David Vs. Goliath – Superbowl 53

This past weekend I had the privilege for speaking at the 5^th annual BC Sport Leadership Conference at one of my former Alma Mater, Douglas College, New West Campus and had the opportunity to interact with many amazing coaches.

Although I would like to say it went off with any glitches, I would be remiss in sharing that we had our challenges getting my laptop to play the video portion of my PowerPoint so borrowed one from the campus and moved my presentation over to a USB.

As I was doing the last keynote of the day, I planned to have all the coaches do the Iceland Viking Clap as an energizer but also ran into challenges with the playback via USB so like I have in many other events adapted by becoming the drummer only to see the borrowed laptop fly off the podium and hit the ground while I walked across the stage saying to myself “Really”?

Fortunately, the laptop was ok and I was able to dive into our core talk, “Don’t be a Kid’s Last Coach” but it was a painful lesson learned to ensure that I remembered the USB drive I saved the presentation on just in case ran into A/V glitches.

But I digress.

To get some downtime, Sunday I planned on watching the NFC and AFC championships with friends and must confess the games did not disappoint.

Both games went into overtime, both games the visiting team won against the top seed, and both games were a classic “David vs. Goliath” game that I had truly hoped would lead to Superbowl 53 is a change of the guard so to speak, where two of the up and coming teams, coaches, and quarterbacks would have an opportunity to play each other (the LA Rams and Kansas City Chiefs) vs. another repeat of what has become the norm for over a decade with the Patriots winning the AFC championship to go their umpteenth Superbowl.

Why was I pulling for the Chiefs and the LA Rams?

I have always been a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs organization, going back to the days when Joe Montana finished off his career as a Chief (as the 49ers moved on with Steve Young and George Siefert vs. Joe Montana and Bill Walsh).

The former owner, Lamar Hunt, is the very reason why the NFL IS the NFL, he was the brainchild of having the former AFC play the NFC (two separate leagues) play for ONE trophy, name the game The Super Bowl, the first couple were won by the team I have been the fan of the longest, the Green Bay Packers, who were lead to their first two Superbowl wins by the late great Vince Lombardi.

The AFC Championship this year was the FIRST EVER that was hosted on home soil where the Chiefs potentially could have been presented the trophy named after their late owner, the Lamar Hunt Trophy but sadly was not the case.

Although Patrick Mahomes made a phenomenal comeback from a 14-0 deficit in the first half (the first time the Chiefs were shut out this season), as has been the case many times in past, Tom Brady lead the Patriots to the game-winning touchdown in OT.

I, like I suspect many people including my son and all of his friends, did not want to see another Superbowl with the Patriots representing the AFC.

Why?

Because they have done so with a wee bit of dishonor, how many of you remember deflategate, where Tom Brady was accused of lying about the fact that he allegedly ordered deflating footballs during the 2015 AFC Championship game. The Patriots disputed the findings but were fined a $1M, lost draft picks, and Tom Brady was suspended for 4 games the following season.

This was 8 years after the first scandal that came to light of wrongdoings by the Patriots, infamous “Spygate”,  where allegations came forth how the Patriots filmed numerous other teams practices, built up a library and so they could plan their strategies vs. opponents including game adjustments. Belichick was fined $500,000, the Patriots $250,000 and they were docked a first round pick.

Sadly, the Patriots organization, Brian Belichick and Tom Brady will have these two scandals cloud what should be remembered as the top dynasty in sports probably ever, Tom Brady becoming the hall of famer after being a late round draft pick, and how Belichick is able to plan strategies against every opponent including this year Kansas City Chiefs leaving Andy Reid as the bridesmaid yet once again.

Then there was the similar David vs. Goliath contest in the NFC championship game played earlier in the day, also going into OT, but this time David (The LA RAMS) were successful in kicking the field goal after an interception to advance to the Superbowl, due largely to the transformation of their young coach Sean McVay, now just 33 years old and was NFL Coach of the year last year for taking the LA Rams back to the playoffs after many years of struggling.

Although I am also a fan of Drew Brees, one of the classiest men to play the game EVER, and for what he accomplished this season, is tainted in part as a result of the allegations their former assistant coach, Greg Williams, provided cash bounties to players over the course of 3 years as of the 2009 Superbowl year for the Saints for “causing intentional injuries” towards opposing players.

