For thousands of New England Patriots fans lining Boylston Street today, the mundane and petty tribulations of recent days were all but forgiven and forgotten.
Deflategate and the NFL’s looming decision on the matter? Meh.
"This is for all the haters around the country who thought we were cheating, and we weren’t," said one parade-goer.
The historic winter storms that have snarled commutes for a week now? Pshaw.
Also forgotten – or perhaps more accurately – ignored, was Mayor Marty Walsh’s request that fans stay off the snow banks.
On this cold winter morning in Copley Square. It was, pure and simple, a celebration. There were life-long fans who couldn't be bothered by the cold, new ones excited about their team's win, and those who skipped work and took the train into downtown to cross the experience off their bucket list. There was even a young Brady Thomas, whose mother named the 10-year-old after, you've guessed it, the star quarterback.
The crowd swelled through the morning. And after a blustery-cold wait, it happened: the Super Bowl Champions came rolling down Boylston Street.
But winning is a funny thing; it's fleeting, and the more you get, the more you want. Despite four championships in 15 years, just moments after the final duck boat rolled past the crowd here, Patriots nation was already looking ahead, shouting "We want five, we want five."
