Tell Me I’m Crazy (Part 1)

Okay, I have been away for a while now (planning a wedding 500 miles away is not exactly easy), so I probably have a bunch of pent-up opinions just itching to get ignored.  In fact, I have a three-part version of “Tell Me I’m Crazy” to unload because, well, I am not really smart.

I understand that the goal of every NFL team every season is to win the Super Bowl.  In the end, when it comes to American football, every franchise, every player, every coach, every stadium, every city, every generation of fans is defined by one thing and one thing only–how many Super Bowls have you won? 

I also understand that the ends justify the means in this vein.  In other words, it does not matter–at all–how you accomplish this.  The Super Bowl champion is the most successful franchise each and every year.

With all of that being said, tell me I’m crazy.  I think that, if I were the Patriots, I would rather lose the Super Bowl than any of the regular season games.  I know that I am probably in a minority of one here, but I really think that the undefeated regular season is accomplishment enough to warrant jeopardizing a Super Bowl title.

Now, obviously, the Patriots did not have to make that choice because they have a very good chance to get both.  However, I think that in the annals of NFL history, a 16-0 season without a Super Bowl title will be more historical, more memorable and, dare I say, more impressive than a 15-1 season with the Super Bowl title.  I will try and make the case for each

1). More Historical–This is an easy case to make.  There have been 41 years in the Super Bowl era.  Forty-one times has a team won the Super Bowl.  Two times has a team had an undefeated regular season.  I recognize the arguments against this.  I recognize that catcher’s interference, though extraordinarily more rare, is not preferable to a home run.  Either way, this undefeated season, obviously, is something for the record books.

2). More Memorable–History, in itself, is memorable.  But, over and above the historical significance, this accomplishment is utterly more memorable than a non-undefeated team winning a Super Bowl.  This should be another obvious point, but in case you do not agree, think to yourself:  Who won the Super Bowl ten years ago?  What about twenty?  Thirty?  Now, think about ten, twenty, even thirty years from now, is there ANY chance that you do not remember that the Patriots were the team that went 16-0 in 2007?  I doubt it.

3). More impressive–This is the tough one and the crux of the entire debate.  I do, however, believe that winning 16 regular season games is a more impressive season than winning the Super Bowl, despite a loss–and a lot of why I think this is because of the above.  Why do you want to win the Super Bowl?  Why is it the ultimate accomplishment?  Because you strive for history.  You strive to be “the best.”  I think the 16-0 shows that more than winning three straight in January.  It shows that you showed up every week and played.  It shows that you defeated any adversity.  And, it shows that for 17 straight weeks, you were the best.  Someone wins the Super Bowl every year.  A team goes undefeated about once every 25 years.

Tell me I’m crazy…