Penalties for Bountygate were the most severe in league history, the team was fined $500,000, the GM was suspended 8 games, Linebacker also suspended the entire season and Greg Williams was suspended indefinitely.

Sean Payton, who to this day, denied he knew that his former defensive coordinator was providing cash bounties to players for intentionally injuring opposing players (reminiscent of The Longest Yard where the inmates did so to the guards).

Really?

Similar to Joe Paterno, former longtime head coach of Penn State who did the same and was forced to retire due to allegations of sexual abuse by his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky?

I’m sorry, but as head coach, you know EVERYTHING that is going on in your team, and using the excuse ignorance is bliss, just does not cut it for me.

Perhaps it was payback in a sense when the refs did not call the DPI (Defensive pass interference) penalty with less than 2 minutes remaining that Sean Payton went at literally every official on the sideline for missing that permitted the Rams to get the tying and winning field goal in OT?

Shortly after the game, Sean Payton shared that league officials fessed up that the refs blew the call that had they called it pass interference and/or head shot, the Saints would have potentially been moving on to the Superbowl in lieu.

In both the Patriots and the Saints scenarios when the scandals came to light, there were supporters for and against and even to this day many blame the NFL and their commission Richard Goddell how they handled it and fans of the Saints I suspect will be loathing for weeks due to the missed call in this NFC Championship game.

Fast forward to the upcoming Superbowl on Feb 3^rd, 2019 regardless what side you are on, it truly will be David (LA Rams with young quarterback and head coach) going against Goliath (Patriots with 41 Yr old Tom Brady and Belichick as head coach)

Many of Belichick’s assistant coaches have gone on to become head coaches themselves, one who is on his coaching staff as offensive coordinator, Josh Daniels, was offered, he accepted, then declined the head coaching position of the Miami Dolphins a couple of years back.

Fast forward to this season, their long term defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, became head coach of the Detroit Lions, his interim replacement that will be calling the defensive plays, Brian Flores, Linebackers coach name is being next Patriots coach to be offered the head coach position of the Miami Dolphins after the season finishes.

Many of Andy Reid’s assistant coaches are also starting to shine in the NFL, Doug Peterson, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles who won the Superbowl last year, Matt Nagy who lead the Chicago Bears to the Playoffs this year after a long hiatus.

Ironically, Sean McVay, who will be leading the LA Rams against the Patriots, is a protégé of John Gruden (returned a head coach of the Oakland and soon to be become Las Vegas Raiders) as is Sean Payton.

Under Sean McVay, Jarred Goff, 1^st overall pick by the Rams 3 years back has flourished, much like Tom Brady, former 6^th round of the Patriots, and no matter how you feel about the Patriots (hate them or love them), has evolved to become one of the best quarterbacks EVER to the play the game.

The big question is whether young coach and QB can handle the pressure of the biggest game of the season as the Patriots have shown time and time again they perform when everything is on the line.

EXCEPT one Superbowl in 2008, when I think the biggest celebration ever had at our house for a Superbowl party was when Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin and Lawrence Taylor won against the Patriots to  break their undefeated record which to this day is still held by the 1972 Miami Dolphins, lead by one of the greatest coaches NFL of all time Don Shula.

Sadly, this won’t be the year for Andy Reid to prove all the naysayers wrong from his days coaching in Phillie he could not win THE game (although is protégé Doug Peterson did) and his team being presented the Lamar Hunt trophy on their home turf.  It also will not be a repeat of the Mircacle story last year when Doug lead the Eagles to win the Superbowl with his backup quarterback Nick Foles after taking over for Carson Wentz that suffered another injury in the season.

Although Tom Brady has proved to many that you can still perform at the highest level in your 40’s, the Patriots continue their dominance due to leadership of Bill Belichick with yet another cast of characters year over year (due to trades, retirement, free agency), I know that everyone that will be coming to my house for our annual Superbowl party will be crossing their fingers, putting on rally caps, wearing gold and yellow and Feb. 3^rd aspiring for David (Sean McVay, Jared Goff, Aaron Donald, and other Ram’s team mates) to take down Goliath.

GO RAMS GO.