Sunday, January 20, 2008

"A part of ever"

Junior Seau said that, after the Patriots did what they have done throughout the Brady/Belichek era: changing it up one more time to take an opponent out of their game. I learned, years ago when I was doing a lot of martial-arts sparring, that you didn't have to be better than any opponent at what he specialized in--and you usually didn't even have to be better than the opponent at what you specialized in.

As long as you could keep your wits, keep your vision, keep (as my ex-biker sifu taught) "your head up, your eyes open, not forgetting to breath", you could see what your opponent relied upon, and take him out of his game. If he likes to circle clockwise, immediately change it up and circle counter-clockwise. If he likes to close, stay out and kick. If he likes to punch, grapple. And just when he gets accustomed to your countering with the opposite of his preference, move toward him--double the pace and go the fuck in. Almost nobody can keep their cool and step that far outside what's worked for them in the past.

That's what the Pats did today. This is the greatest, smartest, coolest, most deadly coach/quarterback combination, the mentally toughest and smartest defensive line, the best-matched and most physically-talented running-and-receiving backs, together in one team, that I've ever seen.

The only honorable matchup for the Superbowl would be Packers/Favre versus Pats/Brady. Giants have a lot of heart but Eli Manning is a pipsqueak compared to those other two real football legends. And, if it is Pack/Pats (which I think it will be--it's zero degrees at Lambo Field, and that favors Green Bay), then, even if Favre and the Packers go down, they'll do it with class and honor and they'll never give up.

18-0, baby. Nobody's ever done that before, ever.

History.

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