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SPORTS A21
Friday 5 February 2016
Losing in the Super Bowl haunts some players
BARRY WILNER In this Saturday, July 27, 2013 file photo, Carolina Panthers receivers coach Ricky Proehl throws a that’s what I think: I left that
AP Pro Football Writer pass during an NFL football training camp practice in Spartanburg, S.C. The pain of losing a Super field a loser,” Smith said on
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Bowl never really disappears. It drives players who have experienced it to get back and get it Wednesday just before
The pain of losing a Super right. Ricky Proehl has been to four Super Bowls as a player, going 2-2. He won and lost with the learning his father passed
Bowl never really disap- Rams, lost with the Panthers, and got the second ring in his final NFL season, 2006 with Indianapolis. away after recently under-
pears. It drives players who going heart surgery. “So I
have experienced it to get Associated Press have been focusing in on
back and get it right. what I need to do here for
Ricky Proehl has been to In this Feb. 6, 2011, file photo, Green Bay Packers’ Tramon Williams, left, breaks up a pass intended me to walk off with a better
four Super Bowls as a play- for Pittsburgh Steelers’ Emmanuel Sanders during the first half of the NFL football Super Bowl XLV in result.
er, going 2-2. He won and Arlington, Texas. Sanders, who is now with the Denver Broncos, felt the sting of defeat in the Super “I love this game of foot-
lost with the St. Louis Rams, Bowl as a rookie. ball, I love putting it on
lost with the Carolina Pan- the line every week. But in
thers, and got the second Associated Press the end, you’re doing it to
ring in his final NFL season, have the opportunity to be
2006 with the Indianapolis down as motivation. And it doesn’t matter if the minute in 2009. called champion.”
Colts. “We got beat by a hot result was lopsided or in the The defensive end, in his Broncos receiver Emmanu-
He’s at the big game team and a better team last minute. first season with Denver, el Sanders joined the Steel-
again as Carolina’s wide that night,” Manning said Antonio Smith, a 12-year has a memento from that ers two years after that
receivers coach, buoyed of the 43-8 whipping Se- veteran, has reached his season that reminds him thrilling victory. Against
by memories of earning attle put on Denver two second Super Bowl. He was why he strives each day to Green Bay in 2011, he felt
those rings, haunted by years ago. “It was disap- with the Arizona Cardinals go one step beyond. the sting of defeat as a
remembrances of the two pointing. It was a tough pill when they lost to the Pitts- “Every time I look at the rookie.
failures. to swallow.” burgh Steelers in the final NFC Championship ring, Five seasons later, as Sand-
“Anger, disbelief, shock,” ers has developed into a
Proehl said on Wednesday top receiver, he still shud-
of his reactions to walking ders when thinking about
off the field a Super Bowl coming up short.
loser. “I’ve been here and I have
“And then they rush you a loss,” said Sanders, who
off like it’s a cattle drive so has become one of Man-
they can set up a stage ning’s go-to guys. “I can’t
for the winning team. You suffer that again?”
sometimes don’t even get Suffer?
a chance to congratulate “Yeah, man,” Sanders add-
the winners. ed, the smile disappearing
“It’s painful.” from his face. “Does it ever
Proehl has relayed those hurt.”
sentiments to some Pan- And there’s no way of ever
thers, emphasizing just how easing the hurt unless you
good the opposite feelings return to the Super Bowl
are. and pull off the victory.
“You are on top of the Asked how he thought the
world, on top of your pro- Buffalo Bills of the 1990s
fession,” said the former must have felt when they
receiver who played for six fell four straight times in the
teams in a 17-year career, Super Bowl, Sanders simply
the first nine of which he shook his head.
didn’t reach the postsea- Proehl sees little to no dif-
son. ference in working the
“You start out with a com- sideline or being in the
mon goal and you’re go- coaches’ box as opposed
ing with guys to attain to performing on the field.
a dream, and then you Coaches go through the
are hoisting the Lombardi same kind of preparation
Trophy. Everyone in this and routine as the players.
league should be able to They carry a similar burden,
feel that feeling with their and experience the same
teammates.” kind of exhilaration or de-
But only four players who jection.
will suit up on Sunday have “You know, it takes a spe-
had that joy, just one cur- cial group, and not just
rent Denver Bronco: Pey- guys with talent,” he said.
ton Manning with the Colts. “It takes a selflessness. Ev-
Carolina’s Michael Oher ery Super Bowl team I have
and Ed Dickson earned been a part of has had
rings with Baltimore, Ro- that.
man Harper with New Or- “You want it for them.”
leans. Yet, Proehl can find some
And the guys who have positive out of not winning
fallen short, including Man- that final game on the
ning, have used that let- schedule.q
