Respect

Super Bowl 51. Just WOW!

Was there anything more cute than seeing former President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush center field for the Super Bowl opening coin toss? The crowd erupted! Both teams standing, clapping, cheering and showing the former president and first lady respect. I mean how can anyone not love that little point Bush Sr. does?

The Falcons dominated the first half and mid into the second half took a 28-3 lead. This gave the Falcons a 98.9% chance to win their first franchise Super Bowl. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick looked like their balls. They were deflated. And Sports Science proved again that deflated balls really help the other team.

Lady Gaga’s half time mic drop was awesome. The speculation over how political the pop star would be had the right and left holding their breath. Instead, Gaga delivered a solid performance where she (with a live mic could have said anything) was an entertainer and didn’t try to be a politician. She opened with a message of unity and she ended with a mic drop. So much respect for the entertainer who simply entertain.

People left Super Bowl parties and turned the channel. This game was OVER! Matt Ryan was going to be the first player in eight years to win the NFL MVP and win the Super Bowl.

But there was still that 1.1% chance for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. With nine minutes left in the 4th the Patriots found their rhythm and got 12 points on the board. Then Dont’a Hightower sacked Matt Ryan, forced a tumble that New England recovered and caused Atlanta’s first turnover of the postseason. But then my text conversations looked like this after Julian Edelman’s ridiculous catch:
Unbelievable! Is this Real? WHAAAAAT? WOW! Holy Shit! O.M.G.

Four plays later the score was 28-28. Questionable coaching by the Falcons on their last possession made this the first Super Bowl game to go to overtime. When the Patriots won the coin toss that 1.1% chance of winning was now directed to the Falcons.

If there is one lesson in sports that I have learned as a University of Tennessee fan it is that it’s not over until it’s over. Just WOW! Never bet against Tom and Bill (unless they are playing a Manning). The Patriots had the largest comeback win in Super Bowl history to give the Falcons the biggest upset in Supper Bowl history. The game was epic.

Say whatever you want about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, but Robert Kraft created the best QB/Head Coach combo of all time. I also respect that Brady, Belichick, and Kraft all openly have shown respect for President Trump. Since 2000, the Patriots have appeared in SEVEN Super Bowls and WON FIVE. Belichick takes the late round draft picks and makes them Super Bowl Champions. Love him or hate him, but you have to respect Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft.

The icing on the cake was seeing NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell hand Robert Kraft the Lombardi Trophy. Oh the irony of deflate-gate, suspending Brady for four games and doing everything he can make the NFL a league were one franchise doesn’t build a dynasty. The New England Patriots prove to Goodell year after year that salary caps and draft picks mean nothing. Dynasties happen when you build your team by teaching discipline and knowing how to coach talent.

No one likes to see New England win, again. But, man, you have to respect them.