Snake Eyes: Patriots Aim for Dynasty Crown

The last time the word “dynasty” came into any conversation, a fight broke out. This will be no different. Every sport has its dynasty. Every sport has its dynasties at different decades or eras.

In the NFL, dynasties have occurred in each decade. In the '60s, it was the Green Bay Packers. The 1970s had the Pittsburgh Steelers. The '80s had the San Francisco 49ers, and the '90s had the Dallas Cowboys.

At this moment, we are two years away from a new decade, and right now there is only one team that everyone is bringing into the dynasty conversation: The New England Patriots. And rest assured that there is a fight going on in some bar in America.

For months, I have seen a change of opinion in myself in regards to the Patriots. I have made it clear that I still dislike the Patriots, but not even I can argue with inevitability. No one can deny what the Pats have done is nothing short of phenomenal. But when we have seen so many teams, including the Patriots of the past, get so close to shutting Don Shula and his ’72 Dolphins up for good and come up short, what they did this season was downright beautiful.

Here is something that was brought up last week after someone said something about the Patriots’ historic run. One of my favorite beer drinking buddies came up to me and said these words: “Their record means nothing unless they win the Super Bowl.” He then proceeded to throw up in my car.

Let’s just get this out in the open now. The Dolphins played a shorter season than the Patriots and went undefeated during the regular season. They then proceeded to go into the Super Bowl and get embarrassed by the Dallas Cowboys. The Patriots broke that record way before they went 16-0. On February third, they gamble once again and take a stab at the most infamous championship in history: Dynasty.

There are those who will feel that the Patriots are already a dynasty, but that is not entirely true. New England will be named the most outstanding team of the decade, because I can not remember the last time the Patriots were not in the playoffs.

Tom Brady has only two losses in his illustrious postseason career. Bill Belichick will most likely be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he does decide to retire. Belichick is so mysterious that his face has not been seen on a Madden NFL video game since he became head coach of the Patriots.

One, if not all of their receivers will be in the Hall of Fame when their careers come to an end. And there is the biggest picture of all: The Patriots are living proof that if they can overcome adversity and make history, anyone can.

Despite the infamous “Spygate” incident, which turned out to be payback for what the Jets admitted months later to doing to them in the past, the signing of the most controversial receiver in professional football, and being accused of running up the score (which is the dumbest thing I have ever heard); the New England Patriots are on pace to joining their brethren of the baseball diamond, the Boston Red Sox, and securing sports supremacy this sports season.

Now the stage is set for one of the most exciting Super Bowls in this era. While the New York Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has lost some of its luster, this game may bring some of that back. It is New York versus Boston again technically, because the Patriots play in Foxboro and the Giants play in New Jersey.

Some say the Patriots look beatable right now. Some say the Giants have New England’s number. Both could be true, but both could be wrong. What is apparent though is that the Patriots are already in the history books, but a Super Bowl win would not hurt. I say bring on the history because regardless of what happens at University of Phoenix Stadium in Tempe, the Patriots will have the credibility to be called a dynasty…but winning secures that debate.

As I said, there is a bar fight going on somewhere in America regarding this game, but the fight is really about which movie was better: Animal House or Caddy Shack? The Pats have not rolled snake eyes yet this season, but as it has been proven this year, anything can happen with the lights on bright, and the world watching.