Congratulations to the San Francisco 49ers, who have logged fourth-quarter comebacks for the first time this millenia in back-to-back weeks,
calloused the roster at the most integral point of the season, and saw their still-green quarterback emerge from what looked like a month-long confidence crisis, dating back to Christmas night against the Baltimore Ravens.
The reward? More demons to vanquish. A larger stage for everyone to collectively realize just how unforgiving the wind is whipping against this superteam and its head coach.
Any team that makes it to the Super Bowl feels like it has to win. But the 49ers are in a different stratosphere. It will be a minor miracle if they all arrive without the collective tightness of a violin string.
It’s one of the more memorable losing locker rooms in recent Super Bowl history. Shanahan sitting alone in an undecorated cinder block office with less free square footage than a commuter train in Tokyo.
John Lynch and Mike Shanahan guarded the doors. A few Coronas were passed around to ease the pain.