While 13 Reasons Why seems to be all of the rage in binge-watching this summer, I have set my focus for the last few months on binge watching another show of a completely different nature. NFL Network's Series documenting each Super Bowl winning team there has been. Most people that know me pretty well know I am a huge guy on sports, especially when it comes to the NFL. However, the reason as to why I have been binge-watching this show is not the reason you think it is. Here are 13 reasons why you should watch America's Game The Super Bowl Champions. It doesn't matter if you are a football fan or not. This is an amazing show for people stuck in neutral in life trying to find ways to reach the top in life.
1. You can reach the top even if you once were at the absolute bottom.
There probably is not a much better example of this then the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Notoroius for beginning their franchise with an 0-26 record, things never could seem to get much better for the model losers. After a playoff appearance a few years after the franchise's humiliating start, they went for years without another playoff appearance. Despite a torturous beginning where a Super Bowl Title in Tampa Bay seemed impossible, the Bucs were finally able to pull it off. Assembling a great roster full of talented defensive players such as Ronde Barber, Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and John Lynch, Tampa's egregious past was put behind them. New head coach Jon Gruden proved that no matter how bad you may have started off, having an unstoppable high motor can one day possibly take you all of the way.
2. You have to improve on what you have to become better. Even if that means stealing from and weakening the enemy
Even if you have everything you think you have, you may not be right. Sometimes, there is a missing piece needed to fill missing voids that are preventing you from reaching the top. One could take the scenario of the 1995 Dallas Cowboys. Crushed the previous January by the rival San Francisco 49ers, Dallas's run to become the first ever three-peat in NFL History was over. However, the Cowboys expanded their Championship window with the in-season acquistation of Hall of Fame Cornerback and Return Specialist Deion Sanders in free agency. Sanders spent the previous season with the 49ers. Due to an uncertain future as to whether or not Sanders would focus on baseball or football, the Cowboys had to take a chance on the prized free agent in order to bolster their already talented Championship-caliber roster. With the signing, the Cowboys only got better and weakened their enemies chances at contention. Arguably, my favorite episode of them all is the 1997 Denver Broncos (I will talk more about why that is later), also improved on a very talented team in an attempt for John Elway to win his first Super Bowl. Neil Smith of the rival Kansas City Chiefs came available in free agency. Smith had hammered Elway in the many years spent in the Red and Gold. Taking away from their rival was a huge thing for Denver. Getting the player that tortured your team for nearly a decade is a huge move to bolster your team to cause a monopoly in terms of balance of power needed to win a Championship. You have to take away from your haters in order to reach the same level of your haters.
3. When the time comes, you need to seize the perfect opportunity to overcome your enemies, doubters, and everyone else who believed you couldn't. And when you prove them wrong, you then have every right to silence them.
Steve Young did not have an easy job having to fill in the shoes for legendary quarterback Joe Montana. Despite ending up winning NFL MVP in the 1992 and 1993 Seasons, the southpaw gunslinger and the 49ers fell short in both years in the NFC Championship Game to the Dallas Cowboys. Critisicms from fans and media alike aroused. Known as the guy who never could win another title to San Francisco, Young was determined to show the World that he could fill up Joe Montana's void. After a gritty performance in the NFC Championship which Young dominated the scene and dismantled the Dallas Cowboys, Young showed this was his perfect opportunity to get that monkey off of his back. Dominating even more two weeks later setting a Super Bowl single game record SIX Touchdown Passes in a 49-26 triumphant victory. What strikes the most comes at the end when Young mentions how once you make it on top, you have shut up everyone of your doubters. They cannot say anything criticizing you for a day after you reach the top because you deserve the praise for even a small moment. You will overpower all of your haters and doubters once you finally reach the top.
4. When something seems out of reach, you will only get the result you want if you are willing to bounce back and make the comeback.
