Sometime after the conference championships, after the Giants and the Patriots were identified as the combatants, a fellow in the gym asked me if I was going to be conflicted.
This fellow knew I was originally from New York, but had become a Patriots fan in my thirty years in New England. I told him, without missing a beat, that no I was not conflicted. And I am not. Sometime after the Giants beat the Broncos in 87 and before the Giants beat the Buffalo Bills in the early 90s I had lost almost all of my affinity for the Giants. And I had been a rabid fan when I lived in various parts of NY including Albany, Buffalo, and Binghamton.
But now I am a Patriot fan and like so many Patriot fans took the defeat like zealots do. Today as I walked into work I did not even have my coat off when a colleague yelled down from her office--something she rarely does--and wanted to talk about the loss. The meetings I attended today, and several conversations in the hallways, began with moments replaying big plays and commiserating.
Last night I did not feel so bad. The Giants had played a great game and deserved the victory. Eli Manning, someone I always thought of as just okay, played like a champion and made more plays than the Patriots did. This morning I had the fan doldrums, but they were and are mitigated some because yesterday the better team won fair and square.
One thing you have to give the Patriots--since 2002 they have played in five superbowl games. Each one has been exciting. They won by three points three times. Lost by three points in 2007 and lost by four last night. Very exciting games especially compared to the early years of the super bowl which were frequently blowouts.
On another note entirely, gearing up for march madness, I went to Albany this past weekend to see Albany play against Stony Brook in an America East game. If you are looking for a team that is going to get a lot of lumber as a dog in March and has a chance to cover if not win, look at Stony Brook. Well coached, good athletes. If they get 20 points against a more powerful team that just relies on its athleticism, Stony Brook will be a winner. Also, the University of Miami will make some noise in the ACC tournament.
Wise prognostications from someone who thought the Patriots would win by twenty four last night.
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