Super Bowl Distractions & the New England Patriots

Arriving at the Super Bowl is the apex of most professional football players' careers. The attendant hype with the biggest football game of the year is enough to distract even the most casual football fan, and these aren't even the people who participate in the game. It can be enough to drive players into distraction and out of the game, and experience with distraction can be a competitive advantage.

Since 2001, the NFL has instituted a 2-week gap between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. In some respects, it levels a playing field to ensure a more competitive game - minor, more nagging injuries have an additional week in which to heal, game plans have an additional week to be honed. In other aspects, it gives an additional week for the hype machine to click into gear.

There is an additional week for the competing teams' local media to swarm the host city. As fans, we will learn about the "interesting" human interest stories the media learns about the players. We learn statistics. We learn about just about everything, but the game. "Media day" exposes the players to all sorts of scrutiny in one "organized" setting where the players are swarmed by the entire local, national, and international cadre of media-members.

We learned early in 2007 Tom Brady, the Patriots' quarterback, was to become a father with his ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan. John Edward Thomas Moynahan was born August 29, 2007 - the day before the final preseason game of the Patriots' schedule. A 27-20 win over...the New York Giants.

In May, Defensive End Marquise Hill was jet-skiing on Lake Ponchartrain in Louisiana, when he and a friend apparently fell off and were carried under the water by the current. His body was recovered some time later and at least one other player, Randall Gay, was present on the scene.

Just before the start of the 2007 season, Rodney Harrison, the Patriots' safety, was suspended for 4-games for having used HGH, human growth hormone.

8-minutes into the first game of the season with the New York Jets in Giants Stadium, a cameraman with a Patriots credential was detained and a videotape confiscated in what came be known as "Camera-gate." The Team was penalized a first-round draft pick if they were to reach the playoffs (they did), Coach Belichick was personally fined $500,000 and the team was fined $250,000. The team won 38-14 that week. And the next. They won their third game 38-7.

After week 9 of the season - after the Patriots defeated the previously undefeated Indianapolis Colts - the talk began of the possibility of a "perfect season." Talk that followed them throughout the rest of the season, building week after week, and game after game up to their week 17 matchup with the New York Giants. And their playoff matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars. And their Conference Championship game with the San Diego Chargers.

Just before the Patriots first playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, wide receiver Randy Moss was dealing with a domestic issue. The Patriots won 31-20. In the days after the game, we came to know he was the subject of a restraining order and allegations of domestic abuse. The Patriots won their Conference championship 21-12.

This week, Tom Brady was videotaped wearing a walking cast and reportedly has a high ankle sprain.

This is the 4^th Super Bowl for this team in the last 7 years. This is game before which Tom Brady took a nap. And that was his first Super Bowl. Distractions? Distractions will not play a role for this team in this game. The New England Patriots have experience with it. And distraction itself. They sit at 18-0 on the season.

The distraction of a teammate and friend dying an accidental death, a celebrity birth under less than ideal circumstances, a drug suspension, video controversy, accusations of domestic violence, and a quarterback in a cast. The distraction of a "perfect" regular season.

1-more win and they enter history. 1-more win and they win a world championship. The Patriots have one opponent standing between them and their organizational mission - winning. These are all powerful distractions.

Unless your goal isn't to enter history or to win a Super Bowl. If your goal is to win the next game, there are no distractions that will get in your way.