Last Sunday evening I found myself thinking, wow, what a game!! I am talking about the Superbowl of course, and I am sure many of you disagree. If you just look at the final score, it was a horrible game. However, despite the absolute sweep, I watched to the end and thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe I appreciated the championship because the underdog won. Or was I more focused on the amazing firsts the game gave us? Perhaps I was happy that a Superbowl happened at all, but if this year has taught us anything it’s that there is strength in willpower.
There are so many reasons this year’s Superbowl was a great game. There were several amazing firsts – some that we care about and others that do not resonate as much. For instance, when we first heard Brady was leaving the Patriot powerhouse, many thought his Superbowl reign was over. Living in the area that I do, many of my friends rooted against Tom Brady when he was with the Patriots, yet this past Sunday several found themselves rooting for him as a Buccaneer. If you know the Philadelphia and New England rivalry, then you know that having a bunch of Eagles fans rooting for Tom is an amazing first. Maybe more people love underdogs than we know and celebrate their willpower to succeed. ?
This year’s game found Brady as not only the oldest quarterback, but also the oldest player in a Superbowl. On top of that, he now holds the record for most bowl wins, and the firsts do not stop there. At 68, Bruce Arians won his first championship as head coach and became the oldest to do so. The Buccaneers also had 2 female coaches, Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar, on the team and a female referee, Sarah Thomas, officiated the game. The score may have been a blowout, but glass ceilings were shattered!
To me, “strength in willpower” was the theme of Superbowl LV. The NFL pulled off the biggest game of the year during a pandemic. It seemed improbable, and a lot of hard work was required, but the league put the work in and while fan participation was limited, they still made it happen. Needless to say, it was worth it as numerous firsts were accomplished, and many records were beaten. Regardless of the hurdles, each participant believed in what they wanted and went after it, and that is what made it all so enjoyable to watch.
“There is no great talent without great willpower.”- Honore de Balzac
What did you think of the game? What firsts did you notice, and how did they inspire you? Let me know.
Have a great weekend.
-Vijay