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I don't know about you guys, but I still fantasize about the New England Patriots finishing a season with an undefeated 19-0 record. After the bitter taste of defeat in 2008, I have held out hope that the Patriots would be in a position to do something magical like that again. If the stars align, maybe this could be the year they at least have a chance at immortality.
Even last season, one in which the Patriots finished with a very good 12-4 record, you've got to wonder if they would've at least come close to 19-0 had it not been for their glut of injuries. Had they been healthy, they might've won the Super Bowl with an 18-1 or 17-2 record, and that's at least pretty damn close to perfection.
Everything really needs to go perfect over the course of the season, and luck needs to be on their side as well, but there is no denying the possibility of immortality when you consider last year's success and the potential for greater things in 2014.
With an influx of talent on an already stacked roster, including draft picks Dominique Easley and Bryan Stork, free agents Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, and healthy veterans, Rob Gronkowski and Vince Wilfork, the chances of success increase dramatically, and so does the chance at perfection.
Of course, the goal for every team is simply to win the Super Bowl, but it's also to win every game during the regular season and playoffs. No team aims for 11-5 or 13-3, they all aim for 19-0, because in their hearts, they are that unbeatable.
Naturally, very few teams close to this prestigious record, but that's still what makes the 2007-08 season so special despite its horrific ending -- finishing the regular season 16-0 is still remarkable.
This is all just a fantasy that has been playing out in my head almost every season since 2008, and it probably will for as long as Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are one of the best coach-quarterback tandems in the NFL.