Well, it's happened.
Bill Belichick, who once told us that anyone who doesn't root for him is the enemy, has won another one.
I guess that makes me the enemy.
It still hurts, after all these years. It still hurts.
On the other hand, Tom Brady never suggested any such thing.
So, is Brady the greatest quarterback of all time?
He pulled off a very impressive comeback. He's won five Super Bowls. He's been excellent for 16 years as a starter.
Very impressive. Very, very impressive.
But Joe Montana only finished nine years as a starter before, in the NFC Championship Game in his 10th season as a starter, an injury robbed him of his prime.
In those Nine years Joe Montana won Four Super Bowls.
And didn't loose a single one.
Pulled off a 90+ yard drive with 2 minutes left on the clock, in the Super Bowl, against a powerful defence, to score the touchdown he needed to win the game.
And in those four Super Bowls didn't throw a single interception.
It's like seeing a vast Old Growth Douglas Fir, and wondering how a Tree that big can even exist.
And then seeing the General Sherman Tree, biggest even among the Redwoods.
There is one thing Tom Brady seems to have done that Joe Montana didn't have to do- moderate the influence of Belichick's dark side.
Bill Belichick even seems to have mellowed out in the years since his fury and hatred was poured out against us after he was first cought cheating. He doesn't seem like much of a hater anymore.
Sure, there was 'Deflategate', and he threw Brady under the bus for that, but no penitent sinner gets it right the first time around. And anyway, the deflated football may have been an accident.
But if he is to be placed among the greatest coaches of all time, it's Bill Walsh and Jimmy Johnson he has to be measured against. *(And Tom Landry probably, Jimmy Johnson's legendary predecessor and another real class act)
Both took a losing franchise and built it into a Dynasty within three years.
But they did more than that. Their teams has class. They and their teams showed respect.
Which is why this dyed-in-the-wool 49ers fan will always have a special place in his heart for our rivals, the Dallas Cowboys.
I remember the 90's, when both were great. It was a golden era. The Cowboys and the 49ers played each other every year in the regular season, and then met in the Postseason. They played great football- some of the greatest games ever played. And they had class and showed respect. Among a number of athletes of the era who were great competitors on the field and gracious nice guys off the field- who stood out as nice guys even- were Jerry Rice of the 49ers and Emmet Smith and Troy Aikman of the Cowboys. Even here in 49er country, Troy Aikman and Emmet Smith were admired. Michael Irvin was supposed to be the troublemaker of Dallas' Big Three, but I really don't know why, except maybe simply by comparison. It was a world away from the bitter fury toward opponents we've seen in the past from Bill Belichick and basketball's Kobe Bryant- which only makes me appreciate the Cowboys more.
Oh, the memories. I hope today's sports fans can experience something like it.
And maybe Bill Belichick really has mellowed out- in which case he deserves those two recent Super Bowls. A nice reward for overcoming his dark side, I'd say.
Have fun!
David S. Annderson
*Speaking of class acts in sports, I was just reading about the Pete Carroll USC scandal with Reggie Bush. A guy buys a house for a poor black family and he's considered a villain for it? Good Lord, Big Media, where is your heart???!!!!!