The leadership we wish we had.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII football game Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
I’m only a casual football fan. I can’t run down the names on the roster for the Dallas Cowboys. My life doesn’t go on hold every Sunday afternoon in the fall. I like the game. I like watching it. But I’m not eaten up with it.
I do watch the Super Bowl every year. Only I tend to avoid Super Bowl parties in favor of watching in my own chair eating my own food. And when the game is over, I’m over it.
But I’ll admit. This Super Bowl got to me.
I watched this Super Bowl with a bit more interest than usual for the simple reason that we in East Texas had a dog in the hunt named Patrick Mahomes. I don’t usually care who wins. This time I did.
The game was boring until it wasn’t. And with it tied at the end of regulation, it was anyone’s ball game. Given how well the San Francisco defense had held the Chiefs all day, some of the smart money was on the ‘Niners to win it.
But when Kansas City held San Francisco to a field goal and got the ball, I said to my daughter, “Kansas City’s going to win this thing.”
And they proceeded to prove me right.
With everything on the line, Patrick Mahomes’s performance was a thing of beauty. You could see the coming victory on his face when he took the field following the touchback of the San Francisco kickoff.
Watching him lead his team when it was win-or-go home, watching him convert two fourth downs and one third & long on the way to setting up first & goal, was a tour de force. He was calm. He was confident. He was in charge.
In the post-game show, wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who caught the winning touchdown pass, said of Mahomes:
How much confidence is there in the world? Whatever that is, that’s what we have in him.”
One of the virtues of NFL football is the fact that it remains a pure meritocracy – among the last in the culture. The ideologically blinded scolds of wokeness and DEI have exactly zero influence in roster decisions. The only way to get a job playing football in the NFL is to be the very best of the best. I am fond of saying that the worst player on the worst team in the NFL is one hell of a football player.
This Super Bowl got to me because of the state of things all around it. The country is a mess. The political leadership – on both sides of the aisle – doesn’t evoke the confidence among Americans that Chiefs players have in Mahomes.
What a relief then, however momentary, the Super Bowl was. For a few hours, talent, hard work and confident, selfless leadership were given the room to flourish.
According to the TV ratings, we ate it up.
In our politics, we don’t have an analogue to Patrick Mahomes. The Lord knows we could use one.
“In our politics, we don’t have an analogue to Patrick Mahomes.”
You must be joking! Please don’t confuse “politics” with outright “criminal” activity.
There are thousands of decent Americans of all vocations that are loyal to America and its founding principles that could/did run for office, instead, they have been demonized and “out-voted” by covert criminal election activity that was orchestrated to STEAL the 2020 election and place a criminal into office as a fake President to carry out a Communist plan and strategy to destroy our country and replace it with an autocracy of international globalists, loyal to “tyranny of the masses” at any cost.
Given the hate and intimidation perpetrated upon Patriots the last 3 years, how many are still willing to withstand the threat of imprisonment or loss of job and lifelong assets if they speak out against these demons that have infiltrated EVERY institution that hate America as founded. How many are afraid in the so-called “conservative” media to declare that the President is illegitimate and that the election never was properly conducted and/or certified to legal standards that were required by law? Why are so many so-called “conservative” broadcasters afraid to expose this deceit across the nation that they KNOW MUST BE TRUE? Are they idiots? No! By their silence they have become collaborators. If the EVIL in the nation is not acknowledged, and punished, but instead is tolerated and promoted for fear of retaliation and retribution, then it will continue to grow as we now see as almost NORMAL operation throughout America. Today, nearly half of the Republican Party is filled with cowards that have been co-opted by the Administrative State and WOKE corporations that have NO loyalty to our Constitution or sovereignty as a free Republic.
Guess who owns most of the major media and print monstrosities in this country that have fired or banished well known Patriots that will never bend the knee to these Communist inspired demon oligarchs? The only thing that I am grateful for is the total exposure of the EVIL that everyone with a brain can now see as these organizations (political, religious, academic, retail, media, government, health, manufacturing and sales, etc.) have been captured as followers to promote and propagate this “hate America as founded” movement that will homogenize this wonderful country into the dust bin of civilization failures when GODLESS, international AVARICE converts humanity into a commodity to be exploited and enslaved.
WOW!! Thank you Mr Solomon for so accurately and passionately articulating how myself and hopefully MORE than half the country feels.
“……One of the virtues of NFL football is the fact that it remains a pure meritocracy – among the last in the culture……”
To an extent on the field, yes. One has to be the best of the best to start or be a serious back-up to a position; agreed. BUT, wokeness is still there. Singing the so called “Black National Anthem?” Was that necessary just because the game was played in February? I don’t think so; I think it is a takeover of DEI and political cottelling. Players must do what their owners dictate to the coaches and the team. Now on the field of play, Yes Sir, there are no atheist in a combat zone to coin a phrase. Players of all stripes must perform at a very high level or they will not play for long. I agree completely in that respect. Partick Mahomes is a phenom extrodinaire; no doubt. BUT the NFL as a whole is Woke, DEI, Rainbow Flag, and all secular people want. I ditched them back when Collin Caepernick pulled the ultimate disrespect of our Flag and the whole NFL followed; including Jerry Jones who locked arms and walked the field of play with the Dallas Players. To heck with them! Bottom line is money rules the day. The fans need to completely stop going to games for one month and see what happens. It would be a very good outcome when those egomaniacs lose a billion dollars or two; just ask Bud Lite. Pro sports everywhere is out of control in both price, loyality to this country, and remembering the fans pay their way.
My comment about meritocracy is, as you correctly point out, limited to the player personnel rosters of the teams. The rest of the league is hot woke mess.
You pointed out the Chiefs were able to win the game due to the extraordinary leadership of Patrick Mahommes. Also the team had a common goal. The 49ers lost for other reasons. Errors, missed opportunities and failures in execution. Leaders can only lead those willing to follow their directions and make the best of opportunities afforded.
How can the Democrats be so dishonest they are the ones that should be on trial not Trump for causing so much hate in America no wander people were attacking the democrats . I think that ay one with a little smarts know the democrats were very capable of stealing the election