Viewing football this past Monday night got me thinking about the roles and pressures of the two quarterbacks.

Drew Bledsoe, the young New England signal-caller, led the Patriots to the Super Bowl much like John Elway did in the mid-’80s for Denver, and both teams are hungry to do it again.

Both teams came into the contest undefeated with visions of rings dancing in their heads. The enormous pressure for elite athletes to win hangs over them continually. It is either placed upon them by the media, fans or their team, but most often the pressure comes from themselves.

At all levels in various sports, athletes put themselves through rigorous workouts that take incredible amounts of time for one elusive goal: To be the best.

Elway and Bledsoe are at different points in outstanding careers.

Elway has been at the pinnacle of football, reaching the Super Bowl three times but failing to win a single one. He realizes time is running out on his career. He is nearing 40 and, like many of his counterparts, he knows the window of opportunity for winning the big one is closing fast.

Bledsoe, in his fourth year in the league, knows it is possible that last year’s run to the title may be his only one. Dan Marino, quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, led his team to the Super Bowl in 1984 and has not been able to repeat feat.

You also see this theme in professional basketball, where aging veterans give up their bodies for an ever-so-important championship.

Superstars like Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone can be described as obsessed with getting the ring. They say if they don’t win one, their careers will still be successful. However, it seems as though the only reason they keep coming back is just for that reason.

Pursuing success is just as emotional at the college and high school levels as well. I’ve been exposed to college athletics as a player, journalist and spectator, and I’ve known the people who would being willing to run through a wall for victory.

This past weekend, the Cyclone football team once again suffered a tough loss.

Many of the players I interviewed were emotionally drained and were just bewildered as to the reason for their lack of success. They can spend up to eight hours a day directly involved in their sport either lifting, watching tape, in meetings and then practice. As I understand, this is the same in other sports as well.

At the high school level, where most careers come to an end, emotions are even more evident. These young athletes often put just as much time in, and when they suffer a setback they can break down easier. They know this is their one opportunity to win a championship, and they have a very little time to do it.

What these people have to remember is that winning or losing will not affect what kind of person they are.

Let’s face it. In 10 or 15 years, unless they are directly affected, most people will not remember one way or the other.

Having goals and a good work ethic are critical, but athletes should try to strive to be the best they can be. People obviously have limitations, and as hard as it is, sometimes you just have to accept that.

Scott Johnson is a senior is journalism and mass communication from Holstein.