Son,

The New England Patriots have completed the regular season with a perfect 16 – 0 record. Congratulations. But like many things in life – people have an emotional response. Football is a sport that requires talent on the field and emotion in the stadium. My emotions say, please don’t win it all. The only reason for this position is distorted, unreasonable, sometimes immature, emotion.

The coach offends my sensibilities. Belichick is a brilliant strategist, but oooh – look at that gray sweatshirt on the sidelines. I remember Vince Lombardi, Hank Stram, and Tom Landry – all dapper gentlemen strutting the sidelines with dignity. And how about Randy Moss? His history of being a bad boy does not lend him or his team to wishful dreaming.

Then you have Tom Brady, the quarterback. What a pretty boy. And what a gifted, mature, precise, and thoughtful man. Did I mention pretty? But he has already won a couple of Super Bowls and is being compared to Joe Montana – we that does it – I am not ready to dethrone Montana as the greatest of all time.

The one really bright spot is on the defense. Junior Seau. That man has played his heart out in a long career in San Diego. Now he has a chance for the big one. It would be very satisfying to see him walk off the victorious field of a Super Bowl.

And we cannot forget the Miami Dolphins of 1972. I am not ready for that record to be matched.

That is the way of football. The sport is tremendously emotional.

Dad