Tomlinson knows close isn't good enough
New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson runs drills at practice as the team gets ready to play the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Jan. 19, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Joe Epstein
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - LaDainian Tomlinson just had a feeling.
As he strolled through the halls of the Jets' training facility during the offseason, his gut spoke to him. And now he's glad he listened.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team standing between the Jets and Super Bowl XLV. And Tomlinson, a 10-year veteran and native of Rosebud, Texas, is just 60 minutes away from a homecoming of sorts in Dallas.
After so many postseason heartbreaks - most notably, his brief appearance (because of injury) three years ago in the AFC title game won by New England - Tomlinson is on the verge of something special.
"I don't know if I can put it into words, but I can definitely imagine the feeling," the running back said Thursday when asked to describe how he'd feel if the Jets were to defeat the Steelers. "Because every year, you see a team that walks off the field in the AFC Championship Game, going to the Super Bowl, and you see the excitement on guys' faces, the atmosphere, and just how proud guys are. So I really can't put into words; I just know I have a vision of what it may feel like."
Time has taught Tomlinson the importance of patience. He bided his time over the years, hoping the hard work, in season and out, eventually would pay off. He fell short of reaching the Super Bowl during his nine-year tenure with the San Diego Chargers, but now he and the Jets are one win away from getting there.
Over the years, Tomlinson was forced to watch other players celebrate their postseason success. The toughest losses to swallow, he said, came around this time.
"This is the toughest game to lose because you're right there where you can smell it," he said of the AFC Championship Game. "You can start to envision the atmosphere and all that you've worked for all year long - starting with training camp - you start to really envision that you're finally here. And to lose the game, it's such an empty feeling. It really is. It's like, it was all for nothing. And it's a tough thing to get over, too, 'cause it sticks with you most of the offseason."
Perhaps he'll remind his teammates of that the next time he addresses the group. Tomlinson, known for being an emotional leader, said his pregame speeches are never completely scripted. Armed with only a few talking points, he allows the words to flow uncensored.
"That's a part of me that's the warrior that's ready for battle at that time," he said, "and so whatever comes out just comes out."
