How will history judge the Patriots?

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 5/2/2004

Houston, Texas - After 15 consecutive wins and two Super Bowl wins in three years, the New England Patriots’ 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers has secured a special place in history for this group. Carolina becomes most recent of 11 different teams to lose the Super Bowl in as many years.

Over the years, when you look back and compare the greatest teams of all time in terms of dominating champions, the Patriots are not viewed that way.

In 1972, the Miami Dolphins achieved immortality with the only perfect season, going 17-0 and beating the Washington Redskins 14-7 in the Super Bowl. In NFL history, only that team won more consecutive games than the Patriots’ 15 straight wins.

“I don’t want to get into all of that,” Bill Belichick said after his Patriots beat the Panthers. “The NFL is so competitive, 32 teams on a level field banging their heads to get here. It’s hard to think that way.”

In 1984, the San Francisco 49ers, with Joe Montana leading the way, was an explosive offensive machine, finishing 18-1.

In Super Bowl XX, the Chicago Bears were real monsters, matching the 49ers’ record for most wins in a season, also 18-1. That team had the late great Walter Payton and one of the most dominating defenses of all time.  

We have the great Pittsburgh Steeler teams of the ‘70s with Terry Bradshaw, Mean Joe Greene, Franco Harris, and that group that won four Super Bowls in six years. Or the Dallas Cowboys with Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman.

This group of Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady, now a two-time Super Bowl MVP, and the great Ty Law, as good a cornerback as ever played the game, has to be viewed as one of the greatest teams of all time, based on what they did this year and what they have accomplished over the last three years.

This team missed the playoffs last year, but tied for the best record in their division at 9-7 and lost a tiebreaker to the New York Jets. When you look at this team closely, you see a great unit, a group that plays great together, and that is what it’s all about. This Patriot team finished 17-2, the third-best record in NFL history; yet they did not have a running back run for 1,000 yards or a receiver gain a 1,000 yards this year.

I think that is what will define this group: This was a great team. They had the number-one-scoring defense in the league. They could stop you when they needed to. The last five Super Bowl Champions all led the league in scoring defense. Twice they stopped the Panthers attempting to convert a two-point conversion — that’s how close Super Bowl XXXVIII was. New England converted their only two-point attempt. When they have to get it done, that’s what this Patriot team did.

So, however history eventually views this championship team, they achieved greatness by doing what truly counts. They just win, not in spectacular fashion or by dominant means. They simply finish the deal.

Eller becomes Hall of Famer

Minnesota Vikings great Carl Eller joins teammate Alan Page in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the second member of the famed ferocious defensive unit known as the “Purple People Eaters” to achieve immortality.

Eller will be inducted this summer in Canton, Ohio. He is in the 2004 class that includes Barry Sanders, John Elway and Bob Brown.

“This is just a great honor. I’m just so excited right now. What a great feeling. I’m just really pleased to have made this class of 2004,” Eller said.

During Eller’s career, the Vikings won 10 NFL/NFC Central Division crowns and advanced to four Super Bowls. Eller anchored the left end. He was extremely quick and mobile, excellent on rushing defense, and a superb pass rusher. He recorded 44 sacks in a three-year period between 1975, ‘76 and ‘77. He recovered 23 fumbles, the third-best mark in history. Eller played in six Pro-Bowls and was selected All-Pro five times.

Super Boob XXXVIII

I have had the good fortune to cover 25 Super Bowls now, and it's still the greatest single-day sporting event in the world. This year's game may have been among the best games I've witnessed. But the classless R-rated end to the Super Bowl half-time show was deplorable.

It took 24 hours before Janet Jackson finally released a statement, which allowed me to direct my anger at Justin Timberlake, who said he "did not intend to expose Janet Jackson's breast. I am sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction. It was not intentional and is regrettable."

When I first saw it - remember, I was there -- it looked like sexual assault to me, a White man flirting and going too far by ripping the clothing off of a Black woman on national TV. Some male spectators were giving each other high fives. The dynamics were awful -- it looked like Jackson was defenseless.

The NFL was outraged over the stunt, saying they were "extremely disappointed by the elements" and that MTV would unlikely never produce another Super Bowl half-time.

I hope not. I'm certain many families around the world that had children present had some quick, careful explaining to do.

Janet Jackson has now apologized to everyone and admitted it was planned, but not to the extent of exposing her breast with her silver medallion star around the right nipple, on the most-watched television event of the year on CBS.

The network quickly has distanced itself from the event: "We deeply regret the incident that occurred during the Super Bowl half-time show." They said they attended all the rehearsals throughout the week, and there was no indication that any such thing would happen. "The moment did not conform to CBS broadcast standards, and we would like to apologize to anyone offended."

I'm offended and disappointed in Ms. Jackson; with all the trouble her brother Michael is in, this is very damaging also. It's not going to blow over, either -- the FCC will be fining somebody over this. It was disgraceful.