Giants Acting Like 'Sore Winners'

By: Tim Ehrens

Posted: 2/8/08

Dear My Fellow New England Patriots Fans,

It's been quite a week for us, hasn't it? Are you still shocked about the events of Sunday? Yeah, me too. Sitting there, wearing my Tom Brady jersey, watching the confetti fall down onto our victorious opponents while my four Giants fans friends jumped and high-fived each other, all I could do was stare in disbelief with my head in my hands. I felt numb, shocked, disappointed.

Watching the elation on my friends' faces, seeing them call their parents to ask if they were going to the store the next morning and if they could please pick up a Super Bowl Champions T-shirt and hat for them, I must say I initially felt happy for them. It reminded me of the first time we won it all against the heavily favored Rams back in 2002. Remember those good times? I sure do. And the two Super Bowls after that? Oh, just grand.

I bet you all are still getting hassled by your Giants fans friends, huh? I know I am. Why can't they just win graciously? Seriously. After our first Super Bowl did we go around, needlessly ridiculing the Rams? No. Did we curse the name of Jake Delhomme after our second win? Nope. Did we call the corpulent Andy Reid names after our third? Of course not.

That's because we aren't sore winners, like all those Giants fans who celebrate the Patriots' 18-1 record rather than the fact that they just won the Super Bowl. That's right, we're better than that.

You can spend more than a lifetime being mad at the fans from that other city but, the truth is, we have nothing to be ashamed about for this season. Yeah, we didn't win the big one but, besides that, was this season really a complete waste?

After all, we are only one of two teams to ever have an undefeated regular season, all while the entire world was calling us cheaters, low-lives, scum, classless and multiple other terrible names game after game. That, in and of itself, is a testament to the resolve and candor of this veteran team.

Brady had the best statistical season ever by a quarterback, dominating all other and running away with the MVP, snatching Peyton Manning's, of all people, passing records along with it. That was sweet, wasn't it? Brady and Randy Moss's amazing, record-breaking season helped make us the most powerful offense football has, and probably will, ever see.

All of this was accomplished while staying completely focused for every single game and making reprobates like Anthony Smith and Igor Olshansky get their own cocky predictions shoved straight down their throats. Plus, we made our fourth Super Bowl in seven years.

I know all of these statistics provide little comfort after losing the Super Bowl. I know that fourth ring was so close we could almost taste it. But it's time to put this season behind us and look to the future.

We have the No. 7 pick in the draft thanks to the 49ers, we still have Brady and a great receiving core behind him and it's pretty much a lock that Moss will be re-signed, bringing pretty much the same team back for next season. Also, with the way we draft, some exceptional young talent is bound to come in and make an impact right away. It'll all be alright.

So, you proud Patriots fans, all six states strong teeming with dedicated, faithful pigskin addicts, pick your collective heads up, I say. Stand up! Be proud of your team. We are still the dynasty of this decade and will always be the envy of those many Patriot haters out there. Next season we will be back.

And we will be angry.

Love,

Tim Ehrens

Tim Ehrens's NFL column runs periodically. He can be contacted at Timothy.Ehrens@Gmail.com.