That's all folks

I wasn’t the most active poster here this season, often lurking more than actually commenting (and rarely dropping into the game threads since I don’t have a laptop and my TV is in another room), but I had a lot of fun here this season. Got to meet a lot of knowledgeable Pats fans, and got to interact with the fans from other teams who were passionate and respectful.

It’s a bit tough as I see the scores from the Chargers/Broncos game come in and, as noted, realize that a .500 team is going to the playoffs and our guys aren’t, but overall I’ve liked the shift to 4 divisions per conference even though I was against it when it was first introduced. I don’t know if it’s actually kept more teams “in the hunt” longer statistically, but it certainly has felt that way to me at least. And even though the Chargers have a worse record, we did have an opportunity to go up against them this season and came up short, so I can’t really complain about how things are turning out now.

But I’ve loved this season. Watching Bill manage his way through injuries — he may be a hated coach by many, but I think few can argue with his ability to run a team successfully. All the “excuses” or “advantages” that people may have claimed he had in the past seasons were stripped away, and the team still finished with 11 wins. Seeing a kid that was doubted by everyone because of his lack of experience (even our own fanbase) step in and play with the poise of a seasoned veteran down the stretch. Seeing older team members play with the fire in their hearts of teenagers, even as their bodies showed their age and slowed. Lots of good memories.

They’ll be back in 2009, and so will us fans!

We headed into this year ready to continue 2007’s greatness, still violently hated by the league, the analysts, and most football fans outside of New England. Eight minutes into the season everything changed and 16 games later it all turned around.

A lot of the hate for Belichick turned into at least grudging respect. The “karma” factor, blamed for Brady’s injury, turned into a coming-out party for Matt Cassel and brought out the true character of this team in all phases. The Patriots led the league with 42 different starters, and still made it to 11-5. Devastating injuries, death in the family, two west-coast road trips, and of course, a backup QB that hadn’t started since high school. Didn’t matter. The Patriots never gave up, never settled for just trying not to lose, and had their sights set on the playoffs from the start even as the fans and the media wrote them off as suddenly irrelevant.

As much as I am disappointed at missing the playoffs, and am seriously convinced it could have been another Patriots-Giants Super Bowl, I will always remember this gutsy, gritty, 2008 Patriots team with special affection. Truly a team of character and heart, without whining, complaining or excuse-making when they had every right to gripe, prima donna free (especially with the media just watching and waiting to pounce if Randy Moss so much as said ’boo’), I just love the New England Patriots and thank them for putting it all out there for us with a phenomenal season.

Is that I feel that the fun was just starting.

nicely put.
As bummed out as I am (and how much Brett Farve can kiss my @ss) I’m extrememly proud of this team for what they’ve done this year, just as much as the SB years.
I think as much as it sucks to be out now, I think the core of this team needs a long off season, they haven’t had one in a long time, this team as put in more time than any other over the last 8 years.

you all have said it very well , let them all heal , and we will see them next season.