- Sep 22, 2013
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This is a sports-media parable inspired by Jerry Maguire.
Cheers,
====
One glorious day, the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame marched onto their college football stadium wearing authentic navy-blue and gold uniforms, complete with custom-made gold helmets with the ND insignia printed on them in navy-blue color. The team was led by phenom-QB Brady Quinn who wanted to march the Irish onto victory over their rivals USC (led by sensational-QB Matt Leinart). The press was already hyping the Quinn-Leinart matchup as something 'nifty' to behold for national TV, and in many ways, it was!
Guess who noticed the splendid game (which the Irish ended up winning!)? Mike Belichick and Tom Brady(!), victorious head-coach and titan-QB, respectively, of the multiple Super Bowl winning New England Patriots. The Patriots brought a string of victories and powerhouse seasons for a region of America that was as-of-yet bereft of professional sports glories in the NFL. The Boston Red Sox (MLB) had not won like the NY Yankees, the Boston Bruins (NHL) had not won like other teams in the NHL, and only the Boston Celtics (NBA) boasted a storied victorious tradition. The Patriots brought great NFL honors for the New England and Middle-States area (if you lived in New England, you cheered for the Patriots, man!). Well, Belichick and Brady watched the Quinn-Irish victory over Leinart's USC team and decided to have a special navy-blue and gold patriot-themed Patriots portrait made in their honor! Belichick kept the portrait at his house.
What would be the legacy of this Quinn-Irish victory and the fancy Belichick-Brady patriot-portrait it inspired? Would the Patriots go on to win many many many more Super Bowl trophies with Belichick and Brady at the helm of the New England vessel? What would be the 'archaeological value' of the navy-blue and gold 'tinsel' wielded by Notre Dame and the Patriots 'captains' that year? None of these questions mattered, since the gritty-scrappy Philadelphia Eagles suddenly started playing like NFC domineering titans, reaching a whopping 6 NFC Championships since 2000. Albeit, the Eagles only reached the Super Bowl once (in 2004) --- when they lost to Brady and Belichick's Patriots 24-21(!) --- however, they established themselves as the Underdog Team of the New Millennium. To commemorate this 'achievement,' the Eagles decided to change their uniforms/helmets to a much darker-green color, to relay the message that the 'dark-bird' (spin on 'dark-horse') Eagles were something to behold in a time when front-running teams like the Patriots and Yankees were simply winning...too much!
GOD: I can't believe the Eagles have reached 6(!) NFC Championships!
SATAN: I know; the Patriots might reach 6 Super Bowls by 2019!
GOD: Yes, but the Patriots might actually win 6 Super Bowls by then...
SATAN: The Eagles, on the other hand, have only reached 1 Super Bowl (since 2000).
GOD: Yes, and the Patriots, on the other hand, have reached 7 Super Bowls (since 2000).
SATAN: I can smell the endorsements now...
GOD: Hold on! This is a time to celebrate college scholarships, not professional glories!
SATAN: You're right (of course). Who wants to see the NCAA overshadowed?
GOD: No one! It's very important to make sure that the NCAA is still considered 'primary.'
SATAN: I think you might be right; aspiring athletes should daydream about college.
GOD: ...not professional sports vanity glories!
SATAN: You have to admit though, Belichick and Brady have handled their laurels maturely.
GOD: Yes, they haven't flaunted their achievements too too much, but we must keep watch.
SATAN: Are you sure that the Belichick-Brady Notre Dame inspired portrait is 'kosher,' God?
GOD: I think it's meaningful to Belichick and Brady, which might be enough.
SATAN: If the Patriots end up winning 10 Super Bowls with Belichick and Brady, I'll sing!
GOD: That's obscene; 10 Super Bowl victories by one team is simply gluttony.
SATAN: I'll certainly remember that navy-blue and gold portrait, however.
GOD: Don't go scheming, Satan, and try to sell that portrait on eBay or to Vogue.
SATAN: Oh, I won't (you can trust me...boss); but don't blame me for...looking!
