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Do you believe? Miracle Patriots should enjoy this while it lastsPosted: Thursday January 31, 2002 4:12 PM
The shelf life of miracles in professional sports is exactly one season. That is what the New England Patriots should understand. They either win the grand goo-ga Sunday night in New Orleans to complete the feel-good story, last to first in a single bound, or the story simply disappears into the NFL footnotes with the names of obscure reserve linebackers and field goal kickers who couldn't kick very well. There ain't any second chances in this miracle business. By Monday morning -- maybe even late Sunday night -- the landscape will have completely changed. There will be questions about where Drew Bledsoe is going to be traded, an inevitability because of his big contract. There will be questions about how big young Tom Brady's new big contract will be. All of the worker ants, the no names who joined together in verse and song to put together this fun year will also be marching toward the negotiating table asking, "Where's mine?" Some of the coaches, too. And maybe the waterboys. Even if the Pats win Sunday night and win a stretch of Super Bowls in the future, they will never have another year like this one. Not until all the present players and coaches depart. This is the year of innocence and charm, mythic moments out of a fourth-grade reader. Maybe The Little Engine That Could. With a win, the underdog story is sealed and preserved, special forever. With a loss, well, there is no waiting for next year because, check the label, the Pats will be just another stock on the NFL market. The expiration date for magic is midnight Sunday. No matter what happens. Leigh Montville's commentaries appear regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer.
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