February 7, 2005

Swooning Under Pressure

Yesterday's SuperBowl 39 game was a very interesting football match, with most of the emphasis on opposing coaching schemes. But I think the game came down more to determination and will than anything else. The look in Donovan McNabb's eyes in the 3rd and 4th quarters -- when New England was pulling away decisively -- was of a lost soul. Then Philadelphia did not go into a hurry-up offense down 10 points with less than five minutes left in the game, and managed to run only one offensive play from scrimmage in the last 1:06.

As Mike Wilbon writes in A Case for All Time [washingtonpost.com] this morning:

late, when champions separate themselves from contenders, the Eagles weren't up to the task physically and played lackadaisically over the last four minutes, like they had taken a shot to the chin and didn't know what round they were in. You think the Patriots, trailing by 10 points, would have been strolling out of a huddle with two minutes to play in the Super Bowl? The Eagles, for some strange reason, couldn't even get themselves organized in the final minute with a chance to win, couldn't run a two-minute offense crisply, could barely get themselves to the line of scrimmage.

I have grudgingly gained respect for the Eagles and McNabb this season. But their performance on Sunday stuck me as simple wilting under pressure. These guys get paid millions every year to deal with that pressure, so when they don't or can't it is very disapppointing. Not because the wrong team won, but because little boys and even many grown men look to these players as heroes. Everyone has a bad day once in a while, even champions, but not even to make it to the line is just a sad excuse for professionalism. The first rule to winning is showing up. Even Donovan's mom knows that.

 Posted by glenn

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