[kayla crosslakes]

Hey all,

While watching the Pats/Colts game, I kept hearing that the Patriots defense was just toooo tired to keep up the intensity, and I could totally empathize with them. We're amateurs (well I am), but I think we all know how that feels. You're running up and down the basketball court, and then at minute 36, you get that cramp, and just start to break down. Your other pick-up teammates might not notice it, but it shows as you let that guy just kind of... have that layup. Furthermore, I used to get tired standing for 8 hours when I was a bartender, and I wished I had an arsenal of men rubbing down my legs and muscles, but I just didn't. They Pats did, and they still had nothing left. Thing is, it's hard to imagine the professionals going through this type of fatigue. I always thought that in an AFC Championship game, under those lights, in front of thousands of screaming fans (even though they're against you), you'd just operate on pure adrenaline. And I'm sure they do. But when you've killed yourself against the Jets, and mutilated yourself against the Chargers, and impaled yourself against the Colts long drives, I guess... you just kinda break down. And for the pros, it must suck to run out of gas, knowing that no matter how hard you wanna try, your body just won't allow it.

So I pose a question to you? What do you think are the All Time "They were too tired" games, where one team may have been superior, but it was clear they just didn't have any more gas in the tank.

My nominees:

Panthers v. Seahawks (2006 NFC Championship, with the surging Panthers coming off wins against the Giants and the Bears, and the Seahawks coming off an easy Redskins team. The Panthers just didn't have enough)

Jets v. Steelers (2005 NFL Semifinals, with the Jets winning a nail-bitter against the Chargers the week prior, and just needing a field goal to win it against the Steelers (which they missed), but I think had the prior week not been as intense, they could have crushed a relatively weak Steelers team)

Suns v. Mavericks (Game 6 of the 2006 Western Conference Finals, with the Suns coming off two Game 7 victories in a row v. the Clippers and Lakers)

Any NCAA Tourney Sweet Sixteen or Elite 8 game featuring Gonzaga between 1997 and 2001. When they were always the underdog, upset higher ranked teams in close, overtime games for the first two or three games, and then ultimately running out of steam and losing to some team in the Sweet Sixteen who always went on to be boring to watch in the next round (i.e. Purdue in 2000)

Anyway, I'd love to hear other people's input on this.

By the way, you should check out my favorite site called THE FEMALE FAN. All about how girls can enjoy football. Currently they have a great piece on both Conference Championship Games. The link is in my signature.

Be easy,

Kayla Crosslakes

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Suns triple overtime loss to the Celtics in 1976-77...they flat ran out of gas after leaving it all out in the triple overtime loss...

[MJHMarc]

The New York Knicks starting off today's game in the hole, 29-3.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

The New York Knicks starting off today's game in the hole, 29-3.

no that just means they don't belnog in the NBA at all...fatigue has little to do with how bad the Knicks play

[ThePundit]

I think that excuse for the Patriots is pretty lame. The Colts played as many games in the playoffs as they did. The Colts offense was too good for the Pats defense. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were tired.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

I think that excuse for the Patriots is pretty lame. The Colts played as many games in the playoffs as they did. The Colts offense was too good for the Pats defense. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were tired.

It has a lot to do with them being tired...though the Colts kept them of the field for a long spell...so give the Colts prop for that...