $350k on the Chiefs
I wonder if you try and hedge this, maybe at an arms length with a trusted friend. $350k on the Chiefs
If you're a neutral and not a fan of punting, Rams 2.0 could be argued as a bad one.Brady has never played in a bad Super Bowl.
Rams / Titans in 2000 was an anomaly at the time in that people were surprised the game was good. Prior to that the rap was the Super Bowl “always” sucked. It’s part of the reason that the half time show became a selling point.This is a great point. There have been a lot of really crappy Super Bowls.
I beg to differ. The Scottish Game was a ho-ho-horrendous* Super Bowl.Brady has never played in a bad Super Bowl.
Well bad as in low scoring, but it was tense, and it was anyone's game right up til the end. That's all you can really ask for.If you're a neutral and not a fan of punting, Rams 2.0 could be argued as a bad one.
This was always the counter to the complaint that people were sick of seeing the Patriots in the Super Bowl. All of the games were among the most entertaining ever, even the three they lost. Why would anyone want to go back to those boring games of the 80s and 90s?List of every Super Bowl, ranked from worst to best. Just one person's opinion, of course, but it seems pretty close anyway.
https://athlonsports.com/nfl/ranking-super-bowls
Brady is in #1, #2, #3, #5, #8, #11, #15, #17, and #29.
So of the top 11 Super Bowls, Brady was in 6 of them. 8 of the top 17. Amazing.
Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.I would have flipped Patriots/Giants Part II with Patriots/Panthers. The 4th Quarter shootout between Delhomme and Brady was a heart racing 15 minutes that came down to a FG. Pats and Giants was pretty boring until the last Manning drive.
Agree on SB49. Greatest. A much better game than 28-3, regardless of the historic nature of that game.Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.
Pats/Eagles II is over ranked, too, by at least five spots. Lots of points, but the defensive efforts were so bad that it’s tough for me to stick that in the top five. Frankly, it strikes me as the mirror opposite in style of SB53, though it gets the nod because it was definitely more entertaining unless you live for a game with fourteen punts.
I would’ve put SB49 JUST above SB51. Largely brash defending champ up against its equal, all in the context of the Deflategate insanity. It was a more intriguing matchup than Falcons/Pats. I also think the seesaw nature of Seahawks/Pats proved more engaging in retrospect, as crazy as the final 16-17 minutes of Pats/Falcons was, and the sheer shock value of the end of the game is unmatched. The Kearse catch...followed by the Butler pick two plays later. That is two of the top 5 (?) craziest high-leverage plays in NFL history within 2 minutes of each other.
Agreed. I doubt it is ever topped. The surge of emotion that whole game would be hard for Hollywood to script any betterI actually think that SB 49 is the greatest SB ever. It launched the second Pats dynasty era, it gave BB his fourth ring, tying Montana and Bradshaw, it came after Deflategate so was a personal vindication of the Pats, it featured a budding dynasty and a team with an all-time great defense and a future HOF quarterback, and former Pats' coach no less. It had an incredible sequence of plays. And it featured the single greatest play in SB history.
Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).I actually think that SB 49 is the greatest SB ever. It launched the second Pats dynasty era, it gave BB his fourth ring, tying Montana and Bradshaw, it came after Deflategate so was a personal vindication of the Pats, it featured a budding dynasty and a team with an all-time great defense and a future HOF quarterback, and former Pats' coach no less. It had an incredible sequence of plays. And it featured the single greatest play in SB history.
To me it's a toss up between SB 49 and SB 51 as the greatest SB.Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).
I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).
This sums up what it felt like.I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.
this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
This is obviously in part influenced by my Pats fandom but I would argue that Butler's pick is the single most exciting play in NFL history when you factor in the stakes and the expectations at the time. The Immaculate Reception is the only one I can think of that comes close to matching the unexpectedness of that moment, but that wasn't in a Super Bowl.this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
Absolutely. I was completely slumped into my couch when Seattle was lining up on the play. It's not like I was standing or pacing or sitting up straight in anticipation of something good happening. I was resigned to defeat. I then fell off the couch (and woke up my wife) when the pick happened.This is obviously in part influenced by my Pats fandom but I would argue that Butler's pick is the single most exciting play in NFL history when you factor in the stakes and the expectations at the time. The Immaculate Reception is the only one I can think of that comes close to matching the unexpectedness of that moment, but that wasn't in a Super Bowl.
Fair point although I wonder if non-Pats fans feel the same. I guess it would just be the inverse - going from pure glee of the Pats about to lose another tough SB to downright gloom after seeing Malcolm steal it away. I really don't know how you top that Butler play given the stakes, the teams involved, and the circumstances around Deflategate.I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.
this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
I can't believe there are still things I hadn't clocked the first thousand times I watched footage of this moment - even THIS video in particular - but I only just now noticed that Brady reacts and jumps up and down a couple of times, but before he goes full on crazy and hugs McDaniels, etc..., he reaches down and grabs his helmet to get out onto the field.This sums up what it felt like.