Newly Hall of Fame Inductee Terrell Davis was on a quest in the Broncos 1998 Championship to join a very exclusive fraternity very few NFL runningbacks have been initiated into. The 2,000 Yard Rushing Club. Compiling a 13-0 record to begin their title defense season, Davis just needed to keep up with his consistent performances of multiple 100-yard rushing games in the regular seasons final three games. The initation into the fraternity seemed to be a longshot after the Broncos slowed down and lost both of their first two of final three games on the road. Davis was held to under 100 yards in both games. Heading into a meaningless week 17 matchup, Davis needed to gain over 200 yards just to reach 2,000. Denver's offensive line was determined to not slow down in another meaningless matchup. Grinding through the opposing defense, Davis was able to gain the yards needed to join the 2,000 Yard Club on that afternoon. All in thanks to an offensive line and Davis himself willing to comeback from subpar performances in previous two weeks. Because they really felt the motivation to truly want that honor, the Broncos were able to fix what went wrong in the other weeks. If you really want to achieve something exclusive, you will find a way to get it done if it matters that much to you.
5. Those individuals that have been through the worst and toughest of times, there is still hope to reach the top.
The 1987 Washington Redskins film documents the struggle of Doug Williams, who would become the first African-American starting quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. Williams had to survive the absolute worst to get that honor. In the 1970's, many Division I Programs showed a reluctancy to recruit Williams as a quarterback. Rather than face a position switch or spend his collegiate career as a backup quarterback, Williams opted to play at a HBCU, Grambling, in hopes of getting a better starting gig. After a successful career which led Williams becoming a first round pick of the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Beyond some racist threats from fans, Williams had a bigger personal overstacle to overcome. His wife suddenly passed away only a year after marriage in the early 1980's. Following his tragedy and a few racist threats, Williams's performance in Tampa began to decline. USFL football came along a few years later. Sure enough, Williams was one of a handful of flamed out NFL players to land a gig in the newest football league hoping to challenge the NFL. Unfortunately, that league folded during Williams's tenure. Ascending back into the NFL as a backup role with the Washington Redskins, Williams endured a difficult battle to win over the starting quarterback job. Battling injuries alike, Williams ultimately showed his resiliency and came out on top in Super Bowl XXII after all of the adversity.
6. When someone says you aren't performing so well, it's not about how the past results fared. It's not about what the media says. It's more about what you do to fix it.
Peyton Manning early in his career showed signs of greatness. However, Manning could never win the Super Bowl. Critics believed Manning would never win a Super Bowl. 2005, Manning and the Colts were 14-2, but were upset by the Steelers in the Divisional Round. Manning seemed poised again to win it all in 2006. However, a pourous defense led many believing Manning would never win a Super Bowl. Head Coach Tony Dungy told his defense to just put their pourous performances behind them. It is about what you do now to fix it. This strategy worked for the Colts. Using what is important now, the Colts became Super Bowl Champions.
7. You won't always win the hearts of everybody whenever you reach the top.
This example applies to the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Ray Lewis was coming off of a murder trial. While Lewis was found not guilty, the team was still easy to hate on. The Ravens never really captured the hearts of bandwagon fans in America. This will sometimes happen to some whenever you reach the top. So for some, don't always expect to be so loved when you finally reach the top.
8. You will at one point have to go through somebody who previously derailed you to prove you are the best.
Denver Broncos fullback Howard Griffith knows this better than anyone else. In a 1997 regular season matchup, Griffith was annilhated on a blocking play by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Levon Kirkland. An intimidating defender wearing the prestigious 99, Griffith would have to face Kirkland again to get to the Super Bowl in the AFC Championship Game. In fact, many of these Super Bowl winning teams have to go through an opponent they have previously lost to in the regular season again in the postseason. On occasion, they will face an opponent they previously lost to in the regular season in the Super Bowl. Just ask teams such as the 1997, 1998, and 2015 Denver Broncos, 1999 St. Louis Rams, 2000 and 2012 Baltimore Ravens, 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2007 and 2011 New York Giants, 2010 Green Bay Packers, 2001 and 2004 New England Patriots, and many more as to what it means to plow through an opponent that previously beat you.
9. Whenever your value is less to the person above of you then what you believe it is, or if you appear to be done with, then you need to show them why you are the greatest.
