By JUSTIN RIMPI
Sports Editor
The RHA hosted its annual Super Bowl watch party in the lobby of Northpointe. This is the third time I have gone to this event.
This season, as has been the case for the last three Super Bowls, the New England Patriots were the representative from the AFC.
The composition of fans was substantially pro-Rams. Whatever the reason may be, the student body of FDU is anti-Patriots, and that was exemplified by the cheering that took place all throughout Super Bowl LIII.
Even harmless positive plays by the Rams were cheered vociferously while any positive play by the Patriots was met essentially with crickets every single time.
In my estimation, I only could positively identify one individual in Northpointe that definitely rooted for the Patriots in this game.
This meant I was only the second person at Northpointe that would have liked to see the Patriots victorious in this Super Bowl. I am a lifelong New York Giants fan and I have no hatred for the Patriots whatsoever.
Instead, I have immense respect for the dynastic run in which Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have been on for the better part of two decades. I wanted to see the Patriots be victorious because I enjoy seeing greatness, and that is what the Patriots habitually exhibit.
In football, or even in life, one must be able to appreciate great talent in any particular field. The fact of the matter is that one day in the near future, Belichick and Brady will retire and we will never see such a sustained period of success in the National Football League again. I do not want to regret rooting against greatness. I would be kicking myself for doing so for years to come.
The Northpointe watch party fans were cheering loudly for the Rams on each offensive drive hoping to see them score any points and, with the Rams trailing by seven, see them ultimately tie up the Super Bowl. The biggest cheer of the night came when Jared Goff uncorked a deep ball down the field to wide receiver Brandin Cooks late in the third quarter.
Ultimately, the ball fell incomplete after the ball was knocked down by a sprinting Jason McCourty who had to make up substantial ground to compensate for the Patriots’ blown coverage.
The air was completely taken out of Northpointe when Jared Goff threw an interception to Patriots’ cornerback Stephon Gilmore with just over four minutes remaining in what was mostly an underwhelming football game.
The rest of the game was just a formality as the Patriots were able to win their sixth Super Bowl by a score of 13-3.
Only a select few individuals, including myself, left Northpointe on Super Bowl Sunday satisfied with the result. Some of the sentiments uttered following the game were that many students were in complete and utter shock that the Patriots won another Super Bowl and that the NFL was rigged because the Patriots always seemingly find a way to win the Super Bowl.
I disagree with this sentiment because the Patriots are now six-time Super Bowl champions due to their impeccable attention to detail, and when you are the best in your field you get the lucky bounces to go your way.
When you are prepared for everything that could ever come your way, nothing is unexpected, and that, in a nutshell, is why I believe the Patriots are champions once again.
Written February 5, 2018
Photograph by Patricia Ressell-Deras
