Editorial: The other Super contest

Well ... nobody's perfect.

The Patriots' surprising Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants Sunday ended the team's and, by extension, the region's quest for perfection, leaving football fans from Bangor, Maine, to Hartford, Conn., lamenting what could have been and consoling each other with utterances of "Wait 'til next year."

While the Patriots can't be called the best this year, they certainly gave fans an interesting, exciting season of football, full of controversy, drama, occasional comedy and spectacular individual performances, like a five-month-long blockbuster film.

After all, despite the emotional investment loyal fans make in "their team," professional sports exists merely for our entertainment. In that way, the Patriots were undoubtedly a success and should be congratulated for a job well done.

Fortunately there is a fast escape from the doldrums, as today we turn our attention to another Super contest, this one even more important than Sunday's big game. And instead of watching from the sidelines, fans can - and should - actively participate, helping pull them out of their malaise.

There is much more at stake than "spygate" and a silver trophy - even if Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) doesn't think so - as voters head to the polls in today's Super Tuesday presidential primary.

Obama vs. Clinton; McCain vs. Romney. These contests affect more than just the collective ego of the region's fandom. Today's nationwide spate of primaries will likely determine who squares off to lead this nation through the difficult times it finds itself in.

Voters should consider it an honor and a privilege to play a pivotal role in choosing the next president of the United States. Many voters - notably, those in Rhode Island - have little or no impact on the presidential race because the Electoral College system renders the smallest states virtually irrelevant. We urge all voters to take advantage of the power they can wield. Polls remain open until 8 p.m. today.