By some miracle, this coming Sunday will be the third time Patrick Mahomes has played with the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. It is hard to believe that there has only been one Spring in my time at Jewell that we did not witness our team go all the way. However, Jalen Hurts and Travis Kelce’s bulkier brother, Jason, should prove to be a worthy opponent in the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs have a powerful offense that is spearheaded by Mahomes. Mahomes is one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the league and is able to make plays with both his arm and feet. Despite a recent ankle injury, Mahomes was seen walking without assistance in press conference interviews, so he should be good to go for the game.

Mahomes is backed by a team of skilled players including JuJu Smith-Schuster and Travis Kelce. Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon strengthen the team as a strong running back duo. The Chiefs’ defense has been strong this season. They were able to shut down opposing teams with their stout front four including Chris Jones and Frank Clark.

Meanwhile, the Eagles have their own dynamic quarterback in Hurts. Hurts has quickly become one of the league’s most exciting players and is able to make big plays with his feet. The Eagle’s offensive line has been solid this season, led by Lane Johnson and Jason Kelce, who will have a tough time going against Chris Jones and the Chiefs’ Defensive front.

Hurts will also have a talented group of receivers to throw to, including A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. Compared to the Chiefs, the Eagles’ defense has been inconsistent this season. This inconsistency is due mainly to the injuries of Fletcher Cox, Jalen Mills, and Rodney McLeod. 

The game is sure to be a close one, and it could come down to which team can capitalize on the other’s weaknesses. Mahomes and Hurts are both able to make big plays. The outcome of the game could depend on which quarterback can make the fewest mistakes. The Chiefs’ defense can be deadly with their potential to create a wide margin. However, their lethality depends on their ability to shut down the Eagles’ offense early. The Eagles, on the other hand, can be just as dangerous if Hurts makes the most of his running skills. 

Regardless of who wins, the 2023 Super Bowl is sure to be an exciting game and one that will be talked about for years to come, with major implications on the legacy of Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs’ players on the line. Find a place to live stream the Super Bowl at 5:30 on Sunday, Feb. 12 so that you do not miss the big game.

For instance, we could look at the Affordable Care Act, the centerpiece of President Obama’s presidency and the point of greatest contention. It is a fact that millions of Americans rely on the ACA for health insurance. Admittedly, despite political affiliations, that alone is commendable legacy. Furthermore, such a legacy is truly apolitical, as many Republicans rely on Obama’s healthcare policy.

Although providing health coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans is an amazing political feat in its own right, I felt as though this did not go quite far enough to emphasize President Obama’s legacy. Upon further reflection, I feel as though his legacy is that he genuinely cared about utilizing government programming to improve the lives of Americans.

This seems like a fairly low bar to set for a president, but my standards for how our chief executive should behave are steadily falling. Even the most basic demonstrations of decency, such as waiting for Melania Trump before walking into a building, are cherished and, to a certain extent, over-exaggerated.

But more to the point, it’s a rather depressing notion to question whether those who work in our government are actually interested in using government policy and resources to improve the lives of Americans. Such is the way that 2016—and the first part of 2017—has gone.

I admit I’m coming from a pointedly, if not liberal,  anti-conservative, perspective. Avoiding such biases I’m sure will be futile. But let’s attempt to work through this apolitically, if possible.

Why is the ACA, which has given millions of uninsured Americans access to previously inaccessible health coverage, even debated? Now, I can certainly buy the idea that aspects of the ACA are undesirable, but to advocate for a complete repeal seems irresponsible and dangerous. To advocate for a complete repeal of a policy that provides a life or death service to millions of people is in opposition to using our government’s resources to improve the lives of Americans.

Another example: President Obama was an outspoken proponent of environmental concerns and scientific studies (he himself published scientific essays). Drawing attention to climate change, something that poses a daunting threat to the continued safety of not just Americans, but our entire species, certainly would fall in line with using the office of the Presidency and its resources to improve the lives of Americans.

Following this logic, ignoring climate change, or further, opposing efforts to curb it (look: here, here and here, just for starters), would definitively and inarguably be against the best interest of Americans.

Here is the crux of what I think President Obama’s legacy is: although there is no such thing as a perfect president, and Obama is no exception, it is undeniable that he used the Executive Office in ways that objectively improved—or, if that is unacceptable, were intended to improve—the lives of Americans. This most basic of functions, that a president is obligated to serve the American people, is under threat. This is not a politicized assessment of President Trump’s intentions, but a calculated analysis.

Actively working against efforts to correct climate change and advocating for a repeal of a policy that provides millions of underserved people with health coverage is not an alternative fact, but the cold and hard reality of what is at stake during a Trump presidency.

President Obama’s legacy may not be great, but it was good.