The Kearse catch to the pick was just impossible sadness and dread.
Brady’s reaction accurately portrays all of us:
View: https://youtu.be/XVT07Avfr0Y
I was living in Savannah at the time and had a small party. There were a couple of Colts fans at my house. It was exactly as you described. They did not want to stick around to watch the trophy ceremony.Fair point although I wonder if non-Pats fans feel the same. I guess it would just be the inverse - going from pure glee of the Pats about to lose another tough SB to downright gloom after seeing Malcolm steal it away. I really don't know how you top that Butler play given the stakes, the teams involved, and the circumstances around Deflategate.
Totally agree with this, and conversely 39 (first Pats Eagles) is way over-ranked, only two spots lower than Pats - Panthers on that list. That game is largely forgettable outside of McNabb puking and Reid, McNabb and the Eagles' atrocious clock management in the fourth quarter.Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.
He had never missed indoors, I think, until earlier that season... in Houston. Had a missed FG and a blocked FG in the OT win against the Texans.That game also saw Vinatieri have the most shocking FG miss I ever recall, he missed a 31 yarder in the Houston dome. He had another kicked block a few possessions later.
That first half was just so weird. The Pats defense was absolutely curb stomping the Panthers offense and had nothing to show for it. And then the switch absolutely flipped in the 2nd half. I was fortunate to be at that game and the neutral crowd was very Anti-Patriots and Pro-Panthers.That game also saw Vinatieri have the most shocking FG miss I ever recall, he missed a 31 yarder in the Houston dome. He had another kicked block a few possessions later.
I was there too but I feel like the crowd was more like 60-40 or 65-35 in favor of the Pats. It's just that going in I expected it to be like 80-20 since who the eff were the Panthers, they don't have fans, so the 30-35 was louder than I expected.That first half was just so weird. The Pats defense was absolutely curb stomping the Panthers offense and had nothing to show for it. And then the switch absolutely flipped in the 2nd half. I was fortunate to be at that game and the neutral crowd was very Anti-Patriots and Pro-Panthers.
I just watched this 10 times. Great post.This sums up what it felt like.
The Kearse catch to the pick was just impossible sadness and dread.
Brady’s reaction accurately portrays all of us:
View: https://youtu.be/XVT07Avfr0Y
He is Us in that video. I have never jumped out of my seat like I did at that moment, the couch moved what had to be 3 feet due to how quickly and forcefully I sprang to my feet.I just watched this 10 times. Great post.
Is it bad form to hope Tyreek gets an electric shock?Rain is in the forecast for Tampa and possibly isolated thunderstorms. Having the game delayed because of lighting would suck.
I jumped up - ran out of my office and told my wife, who didn't care, before circling back to my office and I didn't sit down until the final second was gone.He is Us in that video. I have never jumped out of my seat like I did at that moment, the couch moved what had to be 3 feet due to how quickly and forcefully I sprang to my feet.
I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.He is Us in that video. I have never jumped out of my seat like I did at that moment, the couch moved what had to be 3 feet due to how quickly and forcefully I sprang to my feet.
Same here... followed immediately by me yelling "No flags, no flags!!!" at the screen like a lunatic.I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.
Lockette and Butler collide: “WR’s arms are flailing so he obviously didn’t catch it.”
Butler lands with his back to the screen: “Where’s the ball? Wait, he’s cradling something! OMGfhshdhdhssh!!!!”
Or, and here’s just a spitballing idea, not get haircuts from people outside your household days before the Super Bowl?I read that he had tested negative for each of the five previous days. Still, you'd think they'd wait for the results on the day of, but at least they didn't completely wing it.
Six years later and I'm still terrified every time I watch it that Hightower is going to knock the ball out of Butler's hands.I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.
Lockette and Butler collide: “WR’s arms are flailing so he obviously didn’t catch it.”
Butler lands with his back to the screen: “Where’s the ball? Wait, he’s cradling something! OMGfhshdhdhssh!!!!”
Six years later and Garappolo is still looking for someone to celebrate with.This sums up what it felt like.
The Kearse catch to the pick was just impossible sadness and dread.
Brady’s reaction accurately portrays all of us:
View: https://youtu.be/XVT07Avfr0Y
What a bummer for him. Winning the super bowl and getting treated like you just hit your first home run in the bigs.Six years later and Garappolo is still looking for someone to celebrate with.
My wife usually doesn't watch sports but she was reading/watching at that point. I had to explain how Butler's INT was marvelously wonderful, but, the Pats had work yet to be done in avoiding a safety (explain what that is). But then, Bryan Stork's second head bob caused Bennett to react and get called offside and we get 5 marvelous yards. I think it was the head bobs anyway.I jumped up - ran out of my office and told my wife, who didn't care, before circling back to my office and I didn't sit down until the final second was gone.