Tomorrow night, the 15-0 Patriots are facing a much less talented, capable, and successful Jersey/A team. The game is probably not going to be much of a contest for the Pats. We can argue this until we're blue in the face, but let's just say that the naysayers will point out any combination of:
- Bill Belichick is an arrogant prick
- The Pats lack exceptional grace and class
- Spygate, steroids, etc.
But I'm not here to rehash those quibbles. In 10, 20, 50, 100 years, if they still play or care about football, they will only remember if the Patriots win tomorrow night, and continue to win throughout the playoffs and finish a perfect 19-0. First, let me re-iterate that. The season doesn't end tomorrow night, there are still the playoffs to go, and if the Pats do not win the Super Bowl, it will be seen as one of the biggest chokes in history, considering that they have consistently proved themselves better than their opponents.
But issue is, why should we or anyone care about perfection? Isn't it just a game? No. Perfection matters. The pursuit of perfection matters. The drive to be great, to be the best, matters. It matters because we live in a world of mediocrity. We live in a society that watches too much and reads too little. We live in a time when we celebrate the failings of celebrities and revel in our anonymous forums. We live in a attitude of complacency and entitlement, while our rivals elsewhere seek to become us of yesteryear.
We've all seen the statistics, about how poorly our students do in science and math. About how many more engineers are produced in not only India and China, but even Ireland, than there are produced in the US. This at a time when the world's economy demands technical skill more than ever and whosoever has the most will be the new superpower. At the same time, more and more of us feel as if we are owed something. As if we deserve success which is unearned. As if who we are outweighs what we do. Our companies are weak because our unions and pensions perpetuate this mediocrity. Our nation is weak because we chose a President who personifies this mediocrity. Our culture is weak because we wallow in this mediocrity.
That is why perfection matters. Even our sports heroes, who we could once count on to demonstrate the best in us, now squabble over money and petty fame. About merely making the playoffs and moral victories. But those that do, those that inspire us to be great, those that strive for what is impossible, those are the ones that matter. That is why perfection matters.
Perfection is the best in us. Perfection in the face of the best our opponents can offer reveals the finest parts of our humanity and the depths of our will, our strength, and our courage. To reach for the heavens is noble.
I hope that the Pats win out. I really do. Don't sit your starters, Don't hold back the play calling or the preparation. Don't get lazy. Don't be complacent. Win. Beat Eli and the less mediocre team from Jersey. Beat everyone. Be perfect.
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1 comment:
while I don't see how the preamble to your perfection rant supports it, I agree with the evidence of why aiming for perfection is important. I, ardent patriots fan that I am, am impressed with the patriots performance this season, and think that bellichick is a very good coach. I do not however, in any way think he should have won coach of the year, ignoring his run-in with those "pesky rules" at the beginning of the season, his alleged disrespect for the game, and inability (this I agree with) to promote and represent the national football league trough the position he holds and the demeanor with which he carries it out. Go patriots, but shame on the NFL for holding him out as an exemplary coach - one to be emulated by future generations.
One a side, but related note. I have been very impressed with Mike Tomlin of late. I thought he did a really good job coaching his team to a close finish yesterday, and would have probably won if Benny Roethlisberger didn't throw three freaking interceptions in the first half.
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