One more time Phil....
The sun is rising in the sky
Here we're waiting, standing by
Round in circles, round and round
Pulse is racing, can't sit down
The noise of people fills the air
Search for silence goes nowhere
Time just passes, starts to rain
I look at you and I feel your pain
Day after day watching it grow, counting the time
In each and every way the pleasure is mine
Through all of the high times
Through all of the low times
The farther we reach, the farther we see
The farther we go
After listening to Phil Collins' latest hit, Swing Low, I just knew I had to save it for the playoffs. Well the playoffs don't start for a few weeks, but for the New England Patriots, they technically started last Monday night. You see, after losing to the Titans in one of the most dismal displays ever by a Super Bowl Champion, it will take nothing less than six consecutive wins for the Patriots to reclaim their title. If we don't beat the Jets and the Dolphins there will be no January football in Foxboro. From there it will take three wins to get to San Diego, and then one final victory against NFC Champion to once again become champions. A difficult task - certainly. An impossible task - maybe. A task that I will enjoy being a part of - without question.
Time after time waiting for you, when will you come
Wanting to play the game we've begun
Through all of the high times
Through all of the low times
The more we can give, the more we can keep
The more there will be
This very well could be the last article I write about the Patriots until next August. There's a good chance that we won't come out on top against either the Jets or Dolphins. But if that's the case, if all the hype I've given to the Pats is all in vain, I've got to go out saying how much I love this team. Besides last season, which can never be topped, I can't recall a football season I've enjoyed more. And that's including our run to the Super Bowl back in 1996. Watching Brady develop has been a true joy. I bought his jersey before the season began not knowing if he'd be a bust or a superstar. I figured if the worst case scenario held true, I'd at least have the jersey of our only Super Bowl MVP. Well Brady confirmed my belief that he is the real deal, and if these past two years are any indication of the future, I'm overjoyed to know that he'll be throwing the ball for my team for years to come. Nothing's been as enjoyable as watching Bill Belichick break out his mind games. Sure, a lot of his potential genius has been damped by the lack of heart this team can play with sometimes, but has their been any other side-story as fun as watching him single-handedly destroy the minds of both Kordell Stewart, and Kurt Warner? And the way he just manipulates Drew Bledsoe would give way to loads of arrogant comments from me, except that I really like Drew. Sometimes the team doesn't show up for the game, and it's frustrating to sit there and watch the dismal performance. But even when things aren't going right, I can't leave the TV set. Even when it's 24-7 with 1:43 to go in the 4th, I'm still glued to the set. Cause I love watching Patriot football. And no matter if you guys are running around in a sea of confetti in the Louisiana Superdome, or sitting on the sidelines trying to wipe off the stains from the painted dirt that the Tennessee Titans just made you eat, I'll be there to back you up...
Everyday the stronger it grows, it's easy to see
Getting to feel how good it can be
Through all of the high times
Through all of the low times
The more that we teach, the better we learn
The better we'll be
And now it's time to get down to the nitty gritty of it all. I'm standing firm on my Super Bowl prediction for the Patriots. Hey, I'm not saying it's going to be easy. But assuming we come out and play the way we can, we'll be able to beat the Jets and the Phins should be going through their annual choke fest right in time for a cold New England afternoon game. So if we accomplish that, we're looking at a game at home, probably against the Dolphins again. Hey, if you can do it once, you can do it again, so we'll move on. We should be the three seed, meaning we're heading to Tennessee again. Now I know I'm throwing my "if you can do it once, you can do it again" theory right out the window, cause I think we could win that one. You see the difference is this - Miami would lose to us cause they'll be sweating ice cubes. That's going to be a constant factor both games. Tennessee beat us the first time cause our defense couldn't catch a limping quarterback. If we win out the next three and make the divisional round, I would like to think we'd be in good shape to tackle a gimp. Most likely, we'd be left with the Raiders at the Conference Championship. And personally, if it weren't for the garbage the media and my friends would spew about my team if we don't make the playoffs, I'd rather just skip the post-season all-together than lose to the Raiders. We have to win this one. Then I'm picking the Buccs to go to the Super Bowl, simply because in my dream world we'd finally get to shut up Warren Sapp and make him either wuss out or retire. And you know what, if my dream doesn't come true, it will be fine by me. After all, who am I to be so greedy? I only had my wildest dreams surpassed last year...
And so I potentially close the season with the most amazing part of the song. Only a true artist like Phil Collins would have the genius to make reference to his most powerful song in order to tie everything together. Take it away Phil...
Like the man said he was right
'bout something coming in the air tonight
Well if it's coming, let it be now
I feel it's close, I just know somehow
I can't hold on much longer
My head is filled with wonder
But if these things don't come to pass
I'll bring you water and fill your glass
That's right folks - if my Patriot predictions don't come true - water for everybody. I'm buying.