Tom Brady is easily the greatest player in NFL history. There is no arguing that given his amazing historic performance in Super Bowl LI. However, Brady seemed to be a little derailed in 2014. With a few calling for Brady to be benched after a rough start to the 2014 Season, Brady showed he still has what it takes. Silencing all of his doubters, Brady once again led his team to another Super Bowl Victory. Whenever people think you are done with being an effective person it is at what you are doing, you need to prove them all wrong. Brady leads by example in the New England Patriots journey to Super Bowl XLIX.
10. Whenever you hit a new low, it is more about how you are willing to respond to those ugly circumstances.
When Denver Broncos superstar linebacker Von Miller entered the league in 2011, it seemed as if nothing could go wrong. Coming out very strong terrorizing quarterbacks beginning his rookie year, things started getting worse for Miller in 2013. Miller got suspended for the first six games of the season as he violated substance abuse policy. That December, Miller tore his ACL and ended his season prematurely. With those new lows, some, including myself, believed Miller would never return to the same level of play as he once was at. However, Miller improved on his ugly circumstances and proved to be on top. Winning Super Bowl 50 MVP to put those ugly moments well behind him.
11. Nothing has come automatic for the people who have reached the very top. The odds were always stacked against some of them at some point.
As evident by the 2007 New York Giants, nothing will be automatic. No matter how good the other competitor may appear to be, they will not automatically be better than you are. The undefeated Patriots had their work cut out for them to become the first ever 19-0 team in NFL History. However, the Giants proved to beat the odds and showed why on that particular day, they were the best in the World. If you are willing to show that you are the best in the World, you could win at anything you do in life.
12. Heartbreaking moments are not always the complete end to the story... Sometimes it will take an extra push after that heartbreak to reach the top.
Two of my favorite stories in this series easily belong to the 1997 Denver Broncos and 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers. Both had beloved veteran players in John Elway and Jerome Bettis looking to win their first ever Super Bowl Ring. However, it seemed for both of them their best chance was the year before. Unfortunately, that year ended in heartbreak for both as they endured stunning home playoff losses. For the Broncos, this was one of the most embarrassing losses in NFL history. The Jacksonville Jaguars, a team in only their second year of existence, who in fact should not have been in the playoffs that year, upset the top-seeded Broncos in Denver to end an amazing season. For the Steelers, it took the fact that the next years Super Bowl would be played in Detroit, the hometown of Jerome "The Bus" Bettis for the legendary big bruising runningback to come back for one more season. That scripted a much better and more emotional ending to Bettis's legendary career that you have to see to believe.
13. Keeping faith is very important. You haven't reached there yet. But when you finally do, there won't be a greater feeling knowing that you finally got what you deserved and wanted after all of these years of heartbreak.
As for me, I have had many disappointing and heartbreaking moments in my life. I still have not reached the heights I have wanted to. Whenever I start to feel REALLY down about how stuck I am in life, I watch the episode of America's Game The Super Bowl Champions documenting the 1997 Denver Broncos. Listening to the story of a legendary quarterback who went so many years without winning a Super Bowl, and then capping this season off with the first of two career-ending Super Bowl Titles, I find a renewed sense of hope that one day, I will finally discover a way to reach the top in life. I still don't know if I will ever get as lucky. But if I do find a way to finally get the things I want and deserve that I have never had, it will be my equavilent of John Elway jumping and throwing his fist triumphantly in the air upon winning Super Bowl XXXII, and it will be the greatest feeling in the World. If John Elway could keep the faith that he could win the Super Bowl after so many heartbreaks, I can keep my faith in finally accomplishing the things I have wanted most, but still haven't gotten. Maybe even the local news channel or someone would say to me "This one's for Matt" if it does happen. Well ok, that probably wouldn't happen. But you probably get my point.
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This is not a football only show. This show is much more about the game. People who feel they have been washed up, don't have any purpose in life, and need more inspiration to chase their dreams in the state of adversity need to watch this show. If you have Comcast XFinity On Demand like I do in my house, the series is there for free On Demand. Not even the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team in NFL history to finish with an absolute perfect and undeafeted record had things easy. Adversity even faced the perfect 1972 Dolphins throughout the season. So nothing comes easy and if you want proof of that, you should watch this inspring TV show.
