It's not often I dedicate space to write about two losers.
I need to go back to 1975. Loser number 1 (L1) graduated with an economics degree from a little college in Connecticut that no one ever hears of. He took all that knowledge of economics and hired on as a $25 a game assistant to a head coach in the NFL. Yeah, a loser would do that. In 1976, L1 switched teams, but still coached in one of those assistants to the assistant loser positions. He repeated his losing act in 1977.
I mention 1977 because that is when loser number 2 was born (L2) in an average-sized town in California. He went to a private high school, but he didn't really graduate with an economic advantage over anyone else. After graduation his hopes ran high because he was drafted by the Major League Baseball team Montreal Expos. That faded rather quickly as happens to all losers.
L1 ended up with the New York Giants working as an assistant to the defensive coach with special teams and linebackers. He had this loser, unnotable job for 8 years. L2 in the meantime went to Michigan after washing out in the baseball pros, tried out for football, and was 7th on the depth rating chart for the University of Michigan. What a loser. He even went to a psychologist to cope with his failure as an athlete.
The great coach Bill Parcells had mercy on L1, giving him a chance at being a defensive coordinator. He showed a little promise, but Parcells moved on. Cleveland, in 1991 decided to take a chance on L1, but true to his losing nature, he won less than 50% of his games as head coach, so he was dismissed. Loser coach, loser team. He hooked up with Parcells again to be his assistant coach, just trying to hang on.
L2 didn't quit football at Michigan, but his first two years were bench-riding years. He worked hard and moved up the depth chart, but not to a starting position. Finally, he was given a chance to starts his last year to play and he won some, but he had the knack of being behind at the end, he pulled out most of them, but he was not seen as having a lot of talent. Accordingly, given his choice to turn pro, he was taken in the sixth round of the 2000 draft, #199 to be exact, the equivalent of being 7th on the depth chart. Loser.
That was the same year that L1 got caught up in a squabble between the New York Jets, New England Patriots, and Bill Parcells. As a result of some last minute swaps and trades and squabbling, L1 ended up being the head coach again at New England. New England who? Yeah, a loser team. Drew Bledsoe, a very decent quarterback, couldn't even pull the Patriots from their faltering status. Bledsoe started for the team with three backups. Yeah, backup #4 was L2
The year 2000 was no magical year. L1's record that season was 5 wins, 11 losses, like his losing Cleveland head coaching days. L2 never entered a game but did work his way up to #2 quarterback. Nevertheless #2 is a bench position. Right, benchrider - Loser!
SOMETHING HAPPENED.
In the second game of the 2001 season, in the fourth quarter, Bledsoe was injured. L1 sent L2 into the game. Oh, good call. Loser number 1 sends loser number 2 into a game.
Tonight Tom Brady and Bill Belichick go to the Superbowl for the 6th time in 13 years. Unprecedented. They have all kinds of NFL history records between the two of them. The New England Patriots have superseded all other franchises in many ways. If L1 and L2 win, both will go into the history books as the best ever, the most elite of all NFL history.
Yep, losers - posing as the most successful winners in the most popular sport in America. Hopefully, that is a story to give everyone hope. It should give hope on several levels. One level is to enjoy the satisfaction of working with people that complement us. Another is to work with someone who can showcase talent. Another is to see enjoyable fruits from your labor. When we are L1 or L2, we can at some time know that something will happen to give us satisfaction, to showcase our talent, and to see enjoyable fruits from our labor.
And that's cause for a deep sleep tonight.
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