The Super Bowl talk will continue for a few more days as the unexpected took place on a variety of fronts last Sunday.
We all know about the play that didn’t work and how it has made the least knowledgeable fan a sudden expert. Maybe that is how it should be for this season, as the NFL had us all talking about something. So much talk that the game itself was the highest-rated TV event in this country, ever.
Yes, despite the multiple disasters the NFL suffered this season, we cannot seem to get enough of the train wreck. Up next will be the final rendering for the investigation of the deflated ball issue surrounding the Patriots. Anyone want to wager that the punishment will be light?
As you look back at this season there are some stellar examples that should be remembered and should be carried into whatever endeavor awaits you.
The one that stands out is Malcolm Butler, the Patriot cornerback who came up with the game-winning interception. The example he set is one we should all take with us. When interviewed just after the game, Butler was quick to point out the reason he was able to make the big play: He was prepared. He studied countless hours to be ready for that moment. He was more than ready.
The same is true of Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichik. A master at attention to detail and preparation, Belichik was able to coach up and convince the likes of Butler to be ready for the challenge. Mind you, Butler was no All American anywhere, nor did he attend a school that was a regular bowl participant. Most had never heard of his alma mater in Alabama, let alone knew they played football. With that said, hard work, preparation and dedication to craft should make any of us a winner.
Malcolm Butler is a better model than Tom Brady. Butler was never drafted. He bounced around a bit with various stops, including battering up chicken at Popeye’s. He should be a glowing example to all who strive to be better today than they were yesterday. Where his journey will take him next is unknown, but his example is one that we can all follow to our own personal success.
As for Seattle coach Pete Carroll, enough has been said. He blew it. He also stepped up and owned it, although there were many breakdowns leading up to the ill-fated play. If you want to pin this on Carroll, you are certainly entitled to. It was on his watch, and he is the guy who is supposed to know what works for his team.
Carroll and Belichik are both great coaches, but they differ in owning their mistakes. Belichik claimed he knew nothing about cheating when it came to taping the Rams’ walk through for the Super Bowl in 2007. He claimed he knew nothing about spygate, though he was later convicted. He claimed he knew nothing about the inflated balls this season. Carroll, on the other hand, owned his mistake on whether he called the right play or not. He stood up and took it like a professional.
Long off-season for Carroll? No doubt, but there is next year to focus on, as it will be even tougher to get his team back to the last game of the season. The Seahawks remind me of the Rams the year they lost the Super Bowl to New England. They have never been the same. How Seattle keeps this team together and focused given how things ended will be a challenge. That will be worth following.
Consultant coming
It has been announced that the mover and shakers in St. Louis have signed a consultant to deal with the Rams’ stadium issue. John Wright is really good at what he does. He is creative and has great vision when it comes to constructing facilities.
This should be the easiest assignment he will ever have. It’s simple. If St. Louis cannot muster enough money to build a domed/retractable roof stadium, then it’s a waste of time for all involved. To go cheap again on another facility would be criminal, if not insane. By the way, both terms have been used in the same sentence before when it comes to St. Louis. Get it right or get out.
One other thing: If you do not have an NFL team that has committed in writing to play in St. Louis, it is time to move on to some other fall activity in St. Louis. If there is one thing we have learned from the NFL it’s that they cannot be trusted. Get it on paper and hope for the best.
