Good Sports

                                      by Budd Glassberg

Reprinted with permission from the Zionsville Times Sentinel on January 17, 2007

 

Colts Are the Pats Patsies No More

 

“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” - Willis Goldbeck

           

            In my youth, the New York Yankees were a baseball dynasty.  There were years in the late 1940’s, 1950’s, and early 1960’s where it was a certainty that the Yankees would be in the world series and little doubt that they would win it (they won 9 titles in 14 years).  The Miami Dolphins were a similar powerhouse in football in the early 1970’s appearing in Super Bowls VI, VII, and VIII (winning the final two).  Fans from Miami expected their team to dominate the opposition in every aspect of the game and the Dolphins delivered.  In the 13 years from 1957 through 1969 the Boston Celtics won 11 NBA championships, dominating their sport as no other team in history had.

            I mention these dynasties in order to set the stage for the ensuing American Football Conference final to be played at the RCA dome this Sunday.  The Indianapolis Colts will be hosting the New England Patriots.  The Patriots are in possession of their own dynasty.  They have won 8 divisional championships in the past 11 years and won three out of four the Super Bowls played between the 2001 and 2004 seasons.  One thing that is certain about all dynasties is that they will all eventually come to an end.  It is fitting and appropriate that it will be the Colts, twice eliminated by the Patriots in the playoffs, who will put an end to the Patriots dynasty this Sunday.

            Much has been said and written about the Colts inability to “win the big game” and many pundits have blamed Peyton Manning for their inability to go to the Super Bowl in past years.  I am not in that camp.  Over the past half century, I have seen some great quarterbacks play professional football and, in my not so humble opinion, Manning is the best quarterback to ever play the game.  We are blessed with being able to watch this man perform his magic each week in much the same way as Chicago fans were fortunate to see Michael Jordan and Edmonton fans were privileged to watch Wayne Gretsky.  There are great players and then there are legends.  Peyton Manning is a legend. The tag put on this man’s inability to “win the big game” is not an appropriate moniker.  Football is a team game where the game is won or lost by the team.  It is not like tennis or golf, where the game is won or lost by a single player.  Manning will not beat the Patriots on Sunday.  If the Colts win this week, it will be the team that beats New England, ending the Patriots dynasty and hopefully beginning one of their own. 

            Getting to this conference final required the skills and hard work of Colt team members and coaches as well as a certain degree on good fortune.  Win or lose, this team has provided its fans with a great many thrills this season as well as a certain civic pride.  The Colts are my adopted team (the Chicago Bears are my biological team) and I will be glued to the television on Sunday hoping that they get the Patriot monkey off their backs once and forever.  As much as I want them to win for the city, I also would like for them to win for Peyton.  You see, I watched another legend, Hall of Fame shortstop Ernie Banks play for the Chicago Cubs from 1953 – 1971 without ever playing in a World Series.  It was sad to see one of the best that ever played the game never reach the pinnacle of that sport.  The greats of the game should all get at least one chance to play on center stage.

            Having seen dynasties come and go over the years, I have come to recognize the crumbling of the once powerful.  The New England Patriots are vulnerable.  Neither their offense nor their defense is close to what they were at their prime.  They have had more good fortune than they are entitled to have.  This Sunday, I believe, their luck will run out.  Colt head coach Tony Dungy will have his team poised to accept the gauntlet.  The Colt defense has certainly improved enough to play with the Pats.  The Colt offense, after two less than stellar playoff games, is bursting at the seams.  I believe the Colts will strike quickly and often.  They will be heading to the Super Bowl on February 4th, hopefully to face my Bears, and the Patriots will be heading home.

           

           

            Budd Glassberg is a resident of Zionsville who is active in the local running community.  Visit www.runz.com for reprints of all his columns.   You can reach him by email at budd@runz.com.