====
Cheers,
====
One glorious day, the Fightin' Irish of Notre Dame marched onto their college football stadium wearing authentic navy-blue and gold uniforms, complete with custom-made gold helmets with the ND insignia printed on them in navy-blue color. The team was led by phenom-QB Brady Quinn who wanted to march the Irish onto victory over their rivals USC (led by sensational-QB Matt Leinart). The press was already hyping the Quinn-Leinart matchup as something 'nifty' to behold for national TV, and in many ways, it was!
Guess who noticed the splendid game (which the Irish ended up winning!)? Mike Belichick and Tom Brady(!), victorious head-coach and titan-QB, respectively, of the multiple Super Bowl winning New England Patriots. The Patriots brought a string of victories and powerhouse seasons for a region of America that was as-of-yet bereft of professional sports glories in the NFL. The Boston Red Sox (MLB) had not won like the NY Yankees, the Boston Bruins (NHL) had not won like other teams in the NHL, and only the Boston Celtics (NBA) boasted a storied victorious tradition. The Patriots brought great NFL honors for the New England and Middle-States area (if you lived in New England, you cheered for the Patriots, man!). Well, Belichick and Brady watched the Quinn-Irish victory over Leinart's USC team and decided to have a special navy-blue and gold patriot-themed Patriots portrait made in their honor! Belichick kept the portrait at his house.
What would be the legacy of this Quinn-Irish victory and the fancy Belichick-Brady patriot-portrait it inspired? Would the Patriots go on to win many many many more Super Bowl trophies with Belichick and Brady at the helm of the New England vessel? What would be the 'archaeological value' of the navy-blue and gold 'tinsel' wielded by Notre Dame and the Patriots 'captains' that year? None of these questions mattered, since the gritty-scrappy Philadelphia Eagles suddenly started playing like NFC domineering titans, reaching a whopping 6 NFC Championships since 2000. Albeit, the Eagles only reached the Super Bowl once (in 2004) --- when they lost to Brady and Belichick's Patriots 24-21(!) --- however, they established themselves as the Underdog Team of the New Millennium. To commemorate this 'achievement,' the Eagles decided to change their uniforms/helmets to a much darker-green color, to relay the message that the 'dark-bird' (spin on 'dark-horse') Eagles were something to behold in a time when front-running teams like the Patriots and Yankees were simply winning...too much!
GOD: I can't believe the Eagles have reached 6(!) NFC Championships!
SATAN: I know; the Patriots might reach 6 Super Bowls by 2019!
GOD: Yes, but the Patriots might actually win 6 Super Bowls by then...
SATAN: The Eagles, on the other hand, have only reached 1 Super Bowl (since 2000).
GOD: Yes, and the Patriots, on the other hand, have reached 7 Super Bowls (since 2000).
SATAN: I can smell the endorsements now...
GOD: Hold on! This is a time to celebrate college scholarships, not professional glories!
SATAN: You're right (of course). Who wants to see the NCAA overshadowed?
GOD: No one! It's very important to make sure that the NCAA is still considered 'primary.'
SATAN: I think you might be right; aspiring athletes should daydream about college.
GOD: ...not professional sports vanity glories!
SATAN: You have to admit though, Belichick and Brady have handled their laurels maturely.
GOD: Yes, they haven't flaunted their achievements too too much, but we must keep watch.
SATAN: Are you sure that the Belichick-Brady Notre Dame inspired portrait is 'kosher,' God?
GOD: I think it's meaningful to Belichick and Brady, which might be enough.
SATAN: If the Patriots end up winning 10 Super Bowls with Belichick and Brady, I'll sing!
GOD: That's obscene; 10 Super Bowl victories by one team is simply gluttony.
SATAN: I'll certainly remember that navy-blue and gold portrait, however.
GOD: Don't go scheming, Satan, and try to sell that portrait on eBay or to Vogue.
SATAN: Oh, I won't (you can trust me...boss); but don't blame me for...looking!
====
