Robert Mathis….The goal is New York
The lyrics of the Rolling Stones express the dilemma best, "I can't get no……satisfaction". Should we beat New England tonight, Robert Mathis reminds us that satisfaction remains at bay because the goal is (winning) in New York.
In my teens, I learned the hard math of the Super Bowl equation there is only one with satisfaction and it happens only once a year. In my naive youth I believed that the 1967 Colts arriving at the last game of the season undefeated was destine for the Super Bowl (by god yes they were that good) but of course that dream died on the turn of the point differential tie breaker at the final gun of game 14. Where was justice in the equation? The Colts were better than all the other teams in the playoffs. No worries. 1968 brought a Colts team so overwhelmingly powerful, on both sides of the ball, there was no way they could lose the Super Bowl, but somehow they did, to the Jets(&*%#). Sill a youth but no longer naive, so it was that the most powerful Colt defense ever assembled arrived at the first ever AFC championship game and when John Unitas hit Ray Perkins out of the backfield our SuperBowl redemption opportunity had arrived. So when Jim O'Brien's kick sailed through the uprights as time expired in SuperBowl V Jim O'Brien wasn't the only one jumping. And the media of the day (Sports Illustrated) belittled the win and blared "Colts win the Blunder Bowl". Still I can't get no….. satisfaction?
So for the next 36 years…..and I try, and I try, and I try, and I TRY…..I can't get no.
How sublime was the satisfaction when Peyton Manning raised that Lombardi Trophy over his head some 36 years later? Well if you're like me then you know the answer to the depth of how that felt. Sweeter even because we did it as a team of destiny and belief not a "powerhouse" team.
And…..just so I had the lesson of the goal reinforced, the 2009 Super Bowl once again taught me the agony of the only goal that mattered being unfulfilled (for the want of batting an onside kick out of bound for crying out loud)…..No no no no! Hey hey hey that's what I say.
No matter what happens in New England tonight, Robert is right, and I'll take no satisfaction of the heart (maybe of the intellect)…..I'll still be waiting for Mick to be proven wrong.
And if we lose tonight well……...
'Cause you see I'm on a losing streak
I can't get no, oh no, no, no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say
Regardless of the outcome tonight, I'll still will have the appreciation of how hard these Colts have played all year, and that next year Mick might be wrong.
1 Comment
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now