Why this mamma is glad her son's a PATS fan!

It's 10:56pm and I am just now putting my kids to bed. And no, that's not their usual bedtime. Mind you it's another snow day tomorrow. But the reason bedtime is this late is that it's Super bowl Sunday and I have let my kids stay up to watch the entire amazing game including the post game show. And wow what a game that was!

As my 10-year old son pulls the covers over his eyes, he pops up and says to me, "Mom my throat REALLY hurts" and I lament, "Not you getting sick now!" And he smiles proudly and says. "Oh no mom, my throat hurts because I was yelling so loudly during the game." And I break out into a huge smile back at him. Yep this boy aint sick. He is showing the signs of being a true New England Patriots fan through and through. I swear you could have heard him cheering all the way in Glendale, Arizona.  And I could not be more satisfied that my son's allegiance is in a team as outstanding as the PATS. And for someone who grew up in Southern Africa as a die-hard rugby fan that's quite an admission to make. 

So why does it make me smile that my son is a PATS fan? That they won? Actually no that's not it. Believe it or not I honestly care far less about their performance during the game (don't tell my son I said that). 

I know, I know, that's important too, but I actually care a whole lot more about what happens in that in between space. That in between space, between plays and right after the game. How players perform right after a great defensive play, after a touchdown or during post-game interviews. That's what really matters to me.  And it matters to me because my sports fanatic son is watching you. And while he probably will never be a pro football player, if he is going to be spending that much time watching football, he had better be getting something more than just the enjoyment of the game out of it. 

           

     

More than anything I want my son to be a mensch, a person of character. And for that to happen he needs good role models. And while I am so thankful that his greatest hero happens to be his daddy, an amazing guy, I know that his sport’s heroes are also shaping him. And I am quite satisfied in the sports heroes he has found in this team. These men are stellar! They are humble, they are fun loving and play as a team and celebrate as a band of brothers. The post-game interviews were just moving. They always are. This team honors one another, they think the world of their coach, they never take glory for themselves, it's always a team win and they never speak badly of their opponents. It just never happens. And while I realize that that's what's expected of them by their franchise and that it's no doubt an internal fight for them each time not to speak of their own accomplishment, they do not give into that impulse. Not even undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, with his incredible game winning play, spoke of his accomplishment in gloating terms. 

And yes while they still do a victory dance here and there after a great play, it's less rare than most other teams and it's not that over the top either. OK maybe Gronk, the fun loving party animal is the exception, but somehow he manages to pull it off. And I am not sure why the over the top victory dances get under my skin so, but I can't stand it. I find it so prideful. It's such an over focus on the individual player and "their" accomplishment.  "Look at me, look at how great I am!" Is this not a team sport after all? And in doing it they also cut down and demean their opponent. Ugh. It's just gross.  And while I am not about to bash the Seattle Seahawks (let me rather follow in the footsteps of my son's hero, Tom Brady, and treat them with deference) but this is an area that seems like a glaring character flaw to me as a team. And the many stabs at Richard Sherman on Facebook just minutes after the game and the media attention this week on Doug Baldwin mimicking pooping on the ball attest to the fact that I am not alone in this observation. 

So to the New England Patriots I say thank you. Thank you for being a bunch of guys I am happy my son gets to emulate. And of course congratulations on an amazing victory too!

A little sluggish the day after the Superbowl