True enough, and more recently the Brady of the Pats reportedly had a 103 degree fever and required IVs the night before the Pittsburgh game, I think it was. He came out the next day and got 'er done.
And I agree with the poster that said that McNabb's illness might have been football related.
Bottom line for me is that two good teams faced off last Sunday and on that day the Pats were 3 points better than the Eagles. That's really all you can say and all you should say. The rest is just... well Monday morning quarterbacking. There's a lot of woulda, coulda, shouldas to go around but all that matters is the final score. That's it.
And my bringing up Jordan should be in no way taken as condemnation of McNabb. Sick or no, winners do not use sickness as an excuse. And in all fairness to McNabb himself, I have not heard him offer any excuse whatsoever for the loss. He's taking it like a professional, no doubt replaying his mistakes in his mind, and planning on a rematch in January 2006.
A note about that three point margin. Vinateri has kicked the game-winning field goal in all three Patriot Superbowl wins. He just kicked this one a little earlier than usual.