By Kevin Flanagan

BSD Correspondent

In the last 8 months the fans of Boston’s sports franchises have seen the Bruins come within a little over a minute away from forcing a 7th game in the Stanley Cup Finals and witnessed a Red Sox team that was left for dead turn a rebuilding year into a rebirth of baseball in the region, claiming a World Series title along the way. Now – this coming Sunday – we get to watch a Patriots team that has battled though injuries, free agent defections and a key member of their offense being sent to prison to make it to the AFC Championship game in Denver against Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

No wonder the rest of the country hates us.

I mean lets face it, the duck boats are barely dry from the World Series celebration and here we are again, on the doorstep of having one of our teams just 2 games away from glory. And the way they have done it is just so fitting. After they lost Rob Gronkowski for the season it was easy to say that they dead men huddling (I know, not only did I say they were done for the season, I called it the end of an era http://bostonsportsdesk.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/end-of-an-era-in-foxboro-this-season/. This is why I have a day job.), that his knee injury would be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Well, if these Patriots are camels then everyday is hump day (yeah, I did it…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWBhP0EQ1lA).

As an abject hater – which is what I was labeled by many a vociferous Pats fan after my brilliant work that I mentioned earlier – I can’t help but marvel at the unwillingness of this team to bow to the outside forces that would cause most any other team to collapse. They had to reinvent their offense during the season due to injury and personnel changes. The entire middle of the defense has been gutted and yet they are 2 wins away from a title. As the challenges mounted their resolve has stiffened and they simply have found a way to win. What I saw as a weakness that would lead to their demise, the Pats turned into a strength that has propelled them to this point.

If Tom Brady and Bill Belichick go on to lead this team to a Super Bowl with all of these factors saying that they just don’t belong, win or lose it will be the greatest show of leadership the duo has displayed in the over a decade of dominance they have forged together. With so many things conspiring against them they simply will not be – or let their team be – distracted from their goal of greatness.

In other words, what the hell do I know?

If the Red Sox World Series title run taught us anything it is that the unexpected rides are the most fun. When little is expected but much is given the feeling is something that is unmatched in the sporting experience. To watch superstars perform to their level is one thing, but to watch a group of grinders ground and pound, refusing to submit no matter the circumstance on the way to attaining their ultimate goal is the reason we love the games we watch.

This proud pack of Patriots has taken a season of setbacks and turned them into opportunities. They have simply refused to allow circumstance to dictate their fate. While others would have let the adversity give them an excuse to quit and adopt the “wait ’til next year” approach, they have chosen to fight with what they have and let the chips fall where they may.

And who knows, that just may be with a ride down Boylston Street in the back of a duck boat in February. Who would have thunk it?

Certainly not me.