With future Patriots legends like McGinest, Law, Bruschi, Vinatieri, and crew just starting out their careers, 1996 was a very exciting year to be a Patriots fan. I had season tickets this year, and it was a pleasure to watch them in action during every Pats home game.
I love the 1996 season for this reason. The Patriots had a rather uneventful decade before this, and Boston sports fans were thirsty for something meaningful. The team lost its first two games of the season and many had written it off as another disappointing season. Somehow, they then proceeded to win ten of their next 13 and everything changed.
During the team's last regular season game against the Giants, I was forced into doing household chores for my father. Far from the ideal way to spend such a critical Sunday, but I was left with little choice. I dropped in on the game as much as I possibly could, and was disappointed to see the Giants leading 22-0 in the 2nd quarter. I checked back again and it was now 22-17.
I checked back a little later, and saw the Patriots in a position to score and win the game. Defying the odds, the team scored one last touchdown on a Drew Bledsoe pass to Ben Coates and won the game.
The Patriots were playoff bound! My friends and I couldn't believe it, and watched all of the games leading up to the Pats' showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags had upset the Broncos in a game that everyone thought Denver would easily win, so the Patriots would play Jacksonville.
I remember you couldn't see a thing between the fog and smoke from the pyrotechnics. However, I did get to see rookie wide-out sensation, Terry Glenn's acrobatic catch at the goal line leading to the 28-3 victory. Bring on the Jags!! I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was freezing! The wind was wailing. We had no grill. My friends and I ended up eating subway ice cube sandwiches. My friend Cam forgot his ticket at home. However, none of these things could snuff Super Bowl fever which was gripping Foxboro stadium! My friends and I entered the stadium at bit toasty to combat the arctic weather outside. Our butts were frozen to the ice slabs which doubled for benches. It was game time!
Jumping out to an early lead, New England preserved that lead into the close of the game, leading 13-3. And just like that, our Pats were Super Bowl bound!
Everyone was ecstatic. The Pats had somehow defied the odds and reached the Super Bowl, bringing the city's feelings about the franchise to a new level altogether. They didn't win this one, but rumbling beneath the surface was the foundation of a dynasty that would blow us all away.
I love the 1996 season for this reason. The Patriots had a rather uneventful decade before this, and Boston sports fans were thirsty for something meaningful. The team lost its first two games of the season and many had written it off as another disappointing season. Somehow, they then proceeded to win ten of their next 13 and everything changed.
During the team's last regular season game against the Giants, I was forced into doing household chores for my father. Far from the ideal way to spend such a critical Sunday, but I was left with little choice. I dropped in on the game as much as I possibly could, and was disappointed to see the Giants leading 22-0 in the 2nd quarter. I checked back again and it was now 22-17.
I checked back a little later, and saw the Patriots in a position to score and win the game. Defying the odds, the team scored one last touchdown on a Drew Bledsoe pass to Ben Coates and won the game.
The Patriots were playoff bound! My friends and I couldn't believe it, and watched all of the games leading up to the Pats' showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags had upset the Broncos in a game that everyone thought Denver would easily win, so the Patriots would play Jacksonville.
I remember you couldn't see a thing between the fog and smoke from the pyrotechnics. However, I did get to see rookie wide-out sensation, Terry Glenn's acrobatic catch at the goal line leading to the 28-3 victory. Bring on the Jags!! I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was freezing! The wind was wailing. We had no grill. My friends and I ended up eating subway ice cube sandwiches. My friend Cam forgot his ticket at home. However, none of these things could snuff Super Bowl fever which was gripping Foxboro stadium! My friends and I entered the stadium at bit toasty to combat the arctic weather outside. Our butts were frozen to the ice slabs which doubled for benches. It was game time!
Jumping out to an early lead, New England preserved that lead into the close of the game, leading 13-3. And just like that, our Pats were Super Bowl bound!
Everyone was ecstatic. The Pats had somehow defied the odds and reached the Super Bowl, bringing the city's feelings about the franchise to a new level altogether. They didn't win this one, but rumbling beneath the surface was the foundation of a dynasty that would blow us all away.
About the Author:
Looking for an awesome NFL forum? Then check out RootZoo Sports, home to the best NFL talk online. Make your season even more interesting by playing the site's free NFL pickem game.
0 comments:
Post a Comment