This year’s Super Bowl #51 didn’t have any favourite teams for me like it did last year.
Last year, even that was a hard thing to choose between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. It was experience and calm confidence versus youth and swagger. But I wouldn’t say it was substance versus fluff.
So this year, heading into the Super Bowl final, there were the usual upsets and expected outcomes. Every team that makes it into the playoff season deserves to be there and they probably (though some might not agree) also deserved to play in the final match of the season.
Almost right from the beginning the New England Patriots were outplayed by the Atlanta Falcons. Tom Brady is the master Quarterback for Patriots. He already had 4 Super Bowl rings on his fingers. The last one was just two years ago. Maybe it wasn’t his time again, as over and over he got caught in the pocket and was sacked at least the 4 times that I saw.
Evidently his O-line wasn’t doing its job and the D-line was probably exhausted with so much action going on the Falcon’s scoring. When you’re on the field defending, that’s a hard enough job when you’re out there and then the offense come on to give you a break. But when offense isn’t generating much, the defense is going to be out there a LOT!
So by the end of the third quarter it was 28 – 3. Another yawner. I was hoping for an exciting match, being a neutral observer. But we were witnessing something much less, as the Patriots seemed to be taking things lying down.
But winners never give up. Especially in a game.
Watch the video.
Patriot fans were hoping to see a difference after the half time show, I’m sure. Surely the coach would have something to say to the team at half time. but they didn’t look much more convincing. By the end of the third quarter, it looked impossible to come back. They were running out of time.
Sport has concrete parameters – the set amount of time to play, for instance. A set number of matches to play to win. A games is over when the final buzzer or the final whistle goes off.
But I always say that there’s still time. I always say that as long as you’re still breathing, you can do something about something. It’s the ones who give up, they’re the ones who don’t finish.
I think it’s too easy to say that one team didn’t want the Super Bowl as much as the other.
A few weeks ago, I said that winners have short memories. So when something good happens, like we score a goal in a hockey game, we got to celebrate it and then quickly get back into the game. How often have you seen the opposition score a goal seconds after your team scores a goal. It was loss of focus because they were already living in the past!
In this foot ball game, the losing team, as individuals and as a team, had to forget what had happened in the past three quarters. They had to focus on what they could do right now. The past was the past. Of course, their coaches analyzed and learned what went wrong in the firs three quarters. And changed something.
But the resolve was still there. Maybe the Falcons were already celebrating their “win.” That’s been known to happen. That’s why every successful sports team gets on with the job on hand. They are after the BIG celebration at the END, where their GOAL is.
You don’t drop the ball during the game. You stay on the ball until that final whistle goes. No matter what happens. Even when you’re down 28 – 3 in the last 15 minutes to play. Sure, celebrate along the way, the little things are important. But do NOT dwell on them. And get back in the game!
Just saying!
Dr. Joanny Liu, TCMD, RAc, P.Eng, “Best Selling Author and founder of Extraordinary Sports Medicine, where we help athletes reverse injury, get back in the game they love and improve their quality of life.”
Best selling book at: Heal Your Concussion: How to Quickly and Effectively Get Back in the Game
P.S. Watch Nathan’s Successful Recovery from Post Concussion Syndrome
