Simply Imperfect

(a look back at the 2007 Patriots)

A perfectionist’s view of the imperfect Patriots

As the final seconds of Super Bowl 42 ticked off, I couldn’t understand why, as a lifelong Patriots fan, I didn’t feel terribly disappointed. In fact, I did something that I have never done before; I watched the other team celebrate after defeating one of our hometown teams in a big game. In the past, whenever The Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots, or Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs of their respective sport, I turned the television off - immediately, sometimes sooner; I never saw Aaron Boone’s home run land in the leftfield stands at Yankee Stadium in October 2003, I was in bed with the lights out before he touched home plate -of course, I couldn’t sleep. But last Sunday was different and as I watched The New York Giants hugging one another underneath a shower of confetti, it hit me; I identified more with what The Giants had accomplished than with what The Patriots were trying to accomplish.

I am a recovering perfectionist, and what every self-deprecating perfectionist will tell you is that there is no such thing as a perfect season. We simply cannot relate to perfection, it is never within our reach and we do everything in our power to sabotage our endless pursuit of it. If The Patriots had won, thousands of fans and so-called experts would have said they had achieved perfection, but we perfectionists know better. Perfectionists know that in a perfect season, not only do you have to win all of your games, you must shutout every one of your opponents without committing a penalty or turning the ball over. You cannot be found guilty of breaking league rules and still be perfect even though no one seems to know how, or if, you benefitted from your transgressions. I know all about the 17-0 1972 Miami Dolphins; they won all of their games, but they were not perfect. I road along all season with The Patriots on their road to perfection, but I was in the backseat thinking, The directions are all screwed-up.

My best friend is a lifelong Giants’ fan. Like a presidential runner-up on election night, I called him after Sunday night’s game to congratulate him and his team on a well-earned, well-deserved victory. I was surprised by my actions, I thought that, had The Patriots lost, we wouldn’t have spoken for a few days, maybe a week. But I meant every word I said to him, his team played great and I admire them for playing so well in the biggest of games. They are the champions.

As for The Patriots, they are still my team. Remember in the movie Rocky, all that emotion at the end? Well, Rocky lost the fight, but we loved him anyway for his heart in spite of his flaws. I am not a gambler, few perfectionists are -- too many variables, I do not pay attention to point spreads or predictions. The Patriots were up against huge odds in their quest to be the first team to go 19-0. In the end, they came up 35 seconds short of their goal. I still love the Patriots, flaws and all, because as their 18-1 record proves, nobody’s perfect.