I had the luxury this year to discern Super Bowl 52 under palm trees ocean side. The layover traveling was in Philadelphia where the fans that were not in Minnesota, were preparing for their festivities to get their party on. Eagles fans are tough, like the reputation. This was not their first rodeo at the big show. They have cheered the Eagles on in past Super Bowls, the results being short of witnessing those quarterbacks like Donovan McNabb, who quarterbacked NFC Champion teams crowned world champions. Previous championships won by the soaring Eagles were before the merger of the NFL and AFL. So no Super Bowl titles.
That was until they played the big game in the bitter cold city blessed with a new dome stadium way up in the twin cities of Minnesota. That was until the day the backup quarterback turned MVP handed a humbling loss to the mighty Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Maybe the Eagles ruined the small possibility that Brady would have retired on top had the Pats pulled out a victory.
As the fans of both teams who traveled far to see their team play for it all, you will never forget attending any Super Bowl. Attending the dance when your team is one of the final two competing for the Lombardi trophy is something that will stick with you, good or bad, for the rest of time. I have personally attended but one Big Show. Ironically it was in the bitter cold city of Minneapolis back in early 1992 at the previous dome that housed the Vikings.
We all know the story as Thurman Thomas lost his helmet and the Joe Gibbs coached Hogs dismantled the Bills who dominated all season in effort to redeem the “wide right” loss the previous season to the Giants. That did not happen. What did happen is my friends and I drove back to Marquette, Michigan that same night in complete silence. We had an incredible Saturday night staying as guests at our fraternity’s chapter in Minneapolis. The plan was to celebrate a Bills Super Bowl win. Well we did not feel up to talking to anyone at all We did not even put the radio on in the car. We began the mourning process.
Things We Know About the Bills This Week:
1.) Josh McDaniel’s classless decision to return to his comfort zone in New England after committing to the Indianapolis head coaching job, impacts Buffalo a bit more that new coordinators within the AFC East. The Indianapolis Colts had submitted a request to the Buffalo Bills to interview defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for the Colts’ open head coaching vacancy. That would make it three finalists. The Bills have already made modification with some position coaches and topped it off with letting the offensive coordinator move on and replacing him fast. With Frank Reich, the Eagles former offensive coordinator and the man who led the greatest comeback in NFL history taking the head coaching job, the Bills will now keep Frazier and hopefully bring stability to the defense and make adjustments.
2.) Alexander annex names like Brown, Wiley. Mormon, Scott, Bledsoe, Fletcher and Evans as the nominated player for the Walter Payton Man of the year award. Those are some pretty highly regarded names that Lorenzo Alexander has surrounded him with.
3.) LeSean McCoy proclaims commitment to team and Bills fans. Not needed because his actions speak very loud as he gives 110 percent each week and even injuries do not stop the machine they call “Shady”. It seems like McCoy wants to bring a Super Bowl title to Buffalo before his time is up. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he has transitioned really well with the Bills and the city of Buffalo. Going from being unsure if he wanted to be in Buffalo or not to being the man main in Buffalo has helped him along the way.
4.) Interesting, yet unexpected fact: Drew Bledsoe, pro-bowl quarterback for the Bills for three seasons early in the drought, surprised many with an answer to the question where he enjoyed playing football the most at? He was a Washington State college stud who went number one overall to the Bill Parcells Patriots. He went to one Super Bowl with the Pats, losing to Brett Favre and the Packers. He did win a ring the season he lost his starting job to Tom Brady due to an injury. He finished his career under Parcells again throwing to Terry Glenn, again. He lost his starting job to Tony Romo. Throughout all of the success in Boston and two super bowl appearances, he tells all inquiring minds that his favorite place to play was in Buffalo. That says a lot being that Boston is a well respected sports town and Dallas is Americas team always in the news in some capacity. Buffalo it is…the place to be. Bledsoe embraces the resurgence.
5.) Center has become a position of focus since Eric Wood made it known that the end of the season physical resulted in an MRI which clearly determined Eric Wood would never play NFL football again. His neck injury is that serious that he is being forced to retire less than one year since he signed his most recent secure contract he had worked so hard for his entire life. Replacing Wood on a talent level, physical play, intelligence and leadership will be no simple task. Expected replacement Ryan Groy did very well in 2016 when Wood suffered a leg ending injury that season.
6.) The Bills have brought in Terry Robiskie as their new wide receivers coach. Phil McGeoghan has decided to join Anthony Lynn and the Los Angeles Chargers. With the Bills offense ranking so low in passing, they could use just about any help especially in the passing game.