There’s a line from the chorus of “Uptown Funk” that says “don’t believe me, just watch.” As Tom Brady lifted that Lombardi trophy into the Arizona night sky, I couldn’t help but think about all that the Patriots have accomplished coming off the doubts that people had of them this season. People will always doubt, no one wants to support an uncertain outcome or a loser. But once you deliver and show people results, they’ll come around and sing your praises. That’s how life works – no one cares until you prove it first. The Patriots didn’t ask for a legacy, they went out and got the job done.
It’s easy to say this in hindsight, but that ending was not a given. Toward the end of the 3rd quarter, the Seahawks were up 10, with the ball, and driving into New England territory when Jermaine Kearse drops a deep ball down the left side. A touchdown there makes it a three possession game, effectively ending New England’s chances. But credit to Tom Brady, calmly rallying the troops as only an all-time great can do. Brady leads two touchdown drives, bringing the Patriots ahead right late in the fourth quarter.
This brings us to 2nd and goal, Seahawks simply needing a touchdown to lift the Lombardi for a second time. Malcolm Butler, a rookie, perfectly reads a slant route and sprints in to pick off the pass. After the game, Butler talked about the importance of preparation for a situation like that. What a great explanation: luck is simply when preparation meets opportunity. And the only reason Butler could be in that position is because he put in the work to seize the moment.
It was truly a gut punch loss for the Seahawks. Seattle gut punched Green Bay in the conference championship, but had to suffer that fate today. The gut punch cycle was eerily predicted by a Bill Simmons reader Chris from Austin. It’s a feeling that every sports fan knows, no matter what team. Epic wins and terrible losses will happen, but that is the beauty of sports, and what makes sports great.