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I have a confession…while watching the AFC Championship Game with 100 of my closest friends at Lib’s Grill in Perry Hall, I was a bit different than most in attendance. Despite my disdain for the Patriots and their collective sense of entitlement, I admire the excellence of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Ok, I get that they have cheated and that contributes to my disdain, but I also admire their work ethic and their excellence. Cheating alone didn’t get them to five straight AFC Championship Games and 10 of the last 15. That’s quite an achievement particularly in the modern era that promotes parity.
But despite the sinister nature of the Patriots entire organization, I didn’t feel like I had a dog in the race. I didn’t cheer when the Broncos did something well. I get the Peyton Manning is a great guy and a HOF QB. I get that Gary Kubiak has ties to the Ravens. But I just didn’t care.
Even for my dear cousin, a Denver resident for 25 years and a diehard Broncos fan, I just couldn’t root for the Broncos. Why? Two words.
I look at Elway and my blood pressure soars. His smugness rivals that of the Patriots. His rejection of Baltimore helped to push the Colts to Indianapolis. Had he stayed, things could have been different. The horseshoe could have remained in Baltimore.
I’m over the Irsays and that move to Indy. But I’ve never gotten over Elway.
But when Brady and Rob Gronkowski pouted like babies…when the TV camera panned to forlorn owner Robert Kraft and when I read Tweets from idiot Patriots fans who said heinous and vile things to Stephen Gost-kowski, well, I let it go…momentarily and smiled for Peyton and Kubes and my cousin.
I’m glad we won’t see Brady in the Super Bowl again and have to listen to boring Belichick press conferences.
Enjoy these two weeks Broncos fans.
But for this NFL fan, come February 7, it’s back on! The disdain for Elway and his Mr. Ed smile will be in full force.
Go Panthers!
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