The New England Patriots

mapthes0ul:

Another season came and went, and another season to tack on to my 13 years and counting dedication to the New England Patriots. Looking at this loss, I know the 53 guys that went into this game took this loss as hard as their dedicated fans took it. They knew what they wanted to fight for in this game, and the whole season in general. It was a whole different light for this season, although the same old “Play to the Super Bowl” tradition stuck to all 32 NFL teams, the Patriots had a little something extra to add to their agenda. 

Their “MHK” patches reminded them what it was to play for someone else besides themselves. A heavy loss to a great and dear philanthropist, a loving wife, and a great friend, all in one being impacted the entire organization. This season wasn’t about breaking records, it was a season dedicated to Robert Kraft in honor to his late wife, Myra Kraft. 

This season was one of those feel good seasons to know that a win was celebrated in someone’s honor, and a loss motivated them to push further for their honor. It’s sort of something out of a movie. Every member on the team fought back opposing yards, pushed and shoved for their own, and threw the ball for some yards. 

To some, it may be just “football” and honoring someone through a sport may be tomfoolery, but the whole idea behind the Patriot Way was to integrate the love of the sport, with the love of someone who loved to give back. How else to express your passions through the things you love to do, by combining two separate things: Football, a sport known for hard hitting and grittiness, to advocacy work, where the honor comes from not hitting someone, but lending a healing hand. 

Through my years of being a fan to this organization, I’ve seen them do so much more for their communities and more. I’ve seen huge chunks of money being donated out of their pockets to help the needy, and I’ve seen hospital visits more random than a midweek physical. I know other football organizations do the same thing for their communities, but it just doesn’t seem to be on the magnitude of what the Kraft family has done with the Patriots. Remember, the philanthropy work came before the Patriots. It was the Patriots that had to infuse with the selfless work the Kraft family was doing for the people. 

It’s been a long storied life for me growing up loving a team so much like I do now. It may seem foolish in some eyes, but this was my childhood, this team gave me my childhood. From watching Sunday games with my uncle, seeing the organization struggle season by season to get by, to the revival and miracle in 2001, and on forth to a majestic dynasty in the early 2000s. Although they seemed invincible at one point, they are like any other team, there will be losses. Someone dedicated like me has to swallow that, even if it is on the biggest stage of them all. 

But like the team, and the Patriot Way that was developed on the grounds of selfless work, it’s time to move on forth and make improvements. The season never ends, as there is so much more to work on for the many years to come. People come and go, but it’s the value of staying committed that makes every experience golden.

With that said, 2013 will be a gold season full of mystery and surprises. And I will see them hoist up the Lombardi once again.

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