TAMPA – Glenn Parker once thought this was routine. Make the playoffs. Win a couple games. Go to the Super Bowl. Every year. Routine.
Lomas Brown thought the routine was much different, less rewarding. Play hard in the regular season. Miss the playoffs. Watch the Super Bowl on TV.
Yesterday, as the Giants descended on Tampa in preparation for Super Bowl XXXV, Brown, a Super Bowl rookie, called Parker, a veteran of four Super Bowls (all losses) “an encyclopedia of information about what to expect, where to go and how to handle things.”
One of Parker’s most pertinent pieces of advice to all of his Giant teammates who’ve never been through this wild week before, have fun.
And win.
“Talking to Glenn Parker, he said one of the emptiest feelings you’ll ever experience comes from losing the Super Bowl,” Brown said.
“You don’t ever remember anything good about the Super Bowl unless you win it,” Parker said. “When you lose a Super Bowl there are no good memories. I’ve been to four Super Bowls and I have four horrible memories.”
Parker, in his 11th NFL season, and Brown, in his 16th, were brought to the Giants to solidify the left side of their offensive line and bring solidarity to their locker room.
This is the reward.
“I know my career and window of opportunity are closing, so I want to savor every minute I can,” Brown said. “I’ve never seen so many camcorders in my life. Everyone’s got one. Guys want to savor every moment, because you never know if you’re going to ever get back here.”
Parker got here in his rookie year. As a member of the Bills, he lost to the Giants, 20-19, at the old Tampa Stadium. That was the first of four consecutive seasons the Bills went to and lost the Super Bowl.
“When you get to the Super Bowl in your first year (as Parker did in 1990-91), you think this is pretty easy,” Parker said. “But the last seven years to never get close give you a better appreciation of it more.
“I feel bad for the rookies right now, because they’re going to think this is easy, but they’ll find out a few years from now that it’s not.”